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THE    FLO\A/^ER    GIRL   AT    MARSEILLES. 


ILLUSTRATED  HOME  BOOK 


OF 


The  Worlds  Great  Nations 


BEING  A 


Geographical,  Historical  and  Pictoeial  Encyclopedia, 


DESCRIBING  AND    ILLUSTRATING  THE 


Scenes,    Events,   Manners  and  Cnstoms  of  Many  Nations,  fi^oin    the 
Dawn  of-  Cwilizatio7i  to  the  Present   Time, 


EMBELLISHED  WITH 


OVER  ONE  THOUSAND  ENGRAVINGS, 


BY  THE 


MOST  EMINENT  ARTISTS.S. 


EDITED    BY 


THOMAS     POWELL 

Chicago: 

THE  WERNER  COMPANY 

1893. 


Copyrighted  by  Mns.  Frank  Leslie,  1891. 
Copyright,  1893, 


THE  WERNER  COMPANY 


^ 


Gils 


PREFAOE 


f  MHE  intention  of  the  Publishers,  in  tliis  volume,  is  to  present  to  the  readers  a  brief  but  comprehensive  account 
of  all  nations,  from  the  rudest  to  the  highest  state  of  civilization  ;  and  illustrating  every  phase  of  life  with  Engrav- 
ings exactly  representing  the  scenes  described.  This  work  embodies  in  this  way  the  results  ot  all  the  great  travels 
and  explorations  of  recent  years,  in  which  the  photograph  and  pencil  have  combined  to  aid  in  giving  us  correct  and 
detailed  information  never  before  attainable.  Accounts  of  foreign  lands,  without  illustration,  lose  half  their  force,  while, 
aided  by  truthful  pictures,  they  make  a  clear  and  ineffaceable  impression  on  the  mind.  This  has  induced  the  lavish 
illustration  of  the  present  volume,  which  presents  a  thousand  views  of  every  kind.  These  have  all  been  designed  by  artists 
of  world-wide   renown,   and   engraved  by   the  best  workmen,  at   a  cost   of  at  least   sixty  thousand   dollars. 

They  venture  to  assert  that  no  work  of  .<!imilar  wealth  of  Illustration  has  ever  before  appeared.  Not  only 
are  the  scenes  of  active  life  and  adventure  graphically  depicted,  but  the  principal  buildings  of  the  present  time,  as 
well  as  the  ruins  of  antiquity,  have  been  carefully  engraved  from  the  most  authentic  photographs :  thus  giving,  to  a 
work   of  absorbing  interest    and   amusement,   an   antiquarian  value  never  before   combined    m   the   same   volume. 

The  Compiler,  after  much  deliberation,  has  commenced  with  the  East,  the  birtli-pkce  of  refinement  and 
civiKzation ;  for  however  true  it  may  be,  that  with  progress  of  time  the  staik  of  empire  travels  westward,  the 
great  historical  fact  remains  unshaken,  that  the  arts  and  sciences  had  their  origin  in  Asia.  Thence  they  traveled  to 
T^gypti  spreading  from  there  to  Greece,  which,  in  turn,  gave  literature  and  science  to  Rome,  whose  spirit  of  military 
■conquest   carried   the  light  of   civilization  to   the   ends   of  the  then   known   world. 


The  present  work,  therefore,  may  be  regarded  as  a  succinct  history  of  human  progress  and  adventure,  in  whicli 
the  varying  phase  of  man's  progress  are  distinctly  marked.  In  a  T\orcl,  it  may  be  considered  tlie  history  of  tlie  Immac 
race  to  the  present  time.  As  snch,  it  gives  in  a  single  volnmc  a  perfect  library  of  geographical  information,  wliich 
could  not  be  acquired  in  any  other  form,  without  immense  expanse.  !No  one  who  wishes  to  give  the  family  circle,  in  an 
attractive  form,  a  perfect  panorama  of  the  world,  with  its  scenery,  its  monuments,  its  costumes,  its  palaces,  and  its 
cottages,  will   neglect    the    opportunity   now  afforded. 

With  tills  book  at  hand  for  ready  reference,  the  whole  world  lies  before  them,  not  in  didl  and  tedious 
description,  but  in  vivid  pictures,  with  pen  and  pencil,  ready  to  throw  ligiit  on  all  allusions  met  with  in  daily  reading 
atd   cOftveTsatiou.       It   is    essentially   a    book   for  the    family 


CONTENTS. 


PERSIA. 

0«ooRAPHicAL,    Industrial,   axd    Historical 

Summary. 
[Thirty-seven  Illustrations.] 

PAGH3 

Cashmere  Women. — Persian  MaiTiage. — The 
Shah  of  Persia. — Persian  Costumes. — 
Seraglio. — The  Tower  at  Key. — Grand 
Mosque  at  Ispahan. — A  Persian  Captive. 
•^Well  in  the  Desert. — Persian  "Women, 
— Caravanserai. — Portable  Stove. — Lan- 
tern.— Arms,  Domestic  Articles. — Par- 
sees  AVorsliiping  the  Setting  Sun. — Rural 
Chariot. — Persian  Group. — Sacred  Tank. 
The  Tomb  of  Noah.— Tumult  in  Tehe- 
ran.— Concluding  Remarks.     ,     .     17  to  36. 

EGYPT. 

Geographical     Industrial,   axd    Historical 
Summary. 

[Ninety-seven  niustrr.Uons.  ] 

Pharaoh's  Treasure. — Temple  ac  Petra. — Door 
Pius  and  Hinges. — Promenading. — Tem- 
ple at  EUora. — Indoor  Life. — Temple  of 
Venus. — Zeynab. — A  Primitive  Boat. — 
Shopping. — Drawing  "Water. — The  Pyr- 
amids.— The  Sycamore. — Sawing  Wood. 
— Ancient  Chart. — Couches. — Ferry  boat. 
School  in  Egypt. — Night  Patrol. — Mem- 
non. — Fetes  of  tlie  Viceroy. — Corinthian 
Tombs.  —  Cairo. — Street  Sprinkling. — 
Mameluke  Tombs. — Bonlac.  —  Dancing 
Dervishes.— Sabre  Dance. — Alma  Dance. 
—Sarcophagus. —  Battle  Ax. — Tables. — 
Stone  Knives,  Car,  Kilometer. — Ovens. 
The  Great  Sphinx.  —  Metal  Mirrors. — • 
Kcrry-Redintz.— Cups. — AVine  Bottles. 
A  Family  Group. — Lanterns.  —  Lady's 
Head  Dress. — •  Necklaces, —  Ornaments. 
Reception  of  European  Ladies. — A  Be- 
douin Settlement. — Gold  Ckroors. — Dia- 
mond Ckrcors. — I^amps.— Carrying  Cliil- 
dren. — Ilelmet  of  Touman  Bey; — Houses 
<tod  Furniture. — Caiio   Houses. — Foun- 


EOYPT— ConHnnca.  pages 

tain. — The  Shadoof. — Filio^ree  Works. — 
Sacriflces. —  Mummied  Bull.  —  JIummv 
Case. —  Pyramid  of  Cheops. —  Ring  of 
Cheops. — Sugar  Cane  Seller. —  Tattooed 
Lady. —  School  Boy. —  Potter. —  Young 
Arab  Girls 37  to  70 

GREECE. 

Geographical,    Industrial,    and    Historical 
Summary. 

[Seventeen  IlUtstraUons.] 

PAGES 

Modem  Athens. — Mount  Parnassus. — Vase. 
— Vintage  in  Cyprus.  —  Wine-making. 
Port  of  Khania. — Greek  Priest. — Cathe- 
dral at  Athens. — Grotto  of  Antiparos. — 
Coitumes  in  Corfu. — Street  in  Athens. — ■ 
Banditti  Lving  in  AVait  near  Maraihon. 

70  to  80 

HINDOOSTAN,  SIAM,  ETC. 

Geographical,    Industrial,    and    Historical 
Summary. 

iTkirty-nine  Tllustratlons.l 

PAOKS 

Princes  of  Oude. — Burmese  Costumes. — OtB- 
cial  Types. — Burmese  People. — The  Rana 
of  Oodipoor. —  Laotian  AVomen. —  Hin- 
uoo  Fakir. — Carpenters. — Horses  Bath- 
ing.—  Social  Life.  —Sunrise. —  Dancing 
Girl. — Burmese  AVomen. — Human  A'ic- 
tims. — Knife  Grinder. — Tambourines. — ■ 
Bombay  Streets. — Nautch  Girl. — Family 
Boat.  —  Brahmin. —  Hubble  Bubble.  — 
Ewer  and  Basin. — School.     .     .     .     80  to  96 

CHINA,  TARTARY,  ETC. 

Geographical,    Industrial,   and    Historical 
Summary. 

[Thirty-one  lustrations.] 

PAGES 

Theatre  at  Macao. — Holiday  Scene. — Chinese 
Pavilion. —  Balancing  Accounts. —  Chow 
Chow.—  Tossing  Sticks. —  Breakfast. — 
Theatre  at  Canton. — Girls. — Lad>  's  Foot. 


china,  TARTARY-,  Etc— Contlhuwl.  paoeS 

— Surgeon'sIIand.- Tong-Chu-Kiung.— 
Praying  for  Luck.— Chinese  Trader.— 
Salutations. — Ladies'  Feet. — Men's  Feet 
and  Shoes.  —  Rat  Merchant.  —  Winter 
Cradle. — Tea  Plant. — Dinner  at  Manda- 
rin's.— Rowing  boat. — Rain  Jacket. — Pa- 
goda.— Pavilion. — Tea  Service Suraraei' 

Palace.  —  Paris  and  Chine.  —  Chinese 
House. — Concluding  Remarks.     .     96  to  112 

PALESTINE,  SYRIAN  THIBET. 

Geographical,    Industrial,   and    Historical 
Summary. 

[T:)irty-one  lUustrattons.] 

PAGES 

Explorations  at  Jerusalem. — Christmas  Fes- 
tivities.— AVater  Pots  at  Cana. — Shew 
Bread  and  Altar  of  Incense. — Christmas 
Festival  at  Jerusalem. — House  Tops. — 
Siloam  and  Fountain  of  the  A'irgin. — 
Trial  of  Jealousy.  —  Mountaineers  of 
Lebanon. — Tribute  Money. — Women  of 
Lebanon. —  Tomb  of  Noah. —  Tomb  of 
Godfrey. — ^Mountain  Pass. — The  Scape 
Goat. — Bethlehem. — Chapel  of  the  Burn- 
ing Bush. — Fetes  of  Kcurban  Beirara. — 
Chamber  in  the  AA'^all. — Captive  Israel- 
ites. —  Jews  Praying.  —  Jewish  Higli 
Priest. —  The  Maronites. —  AVoman  ct 
Fountain. — Court  Yard  at  Damascus. — 
The  Taking  of  Jerusalem.     .     ,     113  to  130 

ITALY. 

Geographical,    Industrial,   and    Historical 
Summary'. 

[Thirty  Illustrations.} 

PAQBg 

RoKie, — General  View. — Castle  of  St.  Angelo. 
Pantheon. — St.  Peter's. — Papal  Tiara  and 
Keys. — Mass  in  St.  Peter's. — Monks  at 
Study. — Arch  of  Titus. — Farnese  P.i'ace. 
— Colosseum. — Arch  of  Druses. — Alilan- 
ese  Ladies. — The  Misericordia.' — A''ene- 
tian  AA'ine  Glasses. — Pontifical  Mas.«  in 


VIU 


CONTENTS. 


rrALy— Continued.  rAGES 

Saint  Peter's. —  Eastern  Lanterns  and 
Torches.  —  The  A'illa  Aldobrandini  at 
Frascati. —  The  Viol  de  Gamba. — Verona 
Costames.  —Paduan  Costun;es. — Venetian 
Costumes. —  Itahan  Servants,  Sixteenth 
Century. — Etruscan  A'ases. — Xaples  and 
Mount  Vesuvius. — Amphitheatre  at  Mi- 
lan.— Ancient  Couches. — Barber  Shop. — 
Combs. — Capuchin  Cemetery. — Eel  Market. 

130  to  140 

POMPEII. 

0»0ORJirHiCAL,    Industrial,   and    IIistohical 
Slmmauy. 
[Forty-two  Illustrations.} 

PAOKS 

Excavated  Streets. — CommencLn;j  an  exca- 
vation.— The  House  of  the  Hunter. — • 
Portable  Kitchen. — Grecian  Toilet  Ba- 
sin.— Tepidarium. -Baker's  Shop. -Vases. 
■ — Urns. —  Lamps. — Kitchen  Utensils. — 
Sword. — Steel  Helmet. — Wine  Pitcher. 
Glass  Vessels.  —  Urna  for  Warming 
Drinks. —  The  Quaestor's  House. — Am- 
phitheatre.— Plaster  Casts  of  Victims. — 
Pompeian  Lady's  Boudoir. — Baths. — Can- 
delabra.—  Female  Jewelry  and  Orna- 
ments.— Mirrors,  etc. — Roof  of  House. — 
Interior. — Atrium  in  the  House  of  Pansa. 
■ — Steelyard. — Weights,  etc. — Triclinium, 
or  Dining  Room.-Bird  Chariot.-Building 
Tools. — Public  Roads. — Tomb  of  Scau- 
rus. — Round  Tomb. — Tomb  of  Calven- 
tius  Quietus. — Mosaic  of  Battle  of  Issu.;. 

1 17  to  102 

SPAIN. 

CeOGRAPIIICAL       InDUSTIUAL,     and      HiSTOllICAL 

Summary. 
ITwentyntne  Illustrations.] 

PAOKS 

Young  Bull  Fighters. — The  Gralla  House. — 
The  Court  of  Lions. — Rock  of  Gibraltar. 
— The  Fandango. — Burial  of  the  Poor.^ 
The  Castle  of  Segovia. — Bull  Fight  in  a 
Village. — Dominique  the  Espada. — Ma- 
drid.— Crockery  ^lerchant. — The  Girl  of 
Cadiz.—  Madrid  Chair-Seller.—  Madrid 
Bird-Fancier. —  The  Escurial. — A  Cata- 
lonian  Vcnta. —  The  Gipsy  Girl. —  Ma- 
drid Street  Characters. — The  Traveling 
Tinker,  The  Broom  Merchant,  Fruit-Sel- 
ler, Orange-Girl,  Pipe-Seller,  Pie-Man, 
Game-Seller.  —  Mountain  Travelinsr.  — 
The  Gipsy  Sisters — Granada  and  its  Bal- 
conies.— The  Leaning  Tower  of  Zaragoza. 
—Shooting  Flamingoes. — Visit  to  Ma- 
drid  163  to  180 

FRANCE. 

Geogiuphical,    Industrial,    and    Historical 

Su.\IMARY. 

iThirty-six  Illustrations.] 

A.  Norman  Bride.— The  Fire  of  St.  John,  Al- 
Batia. — The  Church  of  the  Invalides.— 
French  Theatre. — Navarre  Costuraes.- 


FUANCE— Continued  pages 

Shopping  in  the  Seventeenth  Centui-y.^ 
A  Shrimp- Seller. —  Costumes  of  the  Is- 
land of  Re. — Artesian  Wells. — View  of 
the  Town  of  Pont-en-Royans.  —  The 
Catacombs  of  Paris.  —  The  Great  Sewers 
of  Paris. — A  Torture  Rack  used  in  1765. 
— The  Railway  over  Mt.  Cenis. — View 
above  Lauseburg. — The  Gamin  de  Paris. 
— La  Roquette,  interior  of  the  Chapel. — 
Cells  for  Solitary  Confinement. — Outside 
View  of  La  Roquette.— The  Grand  Gou- 
let.  —  Driving  Horses  from  a  Leech 
Swamp. —  Truffles,  and  How  to  Grow 
Them.-  Mussel  Nets.— The  Cathedral  of 
Chartres. — Church  and  Fountain  of  St. 
Sulpice,  Paris.  —  The  Hotel  de  Cluny. — 
Fowling. —  A  Breton  Peasant  Drafted 
into  the  Army. — The  Baths  of  Biarritz. 
• — The  Walking  Manager  with  his  Thea- 
tre on  his  Back. — Shop  in  Paris,  last  Cen- 
tury.-The  Plague  ai  Marseilles. — Wood- 
cutters and  Wood-Carriers  in  Normandy. 
— The  Cafe  de  la  Cascade,  Bois  de  Bou- 
logne. —  Benediction  of  la  Garonne. — 
Extinct  Volcanoes  of  the  Chain  of  Puys. 
— The  Ice  Cave  of  Vezy. — Salmon  Traps. 
—The  Astronomical  Clock  of  Strasbourg. 

181  to  208 

GERMANY. 

GEOGUArnicAL,    Ini)u.strial,    and    Historical 

Su.MMARY. 

[Flfiy-seven  Illustrations.] 

Alsatian  Mother  Teaching  her  Daughter  to 
Read. — Sunday  Morning  and  Afternoon  at 
Coburg. — German  Emigrants  Embarking 
for  America. — Marriage  in  Lusatia. — 
German  Peasant  Girls  in  Sunday  Cos- 
tume.— German  Girls  in  Working  Cos- 
tume.— A  Wendish  Bride  and  Bride- 
groom in  Church. — Colossal  Statue  in 
Munich. — The  Valhalla  in  Munich,  Ba- 
varia.— Royal  Palace  of  Potsdam. — Trar- 
bach,  and  the  Ruins  of  Griefenburg  Castle, 
Rhenish  Provinces.  —  Salt  Caverns  of 
Berchtezgaden. — The  Great  Tun  of  Hei- 
delberg.— Bitumen  Miners. — The  Kur- 
saal  of  Homburg.— The  RoiJette  Table 
at  the  Kursaal.  —  Baden-Baden. — Iron 
Arm  and  Hand  of  a  German  Knight, 
Thirteenth  Century. — Ilcmp  Steeping  on 
the  Banks  of  the  Rhine.  —  Salmon 
Watching  on  the  Rhine. — The  Cask  of 
Schnapps. — The  Barrel  of  Molasses. — 
German  Peasantry. — Students  Fencing. 
—Town  Hal!.— 'The  Toll  Gate.— The 
Castle  of  Heidelberg. — Reichenbach  FaDs. 
—The  Staubbach,  or  Dust  Fall.— Tomb 
of  the  Three  Kings. — View  in  Hildes- 
heim. — Barks  on  the  Danube. — Fishing 
Village. — German  Hop-field  in  Winter. — 
Stone  on  the  Field  of  Lutzen,  where 
Gustavus  Adolphus  fell  in  1633.— The 
Klapperstein. —  The    Jungfem    Kuss. — 


OERMANY— Continued.  PAQGf 

Cliarlemagne  in  his  Tomb. — The  Horn 
of  Oldenburg. —  Curious  Oak  Tree. — 
Schiller's  House  at  Weimar. — Festival  of 
the  Three  Kings. — A  Marriage  in  Thu- 
ringia. — The  Mill  of  Sans-Souci. — Stu- 
dent life  in  Heidelberg. — Mining  in  the 
open  air  at  Rammelsberg,  in  the  Ilartz. 
— Target-Marker  announcing  a  good  shot. 
■ — Paying  the  Workmen.  —  The  Royal 
Hunt. —  Lager  Beer  Garden  in  Berlin. — 
Saxon  Lantern. — Chamois  Hunter. 

208  to  244 

SWITZERLAND. 

GEOGRArmcAL,    Industrial,   and    Histoeicai. 
Summary'. 

[Thirty-five  Illustrations.] 

PAGES 

Harvesting  Fniit. — Bernese  AVomcn  beating 
Hemp. — Diligence  leaving  Berne. — An 
Avalanche. — The  Matterhorn. —  Interla- 
chen  onthe  Aar. — A  Glacier  Table. — The 
Greet  Aletch  Glacier. — Mont  Blanc. — 
Chamois-Hunting.  —  Toiu'ists  on  Lake 
Geneva. — The  Man  Mautuaraaker. — In- 
terior of  a  Grotto  of  Topazes. — Caille 
Bridge. — The  Valley  of  Chamouni. — The 
Oberland  Journey. — Covelo,  a  Fortress 
in  the  Tyrol. —  American  Lady  ascend- 
ing Mont  Blanc. — The  Railway  Tunnel 
of  the  Alps.-The  Grands  Mulets.-Grand 
Plateau. — Accident  to  Guide. — Crossing 
the  Glassier  de  Bossons. — The  Huts  and 
B  ?cks  of  the  Grands  Mulcts. — The  Jung- 
frau  Mountain. — The  Summit  of  Mont 
Blanc— The  Via  Mala.— The  Mer  de 
Glace. — Fall  of  Rocks  fi-om  Mont  Blanc. 
— View  in  the  Orisons. — Festival  at  Neuf- 
chatcl.  —  Harvest  in  the  Alps.' — Swiss 
Travels. — Dr.  Ilamel's  Ascent.    .    245  to  270 

THE  AUSTRIAN  EMPIRE. 

AUSTR-IA,  BOHEMIA,  TYROL,  HUNGARY, 
CROATIA  AND  GALICIA. 

GEOoiiArnicAL,    Industrial,   and    Historicai 
Summary'. 

iniirty-flve  Illustrations.] 

The  Castle  of  Durrenstein.  — Hungarian  Shep- 
herds.— The  Czigany,  or  Hungarian  Gip- 
sies.— Hungarian  Costumes. —  Presburg, 
the  Capital  of  Hungary.  —  Hungarian 
Vail  worn  by  Peasant  Women. — Ancient 
Female  Punishments.  —  Saxon  Girl  in 
Transylvania. — Hermitage  and  Cave  of 
Bucses. — Dauubian  Life. — Austrian  Peas- 
ants.— Hungarians  Singing,  followed  by  a 
Gipsy  Musician. — The  Abbey  of  Moelk, 
on  the  Danube. — Mausoleum  of  Maria 
Christina. — The  Mass  in  the  Cave  of  Ser- 
volo,  in  the  Coast  Mountains,  near  Trieste. 
• — Guard  House  on  tlie  Danube. — St.  Ste- 
phen's Crown. —  Ilay-Boat.  —  Moravian 
Peasants. — Recruiting  the  Army. — Riflo 
Meeting   at  Vienna. —  Costumes. —  Raft 


CONTENTS. 


AtTSTErAN  EMPIRE— Contlnuci'.  paoes 

cs.  the  Danube. — Military  Post  on  tLe 
Bannat. — Scene  in  the  Market-pbce  at 
Pesth.  —  Passenger  Steamer.  —  Swine- 
herd on  the  Puszta. — Market-place,  at 
Brunn.^  The  Csarda  —  Peasants  en- 
camped.— A  Passenger  Raft. — The  Vil- 
lage King.- — Fair  at  Pesth. — Life  in  Vi- 
enna.— Hungarian  Wedding. — A  Court 
Scene. — Costumes  of  Bukowiue.      271  to  294 

TURKEY. 

OEOGBArmcAL,    Indijstuial,    and    IIistokical 

Su.MXARV. 

[Forty-one  Ittustrattons,] 

PAQRS 

Cialata. — Interior  of  a  Harem. — A  Mohamme- 
dan Tomb. — Entrance  to  Oriental  Bazar. 
— Turkish  Ladies  at  Tandour. —  Tower 
of  Galata. —  Guests  in  a  Harem  enter- 
tained with  Music.  —  Turkish  Dinner 
Party.—  Visit  of  Ceremony. —  Turkish 
Life. — Gardens  of  the  Seraglio. — Turk- 
ish Women  in  a  Garden. — Turk  and  His 
Three  Wives. — Summer  Saloon  of  the 
Sultan's  Harem. — Gulbeyan  Hanum. — 
Out-door  Costume  of  a  Turkish  Lady. — 
Kara  Fatima,  the  Princess  of  Kurd. — 
Flogging  in  a  Turkish  School. — A  Bashi- 
Biizouk. — Casting  Dead  Bodies  into  the 
Bosphorus. — Calling  to  Prayer. — A  Ru- 
ral Mosque. — Cemetery  at  Scutari. — \ 
Street  Scene. — Bazar. — Gipsy  Showman. 
. — The  Mosque  Achmed. — R  inning  to  a 
Fire. — Barber's  Shop. — Courier. — Bath. 
— Ewer  and  Basin. — Turkish  Mansion. — 
A  Syrian  Turk's  Divan. — Room  in  a 
Khan.—  The  Sick-Room.—  A  Turkish 
Bank  N'ote. — Scribe,  or  Letter- w. iter. — 
Porter. — Sapeur.Pompier. — Subterranean 
Lake  at  Constantinople.     .     .     .     295  to  324 

DANUBIAN  PRINCIPALITIES. 

HOTTMANIA    (MOLDAVIA    AND    WALLA- 
CHIA),  SERVIA,  AND   BOSNIA. 

<3E00BArniCAL,    Industrial,    amd    Historical 
Summary. 

[Twenty-Six  lUustrattons.] 

PAQKB 

The  Convent  of  Orezu. — A  Wallachiau  Cem- 
etery.— Corn  Granaries. — Servian  Flax- 
beaters. —  Bosnian  Dancing  Girl.— The 
Devil  Dance.  —  Hay-mow.  — ■  Grave. — 
Peasant's  House. — A  Slavonian  Rayah. 
— AVallachian  Nun. — A  Croate. — Wa\ia- 
chian  Peasant  Girl. — Young  Woman  of 
Bucharest.  —  Woman  of  the  Milita^'y 
Frontier. — A  Gipsy's  Grave. — Huts  on 
the  Danube.  —  House  in  Bucharest. — ■ 
Military  Escort  in  Bosnia. — Bullock  Car- 
avan.— Wallachian  Sheep. —  WalHchia.T 
Village. — Oven  in  the  Wood>. — Walla- 
chian Marriage.  —  Village  Church.  — 
—  Church  Festivals.  —  Bosnian  Peas- 
ant Girl. — Wallachian  Woman. — Inte- 
rior of  Wallachian  Peasant's  Home. 

325  to -3 10 


EMPIRE  OF  RUSSIA. 

geograrhical,    industrial,    and    historical 
Summary. 

[Sixty-six  lUtistratlons.} 

PAftKS 

Imperial  Arms. — Ancient  Cro-nni. — Palace  of 
Paul,  St.  Petersburg. — Church  of  Our 
Lady  of  Georgia. — Citizen  of  Moscow 
and  his  Family. — Academy  of  Fine  Arts, 
St.  Petersburg. — Hotel  de  I'Etat  Major, 
and  Alexandrian  Column,  St.  Petersburg. 
— Ancient  Carnage. — Convent. — Drosky. 
■ — The  Market-place. — Women  of  Kou- 
rick  and  Oril,  Southern  Russia. — Village 
Dance. —  The  Great  Bell  of  Moscow. — 
Bishop  and  Clergy  of  the  Orthodox 
Church. — A  Bride's  Reception  by  her 
Father-in-law. — A  Christening. — A  Lap- 
land Hut. — Driving  Bears  to  Market. — 
Carnival. — A  Court  Reception. — AVinter 
Amusement. — Street  Vendors. — Peddler. 
— Emancipation  of  the  Serfs. — Family 
at  Home. — Imperial  Theatre  of  Moscow. 
— Omnibus  and  Sleigh. — Russian  Village. 
— Tomb  of  Queen  Ann  Jagellon  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Warsaw,  Poland. — Navy 
Cadets. — The  Kremlin. — ^Women  of  Vi- 
atka  and  of  Perm. — Post  House. — Cos- 
sacks' AVedding  Dance. — Bazar  at  St. 
Petersburg. — A  Russian  Marriage. — The 
Romance  of  a  Letter. — The  Imperial 
Family  Sleighing  on  the  Neva. — A  Nun. 
—  Circassian  Outpost. — AVolf-hunting. — ■ 
The  Winter  Palace. — Petty  Traders  of 
St.  Petersburg. — The  Chanvans,  a  Sibe- 
rian Tribe. —  Stag-hunt  in  Siberia — A 
Legend  of  Siberia. —  Traveling  in  the 
Russian  Steppes. — The  Tchuktchi,  near 
the  Cossack  Jourdes. — Perilous  Adven- 
ture.— Traveling  down  Siberian  Rivers. 
■ — A  Finland  Farm-house. — Gloves  and 
Wooden  Spoons.  — ■  Cossacks  guarding 
Siberian  Convicts. — Tartar  Women  of 
Kazan. — Encampment  of  Gold  AVagou- 
ers  in  the  L^ral  Mountains. — A'illage  on 
the  Banks  of  the  A^olga. — A  Lapland 
Family.  — Lapland  Costumes  and  Customs. 
— A  Fisherman's  Hut  in  Lapland. — In- 
terior of  a  Church  in  Lapland. — Skating 
in  Lapland. — Aurora  Borealis  in  Finland. 
— An  Adventure. — AVaterfall  of  Kvarna- 
rarfoos 341  to  392 

NORWAY  AND  SWEDEN. 

Geographical,    Industrial,    and    Historical 

Summary. 

[Txpniy-four  Illustrations.] 

Oscar's  Hall,  in  Christiana. — The  Aal  Foss 
Rapids. —  Norwegian  Hospitality. — The 
Maelstrom. — Dressing  a  Bride. — Wed- 
ding Costumes. — Church  in  Guldsbrands- 
dal. — A  Bear  Adventure. — Hell  Fall  of 
Christiansand. — Troll's  Heart. — A  PigO 
Kelker. — Early  Scandinavian  A'essel.— A 
Swedish    Bride.  —  A  Swedish    AVoman 


KOnWAT  AND  EWEDF.N— Continued.  Tkawt 

Dressed  for  Church. — State  Carriage  of 
Gusta^Tis  III.,  of  Sweden.  —  Swedish 
Marriage  Procession. — Hut  in  a  Swedish 
Clearing. — The  Maypole. — Sater  Stuga. 
— The  Christmas  Tree. — Harvest  Home. 
— Lund  Horse  Fair  in  Sweden. — A  Swe- 
dish Funeral.  —  Costumes  of  Various 
Provinces  of  Sweden 393  to  408 

DENMARK. 

Geographical,    Industrial,    and    Historicai, 
Summary. 

[Nine  Illustrations. 

PAnKS 

Copenhagen. — The  Church  of  FaareviUe. — 
Danish  Costumes. —  Public  Carriage. — 
The  Metal  Font  at  Haderslev. — Curious 
Ancient  Golden  Horns. — Danish  Ferry- 
boat.— Prison  of  Christian  II.,  at  Sonder- 
burg. — The  Palace  of  Christiansborg. — 
Elsinore. — Danish  Missions.      .      40y  to  414 

HOLLAND. 

Geogkaphical,    Industrial,    and    HistoricaIi 
Summary. 

[Twenty-nine  Illustrations. I 

pAui'.a 
Amsterdam. — Female  Head-dresses. — A  A'illa 
on  the  Scheldt. — Skate-race. —  Customs 
and  Costumes. — Early  Printing  Office. — 
A  Household  in  .Amsterdam. — TheA''yver- 
berg  at  The  Hague. — Friesland  AVomen. 
— Dutch  Watchman. — Market  Woman 
at  Amsterdam. — Interior  of  an  Orphan 
Asylum.  — ■  Dutch  Nurse  and  Child.  — 
A  Gala  Sleigh  of  Sixteenth  Century. — 
The  Rat-catcher. — AA^'oman  and  Girl  of 
llindelopen.  —  Polishing  Diamonds.  — 
Roses  and  Brilliants. — Diamond  Works 
on  the  Amstel. — Masks. — Seaside  Scene 
— Albert  and  Isabella  in  the  Studio  of 
Rubens. — The  Jews*  Quarter. — A  Noble 
Dutch  Family  Returning  Home  at  Night. 
— The  Little  Match-girl  of  Amsterdam. 
— The  Annual  Fair  at  Rotterdam. — A'iew 
of  Schevening,  South  Holland. — Peat. 

415  to  434 

BELGIUM. 

Geographical,    Industrial,    and    Historicai 
Su.nimaky. 

[Fourteen  IUustrations.\ 

PAGSa 

The  Great  Chimneypiece  in  the  Hall  of  Mar- 
riages, Antwerp. — Church  at  Liege. — • 
Cave  in  Rochefort. — Battle  on  Stilts  at 
Namur. — ^A'iew  of  Luxemburg. — Inaugu- 
ration of  the  Statue  of  King  Leopold, 
Antwe:^. — Fort  and  Port  of  Luxemburg. 
— The  New  Aquarium. — Rubens's  Chair. 
— The  Stone  Age.— Carnival  at  Antwerp. 
— Brussels.— Magistrates'  Hall  at  Audea- 
arde. — Entry  into  Brussels. — The  Flem- 
ish Burgomaster.      ■    .    .     .     .     435  to  44.6 


CONTENTS. 


PORTUGAL. 

Geoobaphical,  Industrial  and  Histomcal 
Summary. 

[.Six  Illustrations,]  r-vrKs 

South  Front  of  the  Monaster}'  of  Santa 
Maria  de  Belem. — Sahlanha  in  Lis- 
bon.—Toldo  Boat  of  the  Douro. — 
Lisbon. —  Portuguese  Language  and 
Literature 447  to  450 

BARIJAJtY  STATES. 

MOROCCO,  ALGERIA,  TUNIS  &  TRIPOLI. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Twenty-two  Illustraiions.]  pages 

"  Yadace,"  A  Moorish  Lady. — Sunrise  on 
the  Desert.— The  Terebinth,  or  Tur- 
pentine -  tree. —  Negro  Dance  in  the 
Streets  of  Algiers. — A  Panther-hunt 
in  Algeria. — The  Algerian  Races. — 
A  Cadi's  Court  in  Algiers.  —  Negro 
Medicine  Dance. — How  a  Great  Lady 
Trayels  in  Tunis. — Types  of  Tunisian 
Peasantrj'. —  The  Sponge  Trade  in 
Tripoli. — Sand  Whirhvinds. — Adven- 
ture in  Northern  Africa. — Algeria. — 
Ruins  of  Carthage     .     ...    451  to  4G8 

ABYSSINIA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Twenty-four  Illustrations.]  pages 

"V/omen  of  Abyssinia. — Views  in  Abyssi- 
nia.— Thief-smelling  in  Abyssinia. — 
Sword-hunter  Killing  an  Elephant. — 
Palm  Sunday  in  Abyssinia. — Church 
and  Shrine  of  St.  Romanus,  near 
Senafe. — A  Native  Plowing  in  Abys- 
sinia.— A  Woman  Grinding  Corn. — 
Funeral  of  the  Widow  of  King  The- 
odore, at  Aikhullet. — Village  under 
the  Antala  "  Amba." — An  Abyssinian 
Raw  -  meat  Feast.  —  An  Abyssinian 
House.— The  Late  King  Theodore. — 
Group  of  Shohos  at  Hamhamo  Springs. 
— An  Abyssinian  Oven. — The  Abys- 
sinian Race.— The  Dancing  Mania.— 
Abyssinian  Method  of  Protecting 
Crops 4G9  to  480 

LIBERIA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 

[Xine  llhislrations.]  paces 

Mammy  Town. — The  Superstition  of  the 
Devil's  Bush.— Guadillar  Farm,  St. 
Paul  River.— Buchanan  in  Liberia. — 
Treed  by  a  Tiger.— Family  of  Borlean 
Negroes 481  to  488 

MEDITERRANEAN   ISLANDS. 

Geoobaphical,  Indu.stbial  and  Historic.il 
Summary. 
[Twcnty-lwo  Illustrations.]  paoes 

Ajaccio,  Isle  of  Corsica.  —  Sunrise  on 
Mount  Etna.  —  Sicilian  Types  and 
Costumes. — Sicilian  Mother. — Mount 
Etna.— Palermo  and  its  Lazzaroni. — 
The  Salt  Springs  in  Sicily.— General 
Aspect  of  Malta. — Valetta.— Ruined 
Temple  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John, 
island  of  Rhodes    ....     489  to  504 


SOUTH  AFRICA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Fourteen  Jllusiraticns.]  p.voeb 

The  Zulus  Levying  Tribute  of  the  Por- 
tuguese.—  A  Gnu -hunt. —  A  CafFre 
Hut. — The  Hopo,  an  African  Mode  of 
Hunting 505  to  512 

GREAT  BRITAINMND  IRELAND. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Si'ven'y-five  Il'ustralions.]  paces 

Old  London  Bridge. —  Elizabethan  Fur- 
niture.—  Queen  Elizabeth  in  State. 
—  London  by  Night. —  Queen  Anne 
Going  to  Parliament. —  Murder  of 
the  Princes  by  Richard  III. —  The 
South  Sea  Bubble. — Costume  of  the 
Time  of  Henry  V. — Head-dresses  of 
the  Reign  of  Edward  IV. — Costume 
of  the  Reign  of  William  III. — Vehicles 
and  Carriages. —  The  Ship  Ilenri- 
Grace-a-Dieu. — A  Flogging-horse. — 
Whipping  -  i^ost  and  Stocks. —  The 
Ducking-stool.  —The  Bridle.— Watch- 
man of  Shakespeare's  Time. —  The 
Penance  of  Jane  Shore. — Clothing 
Shop  in  the  Reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 
— Hackney-coachman  of  the  Time  of 
Charles  II.— State  Barge  of  Rich- 
ard II.  of  England. —  Hanging  in 
Chains. — Odd  Customs  of  English 
Theatres. — Flogging  of  Quakers  in 
England. — Costumes  of  the  Time  of 
Henry  VI. — The  Thames  Tunnel  and 
Subway. — The  Domesday  Book. — An 
Old  English  Kitchen. — An  Ancient 
Coracle. — Barber's  Shop  in  the  Reign 
of  Queen  Elizabeth. — Donkey  Races 
at  Blackheath.— The  Bank  of  England. 
— The  Royal  Exchange. — Eddystone 
Lighthouse. — Egg-marketing  in  Ire- 
land.— Drowning  the  Shamrock  on 
Patrick's  Day. — Drag-hunt  in  Ireland. 
— The  Giant's  Causeway,  Ireland. — 
Irish  Turf-gatherers. — Ancient  Irish 
Harp.— The  Isle  of  Skye.— The  Bass 
Rock. — Holyrood  Palace. — Highland 
Dance. —  Fishwives  of  Newhaven. — 
Conclusion  of  Scotland     .     .     513  to  558 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Sirty  Illustrations.]  pages 

First  Sabbath  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in 
America. — The  Reception  of  Colum- 
bus after  his  First  Voyage. —  The 
Deathbed  of  Columbus. — Roger  Wil- 
liams's Departure  from  Salem. — Na- 
tural Bridge  over  Cedar  Creek. — 
Masked  Men  Destroying  Firearms  on 
Board  the  Steamer  Helper. —  Poca- 
hontas Saving  the  Life  of  John 
Smith. — John  Brown's  Raid. — Jane 
McCrea.— The  Mammoth  Cave.— The 
Yo-Semite  Valley,  California. —  Na- 
tural Bridge  in  California. — Vegeta- 
tion in  Califomia.— The  Mammoth 
Trees  in  California.— Trial  of  Anne 
Hutchinson. — A  Tourist  Party  in  the 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERIC.\-C'ontlnnoil.  PAGH 

Rocky  Mountains.  —  Mrs.  Clayton 
Planting  the  National  Flag  on  the 
Summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. — 
Old  New  Orleans.— The  Mountains 
of  North  Carolina. —  The  Brooklj'u 
Bridge. — The  Caverns  of  Luray,  Vir- 
ginia.— The  Royal  Gorge  of  Colo- 
rado.— Camp  in  the  Woods.— Indian 
Dance.— Three  Months  in  Alaska. — 
Interior  of  an  Indian  House. — Con- 
clusion  559  to  G06 

CANADA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Tiven/y-six  Illustrations.]  pages 

The  Capital  and  Parliament.  —  Winter 
Scenes  in  Canada. — Governor  Maison- 
neuve. — Chaudicre  River  and  Falls. — 
Montmorency  Falls. — Joseph  Brant. 
— Toronto. — Education  in  Canada. — 
Religion  in  Canada. — The  Church 
of  Notre  Dame  de  Bon  Seconrs. — 
Quebec.  —  Manitoba.  —  Acadia. —  Na- 
tional Sports  in  Canada     .     .     607  to  C22 

MEXICO,  CENTRAL  AMERICA  AND 
THE  WEST  JNUIES. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 

[Ttccniy-two  IVustralions.]  rA<:Es 

The  Cathedral  in  Mexico  City. — The  Pre- 
sident of  Mexico. — Central  America. 
— The  West  Indies.— Scenes  in  Ha- 
vana.— Picturesque  Bits  of  Jamaica. 
— A  Scene  in  St.  Pierre,  Martinique. 
— The  Boiling  Lake,  Dominica. —Cape 
Haytien.  —  Port  -  au  -  Prince.  —  The 
Great  Water  Cave  near  San  Domingo 
City G23  to  038 

SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary. 
[Twenty-four  Illustrations.]  rxc.r.a 

Around  Rio  de  Janeiro.— Santa  Catharina, 
Brazil.— The  Palm  Grove  in  the  Bo- 
tanical Garden  at  Rio  de  Janeiro. — 
Porto .-Vlegre.—Callao. — The  Gorge  of 
the  Tunkini,  Peru.  —View  of  the  City 
of  Lima,  the  Capital  of  Peru.— Cuzco. 
— Boating  on  Lake  Titicaca,  Peru. — 
British  Guiana. —  Some  Facts  about 
Chili.— The  Statue  of  Bolivar  in  Bo- 
gota.— Views  in  Caracas,  Venezuela. 
^Burying-place  of  Indians  at  Atures, 
Buenos  Ay  res. — Patagonia  and  Tierra 
del  Fuego.— The  Strait  of  Magellan. 

G39  to  654 

AUSTRALIA  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 

Geographical,  Industrial  and  Historical 
Summary.  " 
[Twenty-five  Illustrations.]  pages 

Melbourne  and  the  Province  of  Victoria. 
■ —  Law  Courts  in  Melbourne  and 
Sydney.— South  Melbourne  Bowling 
Green.  — Brisbane.  — Sydney.  — The 
Gum-trees  of  Queensland. — The  Ka- 
toomba  Valley,  New  South  Wales. — 
New  Zealand. — Australian  Vital  Sta- 
tistics      G55  to  670 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PEESIA. 

Costumes  of  Varions  Classes  in  Persia 

Woman  of  Cashmere    ... 

A  Persian  Marriage 

Nasretldyn  Shah,  King  of  Persia  . 

Kiosque  of  the  Seraglio  —  Scene  of  the 

Tragedy  of  Keira-Kadtm  . 
To-wer  at  Key,  the  Ancient  Kages 
Inner   Court   of  the   Grand   Mosque   at 

Ispahan    .         .         .         .         • 
Persian   Captive   in    the   Hands   of    the 

Turkomans   ..... 
Parsees  Worshiping  the  Setting  Sun 
Well  in  the  Desert  between  Samarcand 

and  Karshi    .  ... 

Persian  Woman — Upper  Class 
Kangri,  or  Portable  Stove  of  Thibet 
Persian  Women — Lower  Class 
Persian  Woman   .... 
Persian  Lantern       .... 
Silk  Cultivators  in  Persia — Exterior  of  a 

Tilembar 28 

Interior  of  a  Tilembar  ....  28 
A  Persian  Caravanserai         ...  29 

Persian  Arms  and  Domestic  Articles  30,  31 
Bural  Chariot  in  Persia  ....  32 
Grouj?  of  Persians        ....  33 

Sacred  Tank  at  Umritzur  ...  34 
Tomb  of  Noah      .         .         .         ■         .  35 

A  Fruit  Bazaar 30 


EGYPT. 
Pharaoh's  Treasure 
EgyiJtian  Door-pins,  or  Hinges    . 
Egyptian  Ladies  Promenading  at  Cairo 
Great  Kylas  Temple  at  Ellora 
Egyptian  Ladies  Indoors 
Temple  of  Venus  at  Denderah — Interior 

View      ...... 

Zeynab    ..... 

Shopping  iu  Egypt      .... 

Scene  near  Alexandria — Women  Drawing 

Water  from  a  Well    . 
Pyramids  of  Egypt 
The  Sycamore  of  the  Virgin     . 
Sawing  Wood  in  Ancient  Egypt 
Ancient  Egyptian  Couches 
Ferryboat  on  the  Upper  Nile 
School  in  Egypt      .         .  •       . 
Night  Patrol  of  the  City  Guard  at  Cairo 
JStes  of  the  Viceroy  of  Egypt — The  Kace 


18 
19 
19 
20 

21 

22 

23 

24 
25 

2G 
27 
27 
27 
27 
27 


38 
38 
39 
39 
40 

41 
42 
42 

43 
44 
45 
4G 

46 
47 
48 
48 
40 


Egypt— Continued. 

Colossi  of  Memnon,  iu  Egyjit  . 
Tombs  of  the  Mamelukes,  Cairo  . 
Corinthian  Tombs  at  Petra 
Cairo   ...... 

Sprinkling  the  Streets  at  Ismailia 
Roulac,  near  Cairo 
Dancing  Dervishes,  Cairo 
Sabre  Dance  of  Egyptian  Almas 
Dance  of  Almas  at  Cairo 
Battle-ax  of  Touman  Bey     . 
Egyptian  Tables 
Egyptian  Sarcophagus 
Ancient  Egyptian  Stone  Knives 
Ancient  Egyptian  Car  , 
Nilometer         .... 

Great  Sphinx,  near  Cairo 
Nubian  Ovens  at  Gournou 
Ancient  Egyptian  Metal  Mirrors 
Inhabitants  of  Kerry-Redintz  Carried  as 

Slaves  to  the  Egyptian  Provinces 
Wine-bottle  of  Egypt 
Egyptian  Cups     .... 
Egyptian  AVater-carriers 
AVater-bottle  of  Egypt 
Egyptian  Statues  :  A  Family  Group 
Egyptian  Lantern 
Egyptian  Water-jars 
Gold  Ckoors  Worn  by  Egjrptian  Women 

of  Lower  Rank      .... 
Egyptian  Necklaces  and  Ornaments 
Diamond    Ckoors   Worn    by    Egyptian 

Ladies  on  the  Head 
View  of  Cairo  .         .        "         ... 
Ancient  Swords  ac''  Daggers     - 
Ancient  Egj'ptian  Lamps 
Bedouin  Settlement  in  a  Palm  Grove  . 
Carrying  Children  in  Egypt    . 
Helmet  of  Touman  Bey 
Doorway  of  an  Egj'ptian  House 
Open  Apartment  in  an  Egyptian  House 
Fountain  of  the  Soby-el-Bedawyeh,  Cairo 
Shadoof        .         .     "    .         .         .         . 
Egyptian  Filigree  Yv'orkers 
Ancient  Egj'ptiau  Sacrifice  . 

Mummied  Bull 

Mummy-cases       .         . 

Two  Pyramids  of  Cheops  and  Cephrenes, 

at  -lizeh    ...... 

Ring  of  Cheops  ..... 

Section  of  the  Great  Pyramid  of  Jizeh    . 


PAGE    Egypt— Continued. 


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51 
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60 

CO 
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62 
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68 
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68 


Egyptian  Lady  Tattooed 

Sugar-cane  Seller  at  Cairo 

Egyptian  Schoolboy 

Egyptian  Potter  .... 

Arab  Boys  at  Cairo 

Egj'ptian  Girls  at  a  Railroad  Station 

Egyptian  Lotus 

GEEECE. 

Athens  in  Modern  Times 

Mount  Parnasstis 

Greek  Vase      .         .         .         .         . 

Road  near  Marathon — Bandits  Lying  vl 

Wait 

Vintage,  Isle  of  Cyprus  . 

Wine-making  in  Greece 

Greek  Priest  BleAsing   his  Garden  with 

Holy  Water       .         .         .         . 
View  of  the  Port  of  Khania,  Isle  of  Crete 
Cathedral  at  Athens     •■        . 
Grotto  of  Antijiaros — Exterior 
Grotto  of  Antiparos     . 
Costumes  in  Corfu  . 
Street  in  Athens  .... 


HIISTDOOSTAN,  SIAM,  ETC. 
Princes  of  Ou do 

Costumes  of  Burmesa  Ladies  ,     ^ 
Types  of  Great  Burman  Lords  and  High 

Officials    .- 
Rana  of  Oodipoor,'  the  Greatest  of  Hindoo 

Princes  , . 

Laotian  Women,  near  Petchabury  . 
Prince  of  Oude     ..... 
Hindoo  Fakir 

Horses'  Morning  Bath  at  Calcutta 
East  Indian  Carpenters  at  Work    '. 
Social  Life — Interior  of  a  Hindoo  Hoxise 
Sunrise  in  Calcutta 

Yola  Dancing-girl    ..... 
Burmese  Women  .         .         .         . 

Human  Victim    Offered    to    the   Gods : 

Khoonds  in  Hindoostan   . 
Hindoo  Knife-grinder  .... 

Oriental  Tambourines      .... 

Street  Scene  in  Bombay 

Hindoo    ....... 

Ghoolabic,  the  Nautch  Girl 

Oriental  Ewer  and  Basin 

Family  Boat 


€9 
60 
69 
G9 
69 
69 
70 


73 

74 
74 

75- 

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79- 


82 
83 

83 

84 
85 
86 
86 
87 
87 
88 
89 
90 
90 

91 
92 
92 
93 
94 
94 
94 
9* 


xu 


I.IST     OF    ILLUSTRATIONS, 


HtJfDOOSTAK.  SI  AM,  ETC.— Continued.  page 

Orisaa  Brahmin        .....  94 

Hindoo  Guide,  -with  Hubble-bubble     .  94 

School  in  Hindoostan      ....  95 

Elephant  of  the  King  of  Siam    .         .  96 

CnilSrA,  TARTARY  and  THIBET. 

Chinese  House  .....  98 
Chinese  Pavilion .....  98 
Chow-Chow  (Chinese  Supper  at  Hong- 
Kong)       99 

Chinese  Holiday  Scene  .  .  .  100 
Interior   of  a  Theatre  at  Macao,  China, 

during  a  Performance  .  .  .  101 
Balancing  Accounts  in  the  Office   of  a 

Chinese  Mercantile  House  .  .  102 
Chinese  Farmhouse          .         .         .         .102 

Chinese  Theatre  in  Canton  .  .  .  103 
Chinese  Trader    at    the  Altar    of  Joss, 

To.ssing  Sticks  for  Luck  .  .  104 
Chinese  Merchant  Praying  for  Success  in 

Trade 104 

Chinese  Breakfast — European  Visitors .  104 

Hand  of  a  Chinese  Barber-surgeon  .        .  105 

Chinese  Girls  .  .  ,  .  .  105 
Anatomical  Drawing  of  a  Chinese  Lady's 

Foot 105 

Tong-Chu-Kiung,  a  Natiye  Catechist  .  106 

Hindoo  Threshing 106 

Chinese  Man  Gathering  Tea         .         .  106 

Chinese  Mode  of  Salutation     .         .         .  107 

Chinese  Ladies'  Feet    ....  107 

Chinese  Men's  Feet  and  Shoes        .        .  107 

Sculling  a  Boat — Man  with  Rain- jacket  108 

Chinese  Winter  Cradle         .         .         .  109 

Dinner  at  a  Chinese  Mandarin's       .         .  109 

Chinese  Garden  Pavilion  .  .  .  110 
Chinese  Pagoda       .         .         .         .         .110 

Chinese  Tea-service  ....  110 
How  Chinese  Coolies  Mind  the  Weather 

at  Hong-Kong Ill 

On  our  Way  to  the  Boat     ...  112 

PALESTINE  AND  SYRIA. 

Royal  Caverns  at  Jerusalem  .  .  .114 
Explorations    at    Jerusalem  —  Wilson's 

Arch,  Haram  Wall  .  .  .  114 
Christmas  Festival  at  Jerusalem  .  .115 
Explorations    at   Jerusalem  —  Robinson 

Arch,  Haram  Wall  .  .  .  115 
Fountain  of  the  Virgin,  Siloam  .  .116 
Trial  of  Jealousy  .         .         .         .         116 

Water-pots  at  Cana  .         .         .         .117 

Shew-bread 117 

Altar  of  Incense  .  .  .  .  .117 
Mountaineers  of  Lebanon  .  .  .  118 
House-top  Terrace  in  the  East  .  .  118 
Coin  of  the  Tribute  .  .  .  .  118 
Ancient  Drinking  Jug  .  .  .  .118 
Woman  of  Lebanon  .  .  .  .  118 
Chamber  in  the  Wall  .  .  .  .118 
Captive   Israelites    before    the  King    of 

Assyria  .         .         .         .         .         119 

Supposed  Tomb  of  Noah  .  .  .120 
Tomb  of  Godfrey  de  Bouillon  .  .  120 
Jewish  Priests  Replacing  the  Shew-bread  120 
Mountain  -  pass  between  Jerusalem  and 

Jericho 121 

^evrish  High-Priest  Sending  off  the  Scape- 
goat       121 

Women  of  Bethlehem     .        .        .        .122 


Palestine  and  Syria— Continued.  page 

Women  at  an  Arabic  Fountain,  Jerusalem  123 
The  Fetes  at  Kourban-Beiram  .  .  124 
Courtyard  of  a  House  in  Damascus  .     124 

Siege  of  Jerusalem  ....  125 
Jewish   High-Priest,  with  an  Attendant 

Priest 126 

Maronite  Preacher  ....  127 
Chapel  of  the  Burning  Bush  .  .  .128 
Jews  Praj'ing  at  the  AVall  of  the  Temple 

of  Solomon 129 

The  Damascus  Gate        .         .        .        .130 

ITALY. 

General  View  of  Rome     .         .         .         .132 

Castle  of  St.  Angelo  ....  133 
Pantheon,  at  Rome          .         .         .         .133 

St.  Peter's  Church,  Rome    ...  134 

Papal  Tiara  and  Keys     ....  134 

Pontifical  Mass  in  St.  Peter's,  Rome     .  135 

Monks  at  Study 135 

Arch  of  Titus 136 

Farnese  Palace 136 

Arch  of  Drusus 137 

Colosseum  at  Rome — Exterior        .        .  137 

Ancient  Venetian  Wine-glasses     .         .  138 

Roman  Biga,  or  Two-horse  Chariot        .  138 

Ancieut  Forum,  Rome  .         .         .  139 

Venetian  Costume  in  Sixteenth  Century  .  140 

Costume  of  Milanese  Ladies  .  .  140 
Female  Paduan   Costumes  in  Sixteenth 

Century 140 

Verona  Costumes  in  Fifteenth  Century  140 

Viol  de  Gamba    .....  141 

Italian  Servants  in  Sixteenth  Century     .  141 

Fountain  at  the  Villa  Aldobrandini     .  141 

Etruscan  Vase 142 

Ancient  Roman  Couch        .        .        .  142 

Roman  Lantern  and  Torches  .        .        .  142 

Misericordia  at  Florence  .  .  .  143 
The  Crater  of  Mount  Vesuvius  .  .144 
Open-air   Barber's   Shop  in  the  Piazza 

Montanara,  Rome  .         .         .  145 

Amphitheatre  of  Milan  .  .  .  .145 
Vault  of  the  Capvichins  at  Palermo,  on 

All-Souls' Day       ....  146 


Pompeii— Continued. 

Steelyard  from  Pompeii . 

Plaster  Casts  of  the  Victims 

Interior  of  a  House 

Roman  Triclinium,  or  Dining-room 

Bird  Chariot  from  Pompeii 

Tomb    of    Scaurus,    Hound  Tomb, 

Tomb  of  Calventius  Quietus 
Pompeian  Building  Tools 
Mosaic  of  the  Battle  of  Issus 
Relics  from  the  Ruins    . 

SPAIN. 


yAGB 


from    the     Signal 


POMPEIL 

Excavr  tion  ia  a  street  at  Pompeii  .         .148 
Excavations  at  Pompeii — Commencing  a 

Bore 149 

Apartment  in  the  ' '  House  of  the  Hunter  "  150 

Portable  Kitchen 150 

Tepidarium,  or  Heated  Room       .         .  150 

Grecian  Toilet  Basin        ....  150 
Baker's  Shop — Handing  out  the  Loaves 

Baked 151 

Sword  and  Helmet  ....  152 

Bronze  Kitchen  Vessels       .        .        .  152 

Various  Forms  of  Lamps        .         .         .  152 

Wine  Pitcher 152 

Glass  Vessels 152 

Urna  for  Warm  Drinks  .  .  .  152 
Court  of  Quoestors'  House  .  .  .153 
Amphitheatre  .  .  .  .  .  153 
Pompeian  Lady  at  her  Toilette  .  .  154 
Pompeian  Candelabra  —  Female  Orna- 
ments and  Jewelry  .  .  .  155 
Roof  of  a  House  .....  156 
Interior  of  a  House  .  .  .  .  156 
Atrium  in  the  House  of  Pansa      .        .  157  J  Mussel-nets 


Young  Bull-fighters 
Rock    of    Gibraltar, 

Station  . 
Gralla  House,  at  Barcelona 
Court  of  Lions,  in  the  Alhambra 
Burial  of  the  Poor  at  Seville  . 
A  Bull-fight  at  Seville  . 
Dominique  the  Espada    . 
Madrid  Crockery-merchant . 
Girl  of  Cadiz  .... 
Madrid  Bird-fancier     . 
Madrid  Chair-seller 
Spanish  Fandango  at  Seville 
Court  of  the  Lioas 

Escurial 

Interior  of  Cathedi-al,  Toledo  . 

Cataloniau  Venta,  or  Inn     . 

Segovia  and  its  Castle    . 

Traveling  Tinker  of  Madrid 

Madrid  Broom-merchant 

Fruit-seller  of  Madrid 

Orange  Girl  of  Madrid   . 

Madrid  Pipe-seller 

Pieman  of  Madrid  . 

Game-seller  of  Madrid 

Mountain  Traveling 

Spanish  Inn,  Catalonia 

Leaning  Tower  of  Zaragoza    . 

Shooting  Flamingoes    on    the   Lake  A! 

bufera  ...... 

Balcony  in  Granada 

Fire  on  the  Dock  of  Gibraltar    . 

FRANCE. 

Norman  Bride  with  her  Distaff 
Fire  of  St.  John,  in  Alsatia  . 
Shopping  in  the  Seventeenth  Century 
Navarre  Costumes,  Fifteenth  Century  . 
French     Theatre     in     the      Reign     of 

Louis  XIII 

Costumes  of  the  Isle  of  Re 

View  of  the  Town  of  Pont-en-Royans 

Shrimp-seller        .... 

Catacombs  of  Paris 

Great  Sewers  of  Paris — The  Boat 

Great  Sewers  of  Paris — The  Wagon 

Artesian  Well  at  Grenelle,  Paris  . 

Railway  over  Mont  Ceuis — View  above 

Lausebourg 
Rack  —  French  Instrument  of  Torture 

in  Use  in  1765       .... 
Church  of  the  Invalides,  Paris 
La  Roquette  —  Interior    of   the  Chapel 

during  the  Hours  of  Study  . 
La  Roquette  —  Cells    for   the    Solitary 

Confinement  of  Boys 
La  Roquette,  a  Prison  for  Juveniles 


and 


LIST     OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Fkanxe— Continued. 


PAOE    Gebmany— Continued. 


Driving  Horses  ovit  of  a  Leech  Swamp     .  196 

Gathering  Truffles  ....  197 
Cathedral  of  Chartres  .  .  .  .198 
Church    and   Fountain    of    St.  Sulpice, 

Paris 199 

Hotel  de  OluBy,  Paris      .         .         .         .200 

Fowling 200 

Baths  at  Biarritz 201 

"Walking  Theatre          ....  202 

Breton  Peasant  Drafted  into  the  Army     .  203 

The  Gamin  de  Paris  ....  203 
Wood-cutters  Keturning  with  Wood  from 

the  Forest  Bretonue,  Normandy  .  204 
Cafe  de  la  Cascade,  Bois  de  Boulogne, 

Paris 205 

Shop  in  Paris  in  the  Eighteenth  Century  206 

Extinct  Volcanoes  of  the  Chain  of  Puys  206 
Procession  Commemorative  of  the  Plague 

of  1720  at  Marseilles  .  .  .207 
Benediction  of  la  Garonne,  at  la  Eeole, 

near  Bordeaux  ....  207 
Astronomical  Clock  in  the  Cathedral  of 

Strasbourg 208 

GERMANY. 

Prussian    Bhenish   Provinces  —  Sunday 

Afternoon 210 

Cobourg  —  Sunday  Morning  .  .  211 
Alsatian  Mother  Teaching  her  Daughter 

the  Alphabet 212 

German  Peasantry        ....  213 
Wendish  Marriage  in  Lusatia — Bride  Pro- 
ceeding to  the  Husband's  House      .  214 
Wendish    Marriage  —  Bride   and   Bride- 
groom iu  Church  ....  214 
German  Emigrants  Embarking  for  Ame- 
rica .         .         .    '    .         .         .         .,'  215 
Colossal  Statue  of  Bavaria — the  Face  .    't?  216 
Colossal  Statue  of  Bavaria — Interior   of 

the  Head 216 

Valhalla,  Bavaria — Interior  .         .         .  216 

Colossal  Statue  of  Bavaria  at  Munich       .  217 

Valhalla,  Bavaria — Exterior          .         .  217 

Koyal  Palace  at  Potsdam,  Prussia  .  .  218 
Trarbach  and  the  Ruins  of  Graefeuburg 

Castle,  Bhenish  Provinces  .  .  219 
Salt  Caverns  of  Berchtozgaden,  Bavaria  .  220 
Great  Tun  of  Heidelberg  ...  220 
Bitumen  Miners  at  Prayer  before  De- 
scending the  Mine  ....  221 
The  Kursaal,  Homburg,  from  thft  Garden  222 
Eoulette  Table,  Kursaal,  Homburg      .  222 

Baden-Baden 223 

Iron  Arm  and  Hand  of  a  German  Knight, 

in  the  Fifteenth  Century        .         .  224 

Finger,  Showing  the  Mechanism      .         .  224 

Hemp-steeping  on  the  Banks  of  the  Rhine  225 

Salmon- watching  on  the  Rhine     .         .  225 

Marriage  Scene 226 

View  of  BerUn 227 

Mining  in  the  Opoi  Air,  at  Rammelsberg, 

in  the  Hartz 228 

Students  Fencing  at  Heidelberg  .  .  229 
Town-hall  at  Bremen,  formerly  the  Arch- 
bishop's Palace  ....  230 
Tollgate  at  Frankfort  ....  230 
Castle  of  Heidelberg  ....  231 
JReichenbftch  Falls  ....  232 
Tomb  of  the  Three  Kings,  at  Cologne  .  232 
Staubbach,  or  Dust  Fall      ...  232 


PAGE    Austrian  Empihe— Continued. 


233 
234 
234 
235 

230 
236 
236 
236 
237 
237 
237 
238 
238 
238 
239 
240 
240 
241 
241 
242 
243 

243 


View  in  Hildesheim,  Prussia   . 

Barks  on  the  Danube  .... 

Fishing  Village  at  Apathin 

German  Hop-field  in  Winter 

Stone  on  the  Field  of  Lutzen  where 
Gustavus  Adolphus  Fell   . 

Klajiperstein — An  Old  Punishment 

Charlemagne  in  his  Tomb 

The  "Jungferu  Kuss" 

The  Horn  of  Oldenburg  . 

A  Saxon  Lantern 

Curious  Oak-tree     . 

Schiller's  House  at  Weimar 

Festival  of  the  Three  Kings     . 

Marriage  in  Thuringia 

Mill  of  Sans-Souci,  Prussia     . 

Target-marker  Announcing  a  Good  Shot 

Paying  the  Workmen  .... 

Royal  Hunt  in  the  Grunivale,  near  Berlin 

Lager  Beer  Garden  in  Berlin  . 

Chamois -hunters  on  the  Lookout 

The  Game  Approaching  .... 

The  Successful  Chamois-hunter  Return- 
ing Home 

SWITZERLAND. 

Harvesting  Fruit 246 

A  Bernese  Woman  Beating  Hemp        .  247 

Diligence  Leaving  Berne          .         .  .     248 

The  MatterUprn,  or  Monte  Carvino      .  248 

Interlachen,  on  the  Aar  ....  249 

Glacier  Table 250 

The  Great  Aletch  Glacier        .         .  .250 

Avalanche  in  the  Alps         .         .         .  250 

Mont  Blanc 251 

Chamois-hunting  in  the  Alps       .         .  252 

Tourists  on  Lake  Geneva         .         .  .     253 

The  Man  Mantuamaker        .         .         .  254 

Interior  of  a  Grotto  of  Topazes      .  .     254 

Valley  of  Chamouni     ....  255 

Covelo,  a  Fortress  in  the  Tyrol      .  .     256 

The  Oberland  Journey         .         .         .  257 

American  Lady  Ascending  Mont  Blanc  .     257 

Railway  Tunnel  in  the  Alps         .         .  258 

Caille  Bridge,  in  Savoy    .         .         .  .     259 
Mont  Blanc  —  Encamped  on  the  Grands 

Mulcts 260 

Grand  Plateau,  Mont  Blanc     .         .  .     260 

A  Guide's  Accident      ....  261 

Crossing  the  Glacier  de  Bossous     .  .     261 

Huts   ana    Rocks  of  the  Grands  Mulcts  262 

The  Jungfrau  Mountain       .         .         .  203 

Summit  of  Mont  Blanc   .         .         .  .264 

Mont  Blanc  and  the  "  Mer  de  Glace  "  .  264 

Via  Mala,  near  the  Source  of  the  Rhine  .     265 

Mont  Blano— Descent  of  Stones  .         .  260 

Festival  at  the  Men-at-arms,  Neufchatel  .     266 

View  in  the  Grisons      ....  267 

Ascent  of  Mont  Blanc  by  Dr.  Hamel  .     268 

Harvest  in  the  Alps       ....  269 

Bridge  over  the  Rhine  at  Basle        .  .     270 

AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 

AusTEiA,  Bohemia,  Tyrol,  Hungary,  Croatia, 

AND  Galicia. 

Castle  of  Durrenstein       ....  272 

Hungarian  Shepherds  ....  272 

Czigany,  or  Hungarian  Gipsies        .         .  273 

Hungarian  Costumes    ....  274 

Presbnrg,  Ancient  Capital  of  Hungary    .  275 


Vail  Worn  by  Hungarian  Peasant  Women  276 
Ancient  Female  Punishment  in  Hungary  .  276 
Saxon  Girl  in  Transylvania  .         .         .         276 

Hermitage  and  Cave  of  Bucses        .         .  276 

Austrian  Peasants  ....  277 
Hungarians  Singing,  Followed  by  a  Gipsy 

Musician  ......  277 

Abbey  of  Moelk,  on  the  Danube  .         .  278 
Mausoleum    of    Maria   Christina,    Arch- 
duchess of  Austria   ....  278 

High  Mass  in  the  Cave  of  San  Servolo, 

iu  the  Coast  Mountains  near  Trieste  279 

Hungarian  Guard-house  on  the  Danube  280" 

St.  Stephen's  Crown    ....  280 

Bringing  Hay  from  the  Puszta  by  Boat  .  280 

Moravian  Peasants  Dancing  .         .  281 

Recruiting  for  the  Army         .         .         .  282 

Rifle  Meeting  at  Vienna  .  .  .  282 
Types   and  Costumes  of  the  People  of 

Bukowine  .        .         .        .        .  283 

Raft  on  the  Danube    ....  284 

Austrian  Military  Post  on  the  Bannat     .  285 

Scene  in  the  Market-place  at  Pesth     .  286 

Swineherd  on  the  Puszta        .         .         .  280 

Passenger  Raft  on  the  Danube  .  .  28T 
Peasants  from  the  Puszta  Encamped  in 

the  Market-place  at  Pesth        .         .  287 

Market  at  Brunn  ....  288 

Austrian    Passenger   Steamboat    on    the 

Balaton  Lake,  Hungary   .         .         .  288 

Fair  at  Pesth 289 

Life  iu  Vienna 290 

The  Village  King  in  Hungary  .  .  291 
Csarda,  Turkish  Name  of  the  Inns  on  the 

Prairies  of  Hungary  .         .         .  292 

Hungarian  Wedding  ....  292 
Presentation  of  Ladies  of  Ofen  (Buda)  to 

Emperor  and  Empress  of  Austria     .  293 

TURKEY. 

Interior  of  a  Harem 296 

Mohammedan  Tomb    ....  297 

Entrance  to  an  Oriental  Bazar         .         .  297 

Tower  of  Galata 297 

Guests    in    a  Harem   Entertained    with 

Music 298 

Turkish  Dinner  Party  ....  298 

Women  of  Turkey — Visit  of  Ceremony  to 

a  Harem  ......  299' 

Gardens  of  the  Seraglio,  Constantinople  30O 

Turkish  Women  in  a  Garden      .         .  301 

A  Turk  and  his  Three  Wives   .         .         .  302 

Turkish  Ladies  Seated  at  a  Tandour     .  302 

Summer  Saloon  of  the  Sultan's  Harem    .  303. 

Turkish  Life — Gulbeyan  Hanum        .  304 

Outdoor  Costume  of  a  Lady     .         .         .  304 
Kara  Fatima,  the  Kurdish  Princess,  at  the 

Head  of  her  Troops       .         .         .  305- 

Method  of  Flogging  in  Turkish  Schools  .  306- 

A  Bashi-Bazouk  .....  307  ~ 

Balouk-Hame— Casting  Dead  Bodies  into 

the  Bosphorus 30S 

Muezzin  Calling  Men  to  Prayer  .         .  308 

Rural  Mohammedan  Mosque  .         .         .  308 

Turkish  Rural  Ground  at  Scutari         .  303 

Turkish  Bazjir  at  Constantinople     .         .  310 

Gipsy  Showman 310 

Interior  of  the  Mosque  Achmed,  Constan- 
tinople       311 

Running  to  the  Firo    .         .         .         .  312 


LIST     OF    ILLUSTRATIONS, 


Turkey— Continued, 

Street  Scene  at  Constantinople 

Turkish  Barber-shop    . 

A  Tatar,  or  Turkish  Courier    . 

Turkish  Ewer  and  Basin 

Interior  of  a  Turkish  Bath     . 

Turkish  Life— The  Mansion 

A  Syrian  Turk's  Divan    . 

Koom  in  a  Khan  . 

The  Sick-room 

Street  Scene  in  Constantinople 

The  Turkish  Banknote  Counterfeited  in 

New  York         .        .        .         .         • 
Mosque  of  Sultan  Achmet,  at  Constan- 

tiuo25le  ...... 

Turkish  Scribe 

Hammal,  or  Turkish  Porter 

Sapeur-Pompier 

Subterranean  Lake  at  Constantinople  . 
Turkish  Letter  .... 


313 
314 
314 

315 
315 
316 
310 
317 
318 
319 

319 

320 
321 
321 
322 
323 
324 


DANUBIA'N'   PRINCIPALITIES. 

liouMANiA  (Moldavia  and  Wallachia), 
Seevia  and  Bosnia. 

Porch  of  the  Convent  of  Orezu,  "Wallachia  32G 

Bosnian  Dancing-girl  .         .         .  327 

Granary  for  Corn,  in  Servia    .         .  .  328 

Flax-beaters,  in  Servia  .         .         .  328 

Wallachian  Cemetery       ....  329 

Wallachian  Devil  Dance       .         .         .  330 

Hay-mow  in  Orezu  ....  330 

A  Grave  in  Orezu         ....  330 

Slavonian  Jlayah 331 

Wallachian  Nun 332 

Croate  on  the  Frontiers  of  Servia  .         .  332 

Wallachian  Peasant  Girl       .         .         .  333 

Young  Woman  of  Bucharest  .         .         .  333 

Woman  of  the  Military  Frontier  .  333 

House  in  the  Suburbs  of  Bucharest        .  334 

Moldavian  Bullock  Caravan         .        .  335 

Wallachian  Shee^) 335 

Wallachian  Village       ....  336 

Fisherman's  Hut  on  the  Danube     .         .  337 

Oven  in  the  Woods  of  Servia      .         .  337 

Village  Church  in  Bosuia        .  .  337 

Peasant  Womo,n  of  Bosuia  .         .         .  338 

Inhabitant  of  Wallachia  ....  338 

Military  Escort  in  Bosnia    .         .         .  339 

Interior  of  a  Wallachian  Peasant's  Home  .  340 
Islands  of  St.  George  and  the  Virgin,  in 

the  Bay  of  Cattaro        ...  340 

EMPIRE    OF   RUSSIA. 

Imperial  Arms  of  Russia         .         .         .  342 

Anc'ent  Kussian  Crown        .         .         .  343 

Palace  of  Paul,  St.  Petersburg         .         .  343 

Church  of  Our  Lady  of  Georgia  .         .  344 

Citizen  and  Family  of  Moscow        .         .  345 

Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  St.  Petersburg  .  346 
Hotel  de  I'Etat  Major,  and  Alexandrian 

Column,  St.  Petersburg     .         .         .  347 

Ancient  Kussian  Carriage     .         .         .  347 

Smolnoi  Convent,  St.  Petersburg     .        .  348 

Drosky 348 

Scene  in  the  Market-place,  St.  Petersburg  349 

Ladies  of  Kourick  and  Oril     .         .         .  350 

Kussian  Village  Dance  .  .  .  351 
Great  Bell  of  Moscow  .  .  .  .351 
Bishop    and    Clergy    of    the    Orthodox 

Church 352 


Empire  of  Russia— Contlaued.  page 

Ileception  of  a  Bride  by  her  Father-in-law  353 

Russian  Christening         .        ,•     /  •         ■  353 

Lapland  Jourde  or  Hut        .         .         .  354 

D'iving  Bears  to  Market  at  Beiezow       .  354 

Russian  Carnival  at  St.  Petersburg       .  355 

Winter  Amusement  in  St.  Petersburg       .  356 

Street  Venders  at  St.  Petersburg           .  356 

Kussian  Peddler      .....  357 

Russian  Family  at  Home      .         .         .  358 

Imperial  Theatre  of  Moscow  .         .         .  359 

Omnibus  and  Sleigh,  St.  Petersburg    .  359 

Russian  Village 360 

Tomb  of   Queen   Ann   Jagellon    in    the 

Cathedral  of  Warsaw,  Poland       .  361 

Russian  Navy  Cadets       ....  362 

Emancipation  of  a  Serf  in  Russia        .  363 

Women  of  Viatka  and  of  Perm       .         .  3G4 

Russian  Post-house      ....  364 

The  Kremlin,  Moscow     ....  365 

Cossacks  Dancing   on  a  Wedding  Eve  365 

Bazar  at  St.  Petersburg        .         .         .  366 

Russian  Marriage  Ceremony    .         .         .  367 

Imperial  Family  Sleighing  on  the  Neva  368 

Russian  Nun   ......  368 

Circassian  Outpost       ....  369 

Court  Reception  in  St.  Petersburg           .  370 
Winter  Palace  of  the  Emperor,  St.  Peters- 
burg     ......  371 

Petty  Traders  of  St.  Petersburg       .         .  372 

Chanvans,  Siberian  Tribe     ...  373 

Stag-hunt  in  Siberia         ....  374 

Traveling  in  the  Russian  Steppes         .  374 

Wolf-hunt 375 

Tchuktchi,  near  the  Cossack  Jourdes  .  376 
Perilous  Adventure  over  the  Cataract  of 

Selo  Keschemy,  in  Siberia         .         .  377 

Finland  Farmhouse  ....  378 
Gloves  and  Wooden  Spoon  of  a  Russian 

Postilion 378 

Siberian  Convicts  with  Cossack  Guard  379 
Tartar  Women  of  Kazan  .  .  .380 
Encampment  of  Gold  Wagoners   in   the 

Ural  Mountains     .         .         .         .  381 

Wolf-hunting 382 

Village  on  the  Banks  of  the  Volga      .  383 

Lapland  Family 384 

Lapland  Costumes  and  Customs  .  .  385 
Fisherman's  Hut  in  Lapland  .  .  .  386 
Interior  of  a  Church  in  Lajjland  .  .  387 
Skating  in  Lapland  ....  388 
Aurora  Borealis  Seen  at  Bossekop,  Fin- 
land, January  21,  1839  .  389,  390 
Waterfall  of  Kvamararfoss,  Iceland     .  391 

NORWAY   AND    SWEDEN. 

Oscar's  Hall  in  Christiana      .         .         .  394 
Hosijitality  in  Norway  ....  395 
Dressing  a  Bride  in  Norway  .         .         .  396 
Wedding  Costumes  at  Saetersdblen,  Nor- 
way         397 

Church  in  Guldsbrandsdal,  Norway         .  397 

Hell  Fall,  Christiansand,  Norway  .  398 
Troll's  Heart,  Norway     .         .         .         .398 

Pige  Kelker  in  Norway         .         .         .  399 

Maelstrom 399 

Aal  Foss  Rapids,  on  the  Oxea,  Norway  400 

House  in  Guldsbrandsdal        .         .         .  401 

Bear  Adventure  in  Norway  .         .         .  401 

Swedish  Bride 402 

Swedish  Woman  Dressed  for  Church  .  402 


NOEWAY  AND  SwEDEX.— Contlnuea.  PAGt! 

state  Carriage  of  Gustavus  III.        .         .  402 

Swedish  Marriage  Procession       .         .  403 

Hut  in  the  Clearing,  Sweden  .         .         .  403 

May-pole 404 

An  Early  Scandinavian  Vessel  .         .  40i  . 

Christmas  Tree  in  Sweden  .         .         .  405 

Harvest-home  in  Sweden         .         .         .  406 

Lund  Horse  Fair  in  Sweden       .         .  406 

Costumes  of  Various  Provinces  of  Sweden  407 

Swedish  Funeral 408 

DENMARK. 
Copenhagen    ......     410 

Costumes  of  the  Danish  Peasantry      ,         411 
Public  Carriage        .  .  .         .         .411 

Metal  Font  at  Haderslov       ...         412 
Curious  Ancient  Golden  Horn         .         .     412 
Danish  Ferryboat         ....         413 

Church  at  Faareville       ....     413 

Prison  of  Christian  II.  at  Sonderburg  .  413 
The   Slotsholm    Side  of   Copenhagen  — 

The  New  Canal  Bridge      .         .         .414 

HOLLAND. 

Amsterdam      .....          .  416 

Dutch  Head-dresses      ....  417 

Dutch  Villa  on  the  Scheldt     .         .         .418 

Dutch  Customs  and  Costumes     .         .  419 

Household 420 

Early  Dutch  Printing  Office         .         .  420 

Skate  Race  of  Friesland  Women     .         .  421 

Vyverberg  at  The  Hague      .         .         .  422 

Market-women  at  Amsterdam          .         .  423 

Interior  of  an  Orphan  Asylum     .         .  424 

Dutch  Custom 424 

Dutch  Watchman  at  Scheveningen  .  425 
Dutch    Gala    Sleigh    of    the    Sixteenth 

Century 426 

Ratcatcher 426 

Woman  and  Girl  of  Hindelopen     .         .  427 

Polishing  Diamonds     ....  i28 

Sizes  of  Diamonds  .....  428 

Diamond  Works  on  the  Amstel  .         .  429 

Jews'  Quarter,  Amsterdam  .  .  .  430 
Masks — A  Noble  Dutch  Family  Returning 

Home  at  Night      ....  430 

The  Little  Match-girl  at  Amsterdam*  431 
Albert    and  Isabella    at    the   Studio   of 

Rubens 432 

Annual  Fair  at  Rotterdam       .         .         .  432 

Seaside  Scene        .....  433 

A  Canal  in  Holland        .         .         .         .  434 

BELGIUM. 

Great  Chimney-piece  in  the  Hall  of  Mar- 
riages at  Antwerp     ....  436 
Church  of  St.  James  at  Liege       .         .  437 
Luxemburg  —  View  from   the   Port   des 

Moulins 438 

Fort  and  Port  of  Luxemburg       .         .  438 
Sham  Battle  on  Stilts,  at  Namur      .         .  439 
Inauguration  of  the  Statue  of  King  Leo- 
pold, at  Antwerp  ....  440 
Rubens's  Chair,  at  Antwerp     .         .         .  440 
Magistrates'  Hall,  at  Audenarde  .         .  441 
Battle  in  the  Stone  Age   ....  442 
Carnival  at  Antwerp    ....  443 
Entry  into    Brussels    of    the   Count    of 
Flanders  and  the  Princess  Mary  de 
HohenzoUern 444 


LIST     OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Belgium— Continued.  page 

Kew  Aquarium  at  Brussels      ,         .         .  444 

Cave  near  Rocliefort     ....  445 

Portrait  of  a  Flemish  Burgomaster  .         .  446 

PORTUGAL. 

Portuguese  Pavilion  at  the  Paris  Exhibi- 
tion    448 

Portuguese  Department  at  the  Paris  Ex- 
hibition         .....  448 
Toklo  Boat  of  the  Douro         ...  448 
Monaster}'  of  Santa  Maria  de  Belem     .  449 
Demonstration  in  Favor  of  Saldanha,  iu 

Lisbon,  in  1870         .         .         .         .450 

Bridge  at  Porto 450 

BARBARY    STATES. 
MoRoooo,  Algekia,  Tunls  and  Tkipoli. 

Moorish  Lady  in  Walking  Costume        .  452 

Sunrise  on  the  Desert  ....  453 

Moorish  Balcony     .....  454 

Moorish  Doorway         ....  454 

Algerine  Moor  .....  455 

Algeriue  Jew 455 

Vailed  Woman  of  Algiers         .         .         .  455 

Terebinth,  or  Turpentine-tree      .         .  456 

The  Palace  of  the  Governor  of  Mequinez  457 

Panther-hunt  in  Algeria  ....  458 

Arab  Race  in  Algeria  ....  459 

Negro  Medicine  Dance,  Algiers  .  .  460 
Inundation   of   the   Plain   of  Kelizanne, 

Algeria 460 

Interior  of  a  Cadi's  Court,  Algiers   .         .  461 

Mulatto  Girl  in  Tunis  ...  462 

Types  of  Tunisian  Peasantry  .         .         .  463 

How  a  Great  Lady  Travels  in  Tunis    .  463 

Sponge-divers  .....  464 

Fishermen    Trampling     the    Gelatinous 

Matter  out  of  the  Sponge     .         .  465 

Market  for  the  Sale  of  Sponges,  Tripoli  466 

Remains  of  Carthage — The  Cisterns    .  467 

View  of  Tetuan 468 

ABYSSINIA. 

Women  of  Abyssinia       ....  470 

Kassai,  Prince  of  Tigre,  Seated  in  State  470 

Nati\a  Plowing 471 

Aggageers,  or  Sword-hunters  .         .         .  471 

Thief-smelling 472 

Interior  of  an  Abyssinian  House     .         .  472 

Abyssinian ~  473 

Palm  Sunday  in  Abys.sinia       .         .         .  473 

Religious  Ceremony  at  Wadela  .  .  473 
Ankobar,  the  Residence  of  the  Negus  of 

Choar 474 

Weekly  Fair  at  Antala  .         .         .  474 

Abyssinian  Raw-meat  Feast     .         .         .  475 

Woman  Grinding  Corn         .         .         .  475 

Abyssinian  Soldiers  ....  476 

Theodore,  Late  King  of  Abyssinia       .  476 

Village  under  the  Antala  ' '  Amba  "         .  477 

Group  of  Shohos         ....  477 

Funeral  of  the  Widow  of  King  Theodore  478 

Church  and  Shrine  of  St.  Romanus         .  478 

Abyssinian  Oven 479 

The  Scene  of  the  Late  King  Theodore's 

Massacre 479 

The  Tigretier,  or  Abyssinian  Dance     .  479  j 

Method  of  Protecting  Crops   .         .         .  480  1 

Palace  of  Theodore  at  Gondar    .        .  480  I 


LIBERIA.  P-^GE 

The  President's  House  in  Monrovia      .  482 

Blacksmith's  Hut  ....  482 

Monrovia         ......  483 

Family  of  Borlean  Negroes  .         .         .  484 

Mammy  Town 485 

Superstition  of  the  Devil's  Bush  .  486 

GuadiLar  Farm 487 

View  of  Buchanan        ....  488 

Rock  Town  Warriors       ....  488 

MEDITERRANEAN   ISLANDS. 

View  of  Ajaccio       .....  490 

Fountain  of  the  Corso,  Ajaccio  .         .  491 

Washerwomen  in  the  Port  of  Ajaccio     .  492 

Sicilian  Mother 493 

Sicilian  Tyjjes  and  Figures      .         .         .  493 

Sunrise  on  Mount  Etna        .         .         .  494 

Sicilian  Peasant  Boy        ....  495 

Island  of  Mare-Imo      ....  496 

Salt  Springs  in  Sicily      ....  497 

Beggar's  Stair,  Malta  ....  497 

Queen  Adelaide  Church,  Valetta,  Malta    .  498 

View  of  Malta 498 

Scene  iu  the  Strada  Mercanti,  Malta        .  499 

Port  St.  Nicholas,  Rhodes  ...  500 
Palace    of    the    Grand   Masters    of    the 

Knights  of  St.  John  .         .         .501 

Bird's-eye  View  of  Rhodes  .         .         .  502 

Ancient  Cannon  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John  503 

Coat  ot  Arms  of  Villiers  de  I'lle-Adams  .  503 

Colossus  of  Rhodes  ....  503 
The  Arms  of  PhiUp  the  Good  in  the  Port 

St.  Nicholas 503 

The  Keep  or  Entrance  to  the  Residence 

of  the  Grand  Masters   .         ,         .  504 

Funeral  Vase  from  Rhodes     .         .         .  504 

SOUTH    AFRICA. 

Hosa  Fingoe  Man 506 

Beutchuana  Wagon-leader    .         .         .  506 

Hottentot  House-servant  .         .         .  506 

Dance  of  Zulus 507 

Hottentot  Woman 508 

Fingoe  Women 508 

Elephant-shooting  by  Moonlight    .         .  509 

Amakosa  Caffre    .....  510 

Tree  in  Natal 510 

Native  Mode  of  Hunting  the  Gnu        .  510 
Fingoe  Herdswomen        .         .         .         .511 
Interior  of  a  Caffre  Hut       .         .         .  511 
The  Hopo,  an  African  Method  of  Hunt- 
ing in  South  Africa  ....  512 

GREAT  BRITAIN  and  IRELAND. 

The  Pillory  at  Old  London  Bridge  .         .  514 

The  Royal  Palace  at  Hampton    .        .  515 

Old  London  Bridge  ....  515 

Elizabethan  Furniture  .         .         .  516 

Sitting-room  Furniture  of  the  Fifteenth 

Century 5  If) 

Queen  Elizabeth  in  State     .         .         .  517 

Queen  Anne  Going  to  Parliament   .         .  518 

London  by  Night      .   .         .         .         .  519 

Bed  in  Shakespeare's  Time  .  .  .  519 
Place  where  the  Princes  were  Buried  in 

the  London  Tower  .  .  .  519 
The  South  Sea  Bubble  .  .  .  .520 
Sitting-room  Furniture   in  the  Time  of 

William  and  Mary  .  .  .  521 
Costumes  of  the  Time  of  Henry  V.        .521 


Gkeat  Bkitaijj  AMD  IRELAND— Continued.  taoe 

Various  Costumes  and  Head-dresses        .  522 

English  Coach  of  the  Time  of  Charles  n ,  523 

Sedan  Chairs 523 

Two-horse  Litters 523 

The  Ship  Henri-Ordne-a-Dieu    .        .  524 

War  Galleys  of  the  Fifteenth  Century     .  524 

The  Tower  of  London         .         .         .  525 

The  Ducking-chair 528 

A  Flogging-horse          ....  523 

Pai-ish  Stocks  ......  52G 

The  Penance  of  Jane  Shore        .        .  527 

A  Peddler  of  Shakespeare's  Time    .         .  523 

London  Street-hghts,  1760  .  .  .  523 
Hackney    Coachman     of    the    Time    of 

Charles  II 528 

A  Watchman  of  Shakespeare's  Time   .  528 

London  Lamp-lighter,  1700     .         .         .  528 

The  Great  Bed  of  Ware        .         .         .  529 

Stage  Barge  of  Richard  II.      .         .         .  529 

Old  Houses  in  Chester        .         .         .  530 

Royal  Miracles 531 

Odd  Customs  of  English  Theatres  .  532 
Clothing  Shop  in  the  Reign  of  Queen 

Elizabeth 532 

Costumes  of  the  Time  of  Henry  IV.  .  532 

An  English  Funeral  300  Years  Ago.         .  533 

Giant's  Causeway,  Ireland  .  .  .  534 
Spearing  Salmon  on  tne  River  Shannon, 

Ireland 535 

Hanging  in  Chains       ....  536 

The  Iron  Bridle 537 

Woman  with  the  Bridle  on           .         .  637 

"Peine  Forte  et  Dure"          .         .         .  537 

Flogging  Quakers  in  England      .         .  538 

The  Domesday  Book  ....  638 
The  New  Tower  Subway  under  the  River 

Thames 539 

Interior  of  an  Old  English  Farmhouse  .  540 
A  Barber's  Shop  in  the  Reign  of  Queen 

Elizabeth 5^ 

Ballroom  in  the  Year  1700  .  .  .  64f 
The  Great  Fire  of  London  in  1666  .  .  548 
Donkey  Races  at  Blackheath  ,  543 
An  Old  English  Kitchen  .  .  .  544 
An  Old  Public  Washing-ground  .  .  544 
Copper- works  at  Swansea,  Wales  .  .  545 
Ancient  Coracle,  or  Wicker  Boat  .  546 
The  Bank  of  England  ....  647 
The  Royal  Exchange  ....  547 
Eddystone  Lighthouse  -  .  .  .  548 
Shakespeare  Reading  before  Queen  Eliza- 
beth        549 

Egg-marketing  in  Ireland         .         .         .  550 

Duuloe  Gap 550 

Ancient  Irish  Harp          ....  550 

A  Drag-hunt  in  Ireland         .         .         .  551 

Peasants  Resting  from  their  Labors         .  551 

Irish  Turf-gatherers  ....  552 
Women  Digging  a  Field  for  a  Crop  of 

Potatoes   ......  S.S3 

Summit  of  Storr  and  Quiraug,  Isle  of  Skye  554 

The  Bass  Rock,  Scotland     .         .         .  555 

Holyrood  Palace,  Edinburgh  .         .         .  556 

Highland  Dance 556 

Gathering  Peat  in  Scotland      .         .         .  557 

Bringing  Home  the  Bride    .         .         .  558 

UNITED    STATES   of  AMERICA, 

The  White  Hrmse 561 

Landing  of  Governor  Winthrop  at  Salem  561 


XTi 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


United  states  of  amekica— Continued.  page 

First  Sabbath  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in 

America •'>'52 

The  Keceptiou  of    Columbus   after  his 

First  Voyage         ....  563 
The  Deathbed  of  Columbus  .         .         .564 

The  Charter  Oak 565 

The  Capitol  Building,  Washington,  D.C.  566 
Washington's  New  Family  Vault     .         .  567 
Ante-chamber  of  the  Tomb  of  Washing- 
ton           568 

Top  of  the  Sarcophagus  ....  568 

Armorial  Bearings  of  the  Washingtons  568 
Inscription  over  the  Door  of  the  House 

of  the  Washingtons  ....  568 

Pohick  Church 569 

The  Pulpit 569 

Washington's  Pew        ....  569 

Koger  Williams's  Departure  from  Salem  570 

Natural  Bridge  over  Cedar  Creek         .  571 
Pocahontas    Saving    the    Life    of  John 

Smith 572 

Masked    Men    Destroying    Firearms   on 

Board  the  Steamboat  Hesper        .  573 

John  Brown 574 

John   Brown  Burying  the   Dead  Insur- 


the 


575 
576 


Morton  Killing  the  Pawnee  Indian  . 
The    Murder    of    Jane   McCrea  by 

Indians '  577 

The  Mammoth  Cave  Hotel  .         .        .  578 

Entrance  to  the  Cave       ....  578 

Inside  View  of  the  Entrance  of  the  Cave  579 

Devil's  Armchair 580 

Entrance  to  the  Gothic  Gate    .         .         .  580 
Wedding  in  the  Gothic  Chai>el     .         .  581 
Descending  to  the  Yo-Semite  Valley         .  582 
Ascending  the  Lower  Dome  of  the  Yo- 
Semite  582 

The  Yo-Semite  Fall        .         .        .         .583 
Upper  Side  of  the  Natural  Bridge  over 

Cayotte  Creek        ....  584 

Natural  Bridge  over  Cayotte  Creek  .         .  584 

Monument  Eock,  Echo  Caiion     .         .  585 

Workmen  Felling  a  Mammoth  Tree         .  586 

The  "  Twins,"  Mariposa      .         .        .  586 

Scene  in  the  Valley  of  the  Yo-Semite       .  587 

Trial  of  Anne  Hutchinson    .         .         .  588 

Desperate  Conflict  on  the  Prairies  .         .  589 
A  Typical  Scene  at  a  Florida  Kailroad 

Station 590 

Mrs.  Clayton  Planting  the  National  Flag 

on  the  Summit  of  the  Rocky  Mount-  591 

ains 58il 

Old  New  Orleans — Governor  Bienville's 

House 592 

A  Tenrist  Party  in  the  Bocky  Mountains  593 
Old   New  Orleans — Scene   on  the  Levee  594 
View  of  the  Roan  Mountain,  North  Caro- 
lina    595 

The  Old  Stagecoach  Days    .         .         .  596 
The  Brooklyn  Bridge       .         .         .         .597 

Gaverns  of  Luray — The  Organ     .         .  598 
The  Cafion  of  the  Colorado      .         .         .599 

Camp  in  the  Woods  in  Alaska      .         .  60D 

Scenery  oq  the  Stikeen  Kiver  .         .         .  001 

St.  Nicholas,  Cook's  Inlet    ...  001 

Indian  Dance  at  Unalachleet  .        .        .  002 


United  States  of  America — Continued.         page 

Trolosk  Indian 002 

Interior  of  an  Indian  House     .         .         .  603 

Mount  Edgecombe       ....  604 

Burial  Monument 004 

Telegraph  Station  at  Fort  Clarence      .  G05 

Native  Ounalaskan  and  Seal  Dog     .         .  606 

CANADA. 

The  House  of  Parliament,  from  the  River  608 

The  House  of  Parliament,  Front  View     .  008 

The  Opening  of  Parliament,  Ottawa     .  009 

Government  Hotise,  Toronto  .         .         .  610 

Rideau  Hall,  Ottawa    ....  610 

Maisonneuve,  First  Governor   of   Mont-  611 

real Oil 

Residence  of  Maisonne\ive    .         .         .  611 

Scene  on  the  Chaudil're  River  .         .         .  612 

The  Chaudiere  Falls,  Ottawa        .         .  612 

Montmorency  Falls  in  Summer        .         .  013 

Design  for  the  Brant  Monument  .         .  614 

The  Brant  Monument  at  Brantford  .         .  614 

Horticultural  Garden,  Toronto     .         .  015 

University,  Toronto         ....  615 

M'Gill  University,  at  Montreal     .         .  616 

Ontario  Ladies'  College,  Whitby      .         .  017 

Faraday  Hall,  Victoria  College,  Cobourg  017 
The  Church  of  Notre  Dame  de  Bon  Se- 

cours,  at  Montreal    ....  618 

Breakneck  Steps,  Quebec     .         .         .  618 

Champlain  Street,  Quebec        .         .         .  018 

Winnipeg 619 

Fort  Garry  in  1870 619 

View  of  Winnipeg,  Manitoba        .         .  620 

Grace  Church  (Methodist),  Winnipeg      .  620 

Digby  Harbor  and  Gut,  Bay  of  Fundy  .  021 

CustoM-house,  Windsor,  Ontario     .         .  022 

MEXICO,  CENTRAL  AMERICA 
AND  THE  WEST  INDIES. 

Custom-house  and  Landing,  Vera  Cruz  .  624 
Indians    and    Country  Women    in    the 

Market  Square,  Vera  Cruz.            .  025 

End  of  the  Aqueduct,  City  »f  Mexico       .  626 

Cathedral,  City  of  Mexico    ...  627 

The  Castle  of  Chapultepec,  Mexico  .         .  628 

Portrait  of  President  Porfirio  Diaz        .  629 

The  Ruined  Palace  of  Mitla,  Mexico        .  030 

Coffee  Plantation,  Costa  Rica       .         .  631 

Exterior  of  the  Hotel  Pasage,  Havana  .  032 
Sitting-room    in    the     Tomando     Cafe, 

Havana 632 

Map  of  the  West  Indies        .         .         .  633 

Kingston,  Jamaica,  West  Indies       .         .  633 

Port  Antonio,  Jamaica         .         .         .  634 
The  Wesleyan  Church,  Beechamville,  St. 

Ann's,  Jamaica         ....  6^5 

Alley  Church,  Jamaica         .         .         .  635 

St.  Pierre,  Martinique     ....  066 

Former    Basin    of    Boiling   Lake,    Do- 
minica ......  636 

View  of  Cape  Haytien  from  the  Height 

of   Marchegalle        .         .         .         .637 

National  Bank  of  Hayti  at  Port-au-Prinx;e  037 
The   Great  Water   Cave   near   San    Do- 
mingo City 638 


SOUTH  AMERICA.         ^>^<^^ 

View  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  from  Ilhas  das 

Cobras 640 

Santa  Catharina,  Brazil        .         .         .  040 

Santa  Praia  de  Fora,  Santa  Catharina      .  640 
Palm  Grove   in   the   Botanical   Garden, 

Rio   de  Janeiro         ....  041 

View  of  Menino  Deos,  Porto  Alegre     .  041 
View  of  the  City  of  Callao,  Peru,  from 

the  Mole G42 

View  of  the  City  of  Callao  from  the  Sea  042 

The  Gorge  of  the  Tunkini,  Peru      .         .  643 

View  of  the  City  of  Lima,  Pern   .         .  644 

View  of  Cuzco,  Peru        ....  644 

Boating  on  Lake  Titicaca,  Peru  .  .  645 
South   American    Indians,    Georgetown, 

British  Guiana 646 

Monument   to  General  O'Higgins,  Sant- 
iago, Chili 647 

The  Church  of  San  Francisco,  Santiago, 

Chili 648 

The  Harbor  and  City  of  Buenos  .\yrcs    .  649 

Florida  Street,  Buenos  Ayres       .         .  650 

Cathedral,  Buenos  Ayres         .         .         .  650 

Teatro  Alegria,  Buenos  .\^yres       .         .  651 

North  -American  Church,  Buenos  Ayres  .  651 
Views   in   Caracas,  the    Capital   City   of 

Venezuela         .....  652 

Burial-place  of  Indians  near  Atures,  Vene- 
zuela     ......  053 

Statue  of  Bolivar,  in  the  Great  Plaza  of 

Bogota,  United  States  of  Colombia  .  653 
Volcano    in    Smyth   Channel,    Strait   of 

Magellan 654 

Natives  of  Tierra  d«l  Fuego         .         .  654 

AUSTRALIA  AND  NEW 

ZEALAND. 

Treasury,  Melbourne       ....  656 

Public  Library,  Melbourne  .         .         .  656 

Law  Courts,  Melbourne  ....  657 

Botanical  Garden,  Melbourne       .         .  6fff 

South  Melbourne  Bowling  Green  .  .  657 
View  of  Melbourne  from  the  Exhibition 

Building  Gallery       .         .         .         .657 

Law  Courts,  Sydney     ....  658 

Exhibition  Building,  Sydney  .         .         .  658 

Sydney  Harbor 658 

Town-hall,  Sydney 659 

Vice-regal  Residence,  Adelaide    .         .  i960 

Government  Offices,  Adelaide  .         .         .  690 

View  of  Adelaide         ....  661 

Supreme  Court  Hoase,  Adelaide      .         .  661 

North  and  South  Brisbane,  Queensland  661 
The  Town  of  Wentworth         .         .         .862 

Vineyard  at  Sunbury  ....  662 
Gigantic     Gum  -  trees   on   the  Northern 

Railroad,  Queensland       .         .         .  663 

On  the  Sands  at  Queen's  Clifif      .         .  664 

Katoomba  Coal  Mine,  New  South  Walas  665 
Christchurch  Cathedral,  Canterbury,  New 

Zealand 666 

On  the  Huon  River,  Tasmania     .         .  667 

On  the  Derwent  River,  Tsismauia    .         .  6C8 

On  the  West  Coast  Road,  New  Zealand  669 
Mount  Egmont,  New  Zealan:!,  from  tii« 

Recreation-ground  ....  3?0 


The  WORLD'S  Great  Nations. 


PERSIA. 


J' 


GKOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL,  AND    HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

CaBHMBKE  Women— Persian  Maukiage— The  Shah  of  Persia— Peiisian  Costdmes— Seraglio -The  Tower  at  Key— Grand  Mosqtte  at  Ispa- 
BAN— A  Persian  Captive— Well  in  the  Desert— Persian  Women— Caravanserai— Portable  Stove— Lantern— Arms,  Dokestio 
Articles- Parsees  Worshiping  the  Setting  Sun— Ki;ral  Chariot— Persian  Group— Sacred  Tank— The  tomb  of  Noah— Tumult  ih 
Tf^eran— Concluding  Remarks 


.  E  HAVE  said  in  our  pre- 
face, that  in  beginning 
our  travels  '  'All  Kound  the 
World,"  we  have  com- 
menced in  the  East,  be- 
cause it  is  the  birth-place 
of  civilization ;  for,  despite 
the  Darwinian  theory,  that 
man  is  the  modification  of 
the  monkey,  we  hold  that 
every  lover  of  h)5  kind 
can  extend  his  sympathy 
to  even  such  a  strange  caricature  of  the  human 
shape  as  the  ourang-outang,  chimpanzee,  and 
gorilla ;  and  however  low  our  estimation  may 
be  of  the  Darwinian  race,  we  think  our  readers 
will  find,  in  their  travels  around  the  globe,  that 
there  is  as  great  a  diversity  in  the  human  race, 
between  the  highest  and  the  lowest,  as  there  is 
between  man  and  the  gorilla. 

That  in  the  course  of  six  thousand  years  man 
has  not  progressed  as  an  individual,  is  undoubt- 
edly true.  In  physical  force,  no  man  we  have 
any  record  of  exceeds  Samron  in  strength;  and 
in  intellectual  acumen,  Aristotle,  Plato,  and 
Euclid  remain  unexcelled.  Homer,  Anacreon, 
and  .^chylus  are  still  the  rivals  of  our  great- 
est modern  poets,  and,  with  the  sole  exception 
of  Shakespeare,  we  can  produce  no  man  whoso 
mental  grandeur  is  not  equaled  or  surpassed  by 
one  of  antiquity.  Of  course,  when  we  come  to 
the  practical  arts  and  sciences,  the  wonderful 
discoveries  of  the  last  century  put  the  ancients 
to  considerable  disadvantage ;  and  Kewton, 
Watts,  Morse,  and  Fulton  belong,  as  it  were, 
to  a  race  of  giants  in  whom  pure  intellect  is 
subservient  to  that  dual  being  which.  Centaur- 
like, is  half  science  and  half  brain. 

Considering  the  wonderful  strides  which  sci- 
ence has  made,  we  do  not  think  that  man  has 
changed  in  accordance  with  the  progress  of 
the  age.  While  the  discoveries  of  science  and 
modem  appliances  have  elevated  the  masses  of 
mankind  from  a  platform  little  higher  than 
that  of  the  brute  creation,  or  certainly  from  man 


in  his  nomadic,  or  most  brutal  shape,  to  that 
of  a  civilized  being,  we  find,  as  we  have  already  : 
observed,  no  poets  more  eminent  than  Homer  , 
and  Horace ;  no  historian  superior  to  Tacitus 
and  Polybius  ;  no  philosopher  above  Plato  and 
Aristotle ;  no  orators  surpassing  Cicero  and 
Demosthenes ;  no  mathematicians  superior  to 
Euclid,  and  no  warriors  equal  to  Julius  Caesar. 

In  selecting  Asiatic  Turkey  for  our  starting- 
place  on  this  panoramic  voyage  round  the  world, 
Vv'e  hare  not  ignored  the  prior  claims  of  Chaldea, 
Assyria,  and  other  countries,  where,  according 
to  Holy  Writ,  the  human  race  became  the 
pioneers  of  civilization. 

At  the  risk  of  misconstruction,  wo  may  say 
that  the  means  of  communication  were  so  limit- 
ed, that  very  little  was  known  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  human  race,  and  that,  when  we 
have  a  record  of  actual  life  in  those  days,  it  is 
only  to  be  compared  to  a  sudden  break  in  a  fog, 
or  of  getting  a  glimpse  of  truth  by  a  flash  of 
lightning. 

Asia  is  not  only  tlie  oldest,  according  to  chro- 
nology, but  the  largest  of  the  three  great  di- 
visions of  the  Eastern  Hemisphere.  Separated 
from  Africa  by  the  Red  Sea  and  Isthmus  of  Suez, 
and  from  Europe  by  the  Ural  Mountains,  the 
Ural  Pdver,  and  the  Caspian  Sea,  its  proportion 
to  Europe  may  be  estimated  as  tliat  of  throe- 
fourths,  the  superficial  contents  ot  Asia  being 
eighteen  millions  of  square  miles,  to  four  mil- 
lions in  Europe.  But  the  very  variety  and 
magnitude  of  its  capabilities  diminished  its 
capacities,  and  honce  we  have  found  the  smaller 
size  of  Europe  a  provocative  to  tliat  condensa- 
tion of  mental  and  physical  energy  which  has 
ever  made  Europe  the  brains,  or  might,  of  the 
world,  and  enabled  England,  in  the  last  two 
centuries  and  at  the  present  moment,  to  hold  1 
dominion  over  two  hundred  millions  of  Asiatics, 
with  only  one  hundred  thousand  armed  Euro- 
peans to  guard  her  military  posts.  The  ener- 
vating effects  ot  climate  have  much  to  do  with 
this ;  and  here  we  have,  possibly,  the  root  of 
halt  the  evil ;  for  what  enervates  the  body 


will,  necessarily,  weaken  the  mind,  and  henot 
the  manners  and  customs  of  Orientalism  havs 
more  to  do  than  we  are  aware  of  with  the  ap- 
parent decadence  of  Eastern  nations,  frooi 
whence  sprang  Western  civilization  and  power. 

The  physical  conformation  of  Western  Asia  is 
favorable  to  the  growth  of  large  empires,  and,' 
consequently,  of  civilization,  which  is,  as  Cole- 
ridge said,  "  the  better  son  of  a  good  father," 
since  the  inherent  appetite  for  progress  was  of 
itself  an  encouraging  sign. 

In  the  vast  plains  extending  from  the  Ki» 
phatesto  the  Persian  Gulf,  tlie  Red  Sea,  and  tha 
Mediterranean,  there  are  no  natural  fastnessei^ 
and,  consequently,  the  more  numerous,  or  tha 
most  politic  and  warlike,  race  became,  jper  nc-~ 
cessilalem,  the  lords  of  the  soil. 

By  a  like  necessity,  the  form  of  government 
became  what  they  call  "one  man  power," 
which  is  really  tlie  natural  shape  authority 
takes  in  the  beginning,  since  a  kingdom  ia 
merely  a  household  on  a  large  scale,  and  in 
every  well-arranged  household,  the  master  or 
mistress  must  govern,  and  not  the  crude,  ig- 
norant children,  or  the  corrupt  and  debaaed 
servants. 

Hence  Aristotle,  the  soundest  of  all  ancient 
philosophers,  says  that,  provided  you  get  a 
good  and  firm  man,  the  happiest  of  all  States  is 
that  which  is  governed  by  a  reasoning  despot. 

So  far  as  uneducated  man  is  concerned,  and 
even  in  our  own  free  and  famed  republic,  tta 
welfare  of  the  people  very  much  depends  upon 
a  firm  hand  ;  yet  the  reasons  for  rigidity  musS 
always  be  duly  put  forth,  and  always  recog- 
nized by  the  governed  classes,  the  mouthpiece 
of  which  is  the  press. 

One  of  the  most  appalling  features  in  the 
East,  is  the  little  regard  paid  to  the  sanctity  c  f 
marriage,  which  the  experience  of  all  ages  has 
proved  to  be  the  palladium  of  civilization,  and 
the  starting-point  of  progress. 

The  prevalence  of  polygamy  is  the  corse  of 
Eastern  nations ;  and  the  nonchalance  with 
which  our  Government  l)eholds  the  exist<^nof 


IS'..;  ;• 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONo. 


of  that  horrible  cancer  in  our  midst,  as  evi- 
evidenced  in  Utah,  is  a  striking  proof  of  the  de- 
cadence of  moral  and  religious  feeling  in  our 
Great  Republic. 

Polygamy  necessitates  a  court  of  hangers-on, 
whether  democratic  or  noble  ;  introduces  a 
Krvile  set  to  otttaal  positions,  and  finally  de- 
j^rades  the  entire  iiuman  race,  since  it  lowers 
the  sweetest  and  holiest  portion — our  mothers. 
Kven  the  poorer  classes,  who  cannot  afford  to 
keep  two  wives,  do  not  escape  the  pollution  of 
this  baneful  custom — the  poverty  of  the  parents 
compelling  them  to  sell  their  daughters  to  j 
supply  the  harems  of  the  rich. 

The   family   bond   is   thus   corrupted  in   its 
holiest  element,   for   the   sellers   of  their  cwn  ' 


of  their  predominance,  whence  the  revolts  and 
revolutions  so  common  in  early  and  Eastern  his- 
tory, and  which  condition,  in  a  modified  manner, 
exists  in  all  communities  of  the  present  day. 

The  earliest  of  the  Eastern  monarchies  spnmg 
up  at  the  head  of  the  Persian  Gulf.  Moses 
placed  here  the  first  kingdom — his  words  being, 
Gen.  X.  10  :  "  And  the  beginning  of  his  king- 
dom was  Babel  and  Erech,  and  Accad,  and 
Caleb,  in  the  land  of  Shinar."  Here  Berosus 
recorded  a  Chaldean  monarchy  as  existing  2000 
years  B.C. 

The  Hebrew  historians  regard  Nimrod  as  the 
founder  of  the  first  kingdom.  An  old  record 
names  forty-nine  Chaldean  monarchs,  who  ruled 
between  2000  B.  c,  to  1543  b.  c,  making  a  term 


the  Ottoman  Empire— at  once  an  anomaly  sail 
a  disgrace  to  the  Christian  world. 

Thb  chief  divisions  of  Asiatic  Turkey  are 
Asia  Minor,  Armenia,  Syria,  and  the  southern 
portion  of  Palestine. 

The  surface  of  Asia  Minor  is  mountainooa, 
with  high  table-lands,  and  rich  plains  along 
the  coast.  The  soil  is  very  fertile,  and  abounds 
in  grain,  cotton,  and  delicious  fruits. 

The  population  is  of  a  very  mixed  character, 
and,  Mohammedism  is  the  now  prevailing 
religion. 

Agriculture  is  much  neglected,  the  principal 
attention  being  given  to  the  rearing  of  live 
stock. 

The  manufactories  are  not  extensive ;  among 


COSTUMES  OF  VARIOUS  CLASSES   IN   PERSIA. 


flesh  n^d  blood  cannot  be  expected  to  hesitate  to 
sell  their  country,  and  thus  become  the  slavish 
tools  of  a  tyrant. 

In  the  earliest  ages  Force  was  the  great  God. 
Asiatic  empires  were  thus  always  founded  upon 
military  conquest.  The  mere  fact  implies  the 
possession  of  warlike  qualities  sujierior  to 
those  of  the  vanquished  nation. 

At  first,  the  conquering  jxiople  were  simple  in 
their  habits,  brave,  hardy,  and,  comparatively 
speaking,  poor,  since  it  was  not  in  human  na- 
ture to  leave  a  superior  dwelling  for  a  poorer  one. 

Buteaso  and  luxury  brought  deterioration,  and, 
in  the  course  oi  afew  years,  the  military  classes, 
which  were  the  necessary  adjuncts  of  the  rulers, 
allowed  the  natives  to  become  part  and  parcel 


of  457  years,  which  gives  an  average  of  a  little 
over  nine  years  to  every  monarch's  reign — a 
very  considerable  reduction  to  the  common  rate 
of  human  life. 

The  primeval  monuments  of  the  country  have 
yielded  memorials  of  about  sixteen  kings> 
which  belonged  to  this  epoch. 

They  were,  at  any  rate,  the  builders  of  the 
most  ancient  edifices  now  existing  in  these 
lands. 

After  the  Chaldeans  had  borne  sway  for  458 
years,  they  were  succeeded  by  the  Arabs,  who 
held  dominion  for  about  250  years. 

Asiatic  Turkey  lies  north  of  Arabia,  and  bor- 
ders the  Black  and  Mediterranean  Seas.  With 
Turkey  in  Europe,  it  constitutes  what  is  called 


them  are  caps  of  silk  and  gold  thread.  The 
exports  are  raw  silk,  cottt)n,  goats'  hair,  raisins, 
dry  wood,  and  various  articles  of  native  manu- 
facture. 

The  principal  city  is  Smyrna,  which  Is,  per* 
haps,  the  chief  emporium  of  Western  Asia. 
Trebizonde  is  a  large  fortified  place  on  the  Black 
Sea,  and  Bagdad  is  noted  for  its  manufactories 
of  red  and  yellow  leather.  Damascus,  having 
the  reputation  of  being  the  most  ancient  city 
in  the  world,  is  situated  on  a  fertile  plain  oi 
Syria,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  very  ancient,  curi- 
ous, and  dilapidated  wall. 

The  city  pecnliarly  interesting  to  ali  Chris- 
tians is  Jerusalem,  which  occupies  the  muol 
important  position  in  Scripture  Histoiy. 


PERSIA. 


19 


Cashmere  Women, 
Cashmere  has  long  been  famous  for  its 
beauty.  "  Who  has  not  heard  of  the  Vale  of 
Cashmere?"  sings  a  poet.  It  is  an  irregular 
oval,  shut  in  by  snow- 
clad  mountains,  with 
a  ricli  soil,  yielding 
flowers,  fruit,  and 
grain,  with  useful  min- 
erals— iron,  copper, 
lead,  plumbago.  But 
neither  its  beauty  nor 
its  fertility  could  keep 
out  war  and  pestilence. 
Scourged  by  these,  the 
kingdom  of  Cashmere, 
of  which  the  Valley 
alone  contained  nearly 
a  million  of  people, 
now  sees  all  its  prov- 
inces number  only 
three-quarters  of  tliat 
amount.  The  Cash- 
merians  are  pre-emi- 
nent among  Indian 
nations  for  their  phys- 
ical perfection.  The 
men  are  tall,  well- 
formed,  robust,  and 
industrious,  manufac- 
turing shawls,  guns, 
paper,  lacquered  ware, 
anil  ottar  of  roses. 
Tlie  women  are  famous 
for  their  beauty  and 
fine  complexion. 
They  are  a  gay  peo- 
ple, fond  of  pleasiu"e, 
literature,  and  poetry. 
The  men  are  distin- 
guished by  their  mode 
of  wearing  the  tvirban.  ' 
The  women  wear  a  red 
gown,  with  large  loose 
sleeves,  a  red  fillet 

on  the  forehead,  over  which  is  thrown  a  white 
mantilla.      Tlie  Lair   is    collected  in  separate 
plaits,  then  gatliered  together,  and  a  long  tas- 
sel of  black  cotton  is 
hung  from  it,  almost 
down  to  the  ankles. 
Cashmere  was  con- 
quered by  Akbar   in 
1586  ;  by  the  Aflfghans 
in  1752  ;  by  the  Sikhs 
in  1810 ;  and  by  the 
Kn^Ksh  in  184G. 


Stranger  still  to  add,  this  custom  is  more  prev- 
alent among  the  Nestorian  Persians  than  those 
of  the  original  faith.  The  parents  of  these 
girls  have  not  the  least  scruple  In  giving  their 


WOMAN   OF   CASHMEKK. 


daughters  in  marriage  to  Europeans  for  a 
limited  period,  from  six  months  to  as  many 
years,  and  for  a  stipulated  sum. 


Persian  Marriage. 
One  of  the  most  in- 
telligent of  modern 
tr.ivelers.  Dr.  Wagner, 
in  his  interesting 
"Travels  in  Persia," 
gives  some  curious 
particularsof  the  semi- 
morgantic  marriages 
m  ide  l)y  tlie  European 
re.sideats  in  Persia, 
which  show  how  little 
woman  is  regarded  as 
an  intellectual  and 
tnderiendent    being. 


A  PERSIAN  WARKIAGB. 


The  affair  is  generally  arranged  in  the  most 
regular  and  formal  manner,  always  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  pxrents  and  the  nearest  relations  o£ 
the  girl,  and  often  under  the  sanction  of  a 
Nestorian  priest,  act- 
ing, perhaps,  as  no- 
tary. In  fact,  there 
is  a  complete  compe- 
tition for  the  prefer- 
ence of  every  newly 
arrived  European  who 
is  supposed  to  be  about 
to  take  up  his  resi- 
dence for  some  time 
in  the  countrj'.  The 
wealthiest  g  t  r  a  n  gers 
have,  naturally,  the 
best  selection.  As 
soon  as  they  have 
agreed  about  the  dura- 
tion, and  the  terms  of 
these  matrimonie  alia 
carta,  the  bride  is 
l)rought  to  her  hus- 
band with  due  cere- 
mony, by  her  relations. 
It  is  usual  for  the 
family  of  the  lady  to 
take  up  their  residence 
in  the  house  of  her 
temporary  lord,  who 
must  certainly  main- 
tain them  all.  This 
arrangement  is  often 
expressly  stated  in  the 
marriage  settlement. 
Not  only  all  the  Greek 
merchants,  but  most 
of  the  members  of  the 
Russian  General  Con- 
sulate, were  married 
in  this  manner ;  and 
the  practice  is  so  usual 
and  long  established, 
that  public  morality 
is  not  at  all  shocked  at  it.  Tlie  persons  con- 
cerned ask  each  other,  without  the  least  embar- 
rassment, how  their  wives  and  children  are. 
Each  of  these  gentle- 
men had  set  apart  a 
portion  of  his  house 
for  the  women,  and 
called  it  the  harem. 
The  ladies  retained 
the  mode  of  life,  awt^ 
costume  of  native  *»  ■ 
males,  covered  theijf 
faces  when  strangers 
appeared,  kept  away 
from  table  when  guests 
were  invited,  filled  up 
their  leisure  hours 
like  Turkish  women, 
with  devotion  to,  the 
toilet  and  visiting  the 
baths,  and  when  they 
went  abroad,  appeared 
like  the  other  women, 
in  long  envelopes  ex- 
tending from  head  to 
foot.  It  cannot  be 
disputed  that  these 
females  are  faithful- 
and     affectionate    to 


20 


lHE    WOKIiDS     Uiiiio.!'     i».i.^*Oits5. 


their  children,  but  being  totally  deficient  in 
cultivation  oad  refinement,  notwithstanding 
their  beauty,  they  can  not  compensate  for  the 
life  of  intelligent  female  society  in  Europe. 
It  was  evident,  from  the  regrets  expressed  by 
the  gentlemen,  for  the  tender  reminiscences  in 
the  West,  that  these  Perso-Frankish  weddings 
did  not  satisfy  the  affections  and  the  imagina- 
tion. Young  M.  Mavrocordatj  longed  for  Pa- 
risian griaettes,  M.  Osserof  for  the  refined  fe- 
males of  the  Petersburg  salms.  The  physical 
beauty  of  these  Nestorian  women,  which,  is 
quite  undeniable,  w.as  lost  sight  of  in  compari- 
son with  the  delicacy  and  spiritual  refinement 
of  the  cultivated  class  of  European  women. 

So  soon  as  the  interval  specified  in  the  con- 
tract has  elapsed,  another  agreement  is  made, 
unless  the  gentleman  is  tired  of  his  partner, 
■when  he  takes  a  new  one.  'Ilie  desert- 
ed lady  is  sure  of  a  settlement  at 
home,  because  she  brings  a  good  sum 
with  her,  whereas  most  Nestorians 
have  to  pay  dearly  in  purchasing  a 
wife.  Tlie  children,  the  fruit  of  these 
short-lived  marriages,  almost  inva- 
riably follow  their  mothers,  and  1 
was  told  that  the  Nestorian  females 
love  them,  almost  more  than  those 
bom  in  subsequent  alliances.  The 
stepfathers  are,  also,  s.iid  to  treat 
them  very  kindly.  Nor  is  it  less 
remvrkible,  that  the  European  fa- 
thers are  said  to  fo?l  no  scruple  ia 
abandoning  their  offspring  without 
taking  a  further  thought  about  their 
destiny.  A  long  resideiice  in  the  East 
appears  to  blunt  every  sense  of  duty, 
honor  and  affection. 


of  the  valleys  is  very  fertile.  In  the  North  the 
climate  is  cool  and  pleasant,  but  in  the  South 
the  heats  of  Summer  are  very  oppressive 
Hemp,  Siilt,  cotton,  tobacco,  rice,  corn,  and 
various  fruits,  drugs  and  gums,  are  produced. 
In  the  North-eastern  part  are  some  mines  of 
that  precious  stone,  the  turquoise,  a  gem  pecu- 
liar to  Persia. 

The  Parsecs,  descendants  of  the  ancient  Per- 
sians, are  few  ia  number.  Turks,  Tart.irs,  Ar- 
menians, Arabs,  etc.,  compose  the  bulk  of  the 
population.  Jews  are  numerous  i:i  all  the 
towns.  The  religion  is  Mohaumiedism.  Tlic 
chief  pursuits  of  this  listless  people  are  manu- 
factures and  commerce. 

Facilities  for  travelling  are  very  meagre,  the 
roads  being  mere  mule  tracks,  and  the  land  com- 
merce is  carried  on  chiefly  by  means  of  caravans. 


dwelt  in  towns  and  village:?,  and  the  pastoral 
tribes,  whose  habits  were  of  a  w  andering  kind. 

Persia  may  be  called  the  land  of  r<»nanc:> 
and  poetry.  Much  of  the  leisure  cf  the  in- 
habitants is  passed  in  listening  to  the  tales  cf 
professional  story-tellers,  who  hold  their  hear- 
ers entranced  for  hours  with  their  romances 
and  recitations. 

The  Persians  arc  a  very  fine  people,  physi- 
cally, but  their  minds  are  sensual  and  dieamy, 
and,  i:nder  provocation,  are  capable  of  great 
cruelty.  Thc'lr  females  are  well  formed,  and 
are  reputed  beautiful.  The  curse  of  their  insti- 
tutions, however,  degrades  the  natural  nobility 
of  womanhood,  and  they  arc  considered  more 
as  toys  than  as  companions.  Consequently,  tho 
race  is  rapidly  degenerating. 


The  Shah. 

TnR  present  king,  Nasreddyn  Shah, 
Is  an  able  man,  of  an  intelligent 
countenance,  but,  it  is  said,  of  great 
natural  timidity.  The  government 
of  Persia  is  of  the  most  intangible 
kind,  confusion  prevailing  every- 
where, and  retarding  the  progress 
■which  should  attend  a  people  so  in- 
genious and  BO  industrious. 


Persia. 

or    all    the     ancient    monarchies, 
Persia  was    the   most  gorgeous   and 
luxurious.     There  was  a  splendor  ia  its  sur- 1 
roundngs,   and    aa  effeminacy  in    the  ruling  1 
classes    which    strangely   contrast  with    their  j 
spirit  of  military  conquest  and  great  success ; 
for,   some  three  thousand    years  ago,    Persia 
was  a  very  mighty  empire. 

It  is  situated  between  Asiatic  Turkey  and  Af- 
ghanistan, and  contains  many  beautiful  cities, 
famous  ia  history. 

To  the  general  reader  it  derives  additional 
interest,  from  the  fact  of  having  been  the  scene 
of  that  wonderful  book,  the  "Arabian  Nights," 
BO  dear  to  every  imaginative  boy  and  girl. 

The  interior  of  Persia  is  an  elevated  plateau, 
a  large  portion  of  which  is  a  desert.  Like  all 
arid  laads,  the  great  blessing  —  water,  is 
scarce. 

The  soil  of  the  table  lands  is  barren,  but  that 


■I.JB  SHAU  CV  PEIvSIi. 

Their  most  important  articles  of  manufacture 
are  silks,  shawls  of  goats'  hair,  and  leather. 
They  export  considerable  quantics  of  dates  and 
other  dried  fruits,  opium,  saffron,  pearls,  and 
various  articles  of  native  manufacture. 

Teheran  is  the  capital  city.  It  lies  oa  an 
elevated  plain,  seventy  miles  South  of  the  Cas- 
pian Sea.  Ispahan,  another  celebrated  city,  is  sit- 
uated on  a  beautiful  plain,  and  contains  the  most 
skilled  artisans  of  Persia.  It  is  also  the  seat  of 
an  important  inland  trade.  Bushire,  oa  the 
Persiaa  Gulf,  is  the  chief  seaport. 

The  Persians  appear  to  ha\  e  formed  a  part  of 
a  great  Arian  migration  from  the  countries 
about  the  Oxus,  which  began  at  a  very  remote 
time,  but  was  not  completed  until  about  b.  c. 
B-M.  The  nation  was  composed,  at  first,  of  two 
classes — ^namely,  tho  settled  popuLition.  which 


Costumes  of  Various  Eaces  in 
Persia. 
TirE  Persians  are  a  voluptuous  and 
polished  race,  and,  consequently,  their 
dresses  are  very  costly,  partaking  of 
tho  splendid  languor  of  their  manners 
and  the  gorgeous  nature  of  their  cli- 
mate. Both  Lady  Wortley  Montague 
and  I.a(ly  Hester  Stanhope  agree,  in 
declaring  that  they  never  imagined 
there  w.as  on  earth  such  a  ■n'onderful 
harmony  between  the  scenery,  archi- 
tecture, manners  and  customs  of  a. 
race,  as  ■well  as  the  personal  beauty 
of  tho  higher  classes,  as  they  found, 
in  the  land  of  the  "Arabian  Nights." 
The  costumes  are  very  picturesque, 
and  made,  in  many  cases,  of  the  most 
costly  materials.  There  is  a  kind  of 
dreamy  magnificence  about  th(» 
dresses  cf  their  women,  which  brings 
before  us,  very  vividly,  the  lovely 
form  cf  Sherzerado,  as  she  beguiled 
the  cruel  Caliph  Haroun  Alraschid  to 
listen  to  one-thousand-and-one  chap- 
ters cf  her  continued  story. 

In  the  busy  streets  of  Teheran, 
Ispahan,  or  Sheray,  amid  the  motley 
crowd  that  throng  by  tho  shops, 
where  the  goods  are  as  skillfully  dis- 
played as  on  Broadway,  where  tho 
stern,  turbaned  Kurd,  the  laughing 
Mirza,  the  wild  Dervish,  tlie  Affghan 
and  b.is  guards  jostle  each  other,  you 
will  see  women,  generally  in  parties 
of  two,  three,  or  four,  sometimes, 
though  not  so  generally,  alone.  Hero 
you  ■will  see  ■women  ia  their  street  attire,  cov- 
ered with  the  chader,  a  blue  cotton,  or  else  a. 
silken  vail,  covering  them  from  head  to  foot, 
the  face  completely  hidden  by  the  rouliend,  a. 
band  of  white  linen  fastened  at  the  back  of  the 
head,  over  the  blue  vail.  Just  at  the  eyes  a. 
square  piece  is  worked  in  needlework,  so  as  to 
enable  them  to  breathe  freely,  and  see  quite 
well.  Under  this  vail,  and  over  the  skirts,  is 
worn  a  pair  of  ■n'hite  trowsers,  reaching  to  the 
feet,  and  only  put  on  when  going  out. 

Thus  attired,  they  glide  along,  dragging 
their  little  slippers,  do  their  shopping,  and 
bother  the  salesmen,  ■without  giving  them  th» 
satisfaction  of  a  look.  Women  marry  young, 
and  are  always  sold,  though  the  price  generally 
goes  to  adorn  the  bride.  Divorce  is.  however, 
frequent,  and  unions  for  a  fpecified  tim*  ara 


PERSiA. 


21 


23 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


tolerated   by  custom,  though   condemned   by 
the  law. 

The  Persians  are  a  gay,  talkative  people,  fond 

ot  poetry,  music,  and  painting.   To  many  whose 

ideas  of  the  Oriental  are  drawn  from  the  sombre 

Turks,  this  may  seem  strange,  but  Turkey  is 

he  wall,  not  tlie  mirror,  of  the  East. 


Kiosque  of  the  Seraglio. 

SCENE  OF  THE  TRAGEDY   OF  KEIKA-KADCV. 

The  kiosque  in  our  illustration  will  give  some 
idea  of  the  luxury  that  marked  the  epoch  of 
Solimau  the  Magnificent.  Persian  porcelains, 
of  the  most  harmonizing  colors,  arabesques  of 
blue-and-gold,  carvings,  inlaid  work  of  silver 
and  mother-of-pearl,  gushing  fountains,  atid  the 


At  last  her  favor  became  a  public  scandal ; 
the  people  revolted  at  being  ruled  by  an  old 
Jewess  whom  they  had  seen  a  very  beggar  in 
the  streets.  One  day  the  janizaries  inviided  the 
outer  court  with  seditious  cries  ;  they  then  at- 
tacked the  second  door,  but  were  held  in  clieck 
by  the  faithful  bastandjis.  As  the  sultan  sat 
listening  to  the  stories  of  Keirii-Kadun,  the 
grand  vizier  rushed  in,  announcing  tliat  the 
janizaries  were  attacking  the  palace  in  over- 
whelming force. 

"What  do  they  demand?"  asked  the  padi- 
sha,  unmoved. 

"  The  head  of  Keira-Kadun,  and  it  must  be 
given  them,"  replied  the  grand  vizier,  decid- 
edly. 


The  Tower  at  Eey,  the  Ancient  Eages* 

Rages,  which  figures  in  the  story  of  TobiaSj 
was  once  indeed  a  great  city,  as  its  ruins  attest, 
'Ihe  modem  name.  Key,  retains  enough  of  its 
ancient  form  to  serve  to  identify.  The  luins 
lie  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain-range,  on  the  road 
from  Telieran  to  Khorassan.  The  remains  ex- 
tend over  several  leagues,  and  among  them 
rises  the  peculiar  structure  shown  in  our  illus- 
tration, and  which  has,  with  great  probability, 
been  decided  to  be  the  tomb  of  a  Mogul  king. 
Nearer  the  mountain  is  another  tower  of  similar 
shape,  built  of  rough  stone  below  and  brick 
above.  ' 

But  near  these  Mohammedan  structures  still 
loom  the  monuments  of  an  older  creed — the 


magnificent  view  of  the  Bosphorus,  make  it, 
indeed,  a  scene  of  Fairyland. 

In  the  reign  of  Achmet  II.  it  was  the  scene 
of  the  Tragedy  of  Keira-Kadun.  She  was  an 
old  and  by  no  means  handsome  Jewess,  but 
she  had  pleased  the  young  sultan  by  reciting 
talcs  and  adventures,  and  by  secretly  bringing 
in  to  him  flasks  of  Ohio  wine,  which  he  loved 
dearly.  Under  a  cheerful  and  deferential  air, 
she  concealed  excessive  avarice,  and  a  bitter 
hatred  for  all  who  did  not  belong  to  the  race 
of  Abraham.  She  traded  on  her  favor  at  court, 
and  soon  amassed  wealth.  Her  insolence  rising 
with  her  fortune,  she  required  tlie  same  respect 
that  was  shown  to  the  sultan's  mother. 


THE  TOWER  AT  EEY,   THE   ANCIENT  K.\GE3. 

The  wretched  woman  fell  at  her  master's 
feet,  imploring  him  to  save  her  life  ;  but  the 
Kiosque  re-echoed  the  menacing  cries  of  the 
janizaries. 

Achmet  endeavored  in  vain  to  save  his  favor- 
ite. Urged  by  tho  grand  vizier,  he  gave  the 
fatal  order.  A  bastandji  seized  Keira-Kadun 
and  dragged  her  away,  almost  lifeless  with  fear. 
In  another  instant,  her  liead,  flung  over  the 
wall,  fell  among  the  clamorous  crowd.  This 
appeased  the  revolt ;  but  the  young  emperor 
did  not  leave  his  old  favorite  unavenged  ;  and 
ere  long  the  grand  vizier  was  secretly  strangled, 
his  complicity  in  tho  revolt  being  more  tlian 
suspected. 


tower  cemetery  of  the  Guebres,  or  Fire  WoBt 
shipers. 

From  the  mountain-top  the  eye  surveys  th» 
whole  plain  of  Teheran,  hemmed  in  by  the 
snow-clad  Elbus  chain. 

Everything  in  this  land  seems  to  have  t.iken 
the  form  of  round  towers.  The  mosques  resem- 
ble, greatly,  tliis  tower,  capped  witli  a  dome ; 
and  even  villages  assume  a  tower  form,  as  at 
Laskerd. 


Men  have  hundreds  of  different  languigee}^ 
the  winds  and  trees,  and  birds,  and  'vavea. 
speak  but  one  over  the  whole  eartli 


PERSIA. 


23 


24 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


Inner  Court  of  the  Grand  Mos4ue, 
at  Ispahan, 

The  Grand  ilosque,  at  Ispahan,  represented 
In  our  illustration,  is  of  a  class  of  buildings 
sxceedingly  numerous  in  Persia.  They  exhibit 
the  peculiar  cliaracteristics  of  all  the  Persian 
arts— architecture,  sculpture,  painting— for  they 
are  reared  in  massive  splendor,  enriched  by  the 
carver's  hand,  and  blaze  with  a  thousand  bril- 
liant colors.  On  the  walls  are  represented  the 
heroic  adventures  of  Ferhand  and  Merin,  with 
the  battles  and  victories  of  the  illustrious  kings 
of  Persia,  of  Shah  Abbas  the  Great,  and  of  the 
still  greater  Nadir  Shah.  The  ancient  palaces 
of  Ctesiphon  and  Persepolis,  as  v.-cll  as  the  more 
modern  structures  in  Ispahan,  Teheran,  and 
Shiraz,  abound  in  mural  illustrations  of  this 
character.  The  hereditary  nobles,  not  less  than 
the  princes  of  the  empire,  inhabit  vast  build- 
ings of  palatial  beauty,  with  fountains,  courts, 


Surprised  in  some  midnight  foray,  the  Persian 
is  torn  from  his  village-home,  his  wife,  and 
f.imily,  and  hurried  off,  bleeding  from  many  a 
wound,  to  a  Turkoman  station.  Here,  his 
clothes  are  torn  off  and  replaced  by  a  few  rags, 
barely  enough  to  cover  what  decency  requires. 

.  His  rough  fetters  gall  his  ankles,  and  every 
step  inflicts  new  sufferings.  For  days,  and 
even  weeks,  he  is  kept  on  the  smallest  allow- 
ance that  will  sustiin  life.  At  night,  to  pro 
vent  any  attempt  at  escape,  a  harahogra,  or  iron- 
collar,  Ys  put  around  his  neck,  and  made  fast 
to  a  stake  driven  firmly  into  the  ground,  so 
that  the  rattle  of  the  iron  betrays  his  slightest 
movement.  Thus  he  is  retained  for  a  time  to 
see  whether  his  family  are  willing  or  able  to 
raise  a  sufficient  ransom.     If  not  he  is  sold  on 

I  the  spot,  or  driven  off,  with  additional  cruelty, 
to  Khiva  or  BokUhara.  Vambcrry's  host, 
Khandjan,  had  two  fine,  young  Persians  as 
slaves  ;  one  of  whom  besought  him  to  write  to 


Silk  Cultivators  in  Persia. 

The  province  of  Guilan  is  the  great  centre  of 
the  Persian  s'.lk-growing,  and  it  has  for  centu- 
ries produced  the  valuable  product  in  immense 
quantities. 

As  soon  as  the  v/orms  have  been  hatched  out 
by  artificial  heat,  about  a  month  or  six  weeks 
after  the  vernal  equinox  they  are  placed  in 
large  earthen  dishes,  and  fed  on  mulberry  or 
•coriander  leaves,  chopped  up  fine.  AVhen  thej 
become  torpid,  they  are  taken  to  a  "tilembar," 
a  structure  sho\vn  in  our  illuotration,  an  ele- 
vated shed,  the  peak  of  the  roof  about  nine 
feet  from  the  ground.  Above  the  floor  for  the 
worms  is  the  ;)»«/,  cross-pieces  along  which  the 
s;ilk-raiser  crawls. 

He  begins  by  covering  the  floor  with  branchf* 
of  mulberry,  and  placing  the  worms  on  them. 
As  they  revive,  they  devour  the  leaves,  and 
then  the  silk-raiser  throws  down  gently  a  new 
sot  of  branches,  leaving  the  first. 


A  PERSIAN   CAPTIVE  VS.   THE  HANDS  OF  THE  TURKOM.INS. 


mosaic  pavements,  sculptured  columns,  roofs  of 
burning  brightness,  and  apartments  sweet  with 
perfume,  and  furnished  in  the  most  sumptuous 
and  luxurious  style,  with  silk  cushions,  Turkey 
carpets,  rugs  of  the  finest  wool,  and  gilded  lat- 
tices shading  the  unglazed  windows.  A  cen- 
tral court  or  public  hall,  with  a  fountain  playing, 
opens  into  various  apartments. 


A  Persian  Captive  in  the  Hands  of  the 

Turkomans. 

THB.Turkomans  have  long  waged  unrelenting 

war  on  the   Persians;   and  since  Vamberry's 

travels  we  know  how  cruelly  they  ill-treat  the 

unfortunate  prisoners  who  fall  into  their  hands. 


his  parents,  and  beg  them,  at  all  cast,  to  ran- 
som him.  This  Yamberry  did;  but  he  dare 
not  show  him  any  compassion.  And,  one  day, 
when,  thinking  that  they  were  alone,  he  was 
about  to  give  him  a  drink  of  tea,  a  Turkoman 
entered.  Vambery,  to  escape  suspicion,  had  to 
apply  to  the  man,  whose  rendition  he  pitied, 
harsh  words  of  insult. 

The  Turkomans  recognize  four  sacred  books 
—the  Pentateuch,  the  Psalms  of  David,  the 
Four  Gospels,  and  the  Koran.  No  one  can 
be  enslaved  who  believes  in  any  of  those. 
But  the  Persians  being  Shutes,  or  Sheas,  are 
deemed  heretics  or  corruptors  of  the  Koran, 
and  Russians  are  held  not  to  be  Christians ;  so 
they  enslave  both. 


Dead  worms,  dung,  etc.,  are  let  down  through 
traps  in  the  floor.  The  whole  upper  part  Is 
inclosed  with  mats,  and  the  roof  thatched  with 
rice-straw,  which  affords  a  shelter  from  rain, 
and  gives  the  worms  a  suitable  place  for  spin- 
ning their  beautiful  cocoons.  A  movable  lad- 
der completes  the  simple  yet  very  serviceable 
establishment.  The  dwarf  trees  seen  near  the 
tilembar  are  mulberries,  set  about  three  feet 
apart.  They  are  not  allowed  to  grow  over  five 
feet  in  height,  and  a  good-sized  tilembar  re- 
quires twenty-five  thousand  to  feed  its  worms. 
The  mulberry  thus  treated  has  a  fine,  smooth 
bark,  with  leaves  of  remarkable  delicacy ;  and 
the  worms,  especially  just  before  the  fourth 
change,  are  terribly  voracious.     The  labor  of 


PERSIA. 


25 


:? 

O 

to 
en 

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t/. 

H 
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CO 


26 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


feeding,  and  the  remov.il  of  their  excrement,  is 
immensely  increased. 

The  great  enemy  of  the  worms  is  the  mus- 
quito,  which  is  smoked  away. 

When  they  begin  to  form  cncoons,  wisps  of 
traw  are  laid  against  the  sides  as  hidders,  and 
the  tilembarj  closed  for  ten  days.  Then  every- 
thing is  kept  out  but  a  kind  of  snake,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  the  gtiardian  of  the  silkworm. 
At  the  end  of  the  tenth  day  the  Nougani  or 
silk-raiser  makes  presents  to  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, whom  he  takes  with  him  to  witness  the 
result. 

The  floor  is  knocked  away  with  one  or  two 
blows  of  a  hatchet,  and  then  he  looks  up  to  see 
the  roof  covered  and  incrusted  with  the  precious 
cocoons,  which  it  then  becomes  the  duty  of  the 
women  and  children  to  take  down  and  cure, 
after  the  mohassj'  or  royal  officer  has  paid  his 
visit,  and  determined,  by  a  practiced  glance, 


fectly  safe.  The  halt  by  the  well  breaks  the 
monotony  of  the  travel,  and  a  camel  is  at  once 
hitched  on  to  draw  up  water  so  as  to  till  up  th 
trough  and  leave  it  for  the  next  comer  as  well 
supplier"  n«  they  found  it. 


Persian  Women, 
"The  lot  of  women  among  the  tribes,  and 
among  the  peasantry,  is  not,  from  all  I  hear, 
an  unhappy  one.  Their  interests  are  idcntilied 
with  their  husbands,  divorce  is  rare,  and  the 
number  of  wives  does  not  often  exceed  one. 
In  the  towns  it  seems  to  be  otherwise.  If  they 
are  young,  handsome,  or  powerfully  connected, 
matters  are  tolerably  smooth.  But  when  the 
wife  loses  her  personal  attraction,  she  often 
sinks  down  to  household  drudge,  and,  at  the 
best,  is  seldom  free  from  contention  with  her 
rivals  in  the  harem.  I  do  not  think  a  Persian 
woman  ever  feels  the  same  affection  for  her  hus- 


"  The  complete  envelopment  of  the  face  and 
person  disguises  them  effectually  from  the  near- 
est relatives,  and  destroying,  when  convenient, 
all  distinction  of  rank,  gives  unrestrained  free- 
dom. 

"The  bazaars  are  crowded  with  women  in  this 
most  disgraceful  disguise.  The  weekly  bath 
and  constant  visits  consume  a  large  share  of 
their  time  ;  and  Thur.sday  afternoon  is  devoted 
to  a  mock  pilgrimage  to  some  shrine  outside 
the  town,  or  else  to  the  grave  of  some  relation. 
It  was  curious  to  meet  a  lady  of  rank,  on  an 
occasion  of  this  kind,  mounted  en  cavalier  on  a 
tall  Toorkoman  horse,  which  she  managed  with 
skill.  Her  female  attendants  surrounded  her, 
riding  in  the  same  style ;  and  her  other  ser- 
vants remained  at  a  short  distance,  some  ia 
front,  and  some  behind.  If  no  Persians  were 
too  near,  they  made  little  scruple  of  raising 
their  vails,  f  jr  the  indulgence  of  our  and  their 
own  curiosity. 


A    WELL    IN    THE    BKSKRT    UETWEEN    SAMARCANB     AND    KAESHI. 


the  value,  and  thereby  the  tax,  which  amounts 
lo  a  very  considerable  sum  through'^nt,  the 
district. 


A  Well  in  the  Desert  between  SamaroaflJ 
and  Karshi. 
Thuee  roads  connect  Samarcand  with  the 
(own  of  Karshi  -  the  longest,  by  Shehri  Sebz, 
makes  a  wide  circuit,  whilst  the  shortest  leads 
through  a  mountainous  and  rocky  strip  impas- 
sable for  heavy  wagons.  Thus  the  desert  route 
i.<  most  frequented.  It  is  a  prairie  covered  with 
herds  and  flocks,  which  are  attracted  by  the 
numerous  wells  of  almost  drinkable  water. 
These  herdsmen  aie  chiefly  Ozbegs,  and  so  well 
enforced  arc  the  laws;  that  the  roads  are  per- 


band  as  some  Europeans  do.  But  when  a  rival 
wife  is  introduced  into  an  establishment,  her 
pin-rmmey  is  decreased  at  Nowrooz  (New-Year's 
Day);  her  allowance  for  new  clothes  for  herself 
and  establishment  is  lessened  ;  her  children's 
interests  suffer,  if  she  has  any,  and  if  not,  per- 
haps her  more  fortunate  rival  may  have  a  son  ; 
besides  a  number  of  other  annoyances. 

'•  A  Persian  woman  of  the  upper  class  loads 
a  life  of  idleness  and  luxury,  though  rather 
monotonous,  according  to  our  ideas  of  exist- 
ence. No  balls,  plays,  or  operas,  no  dinners, 
no  new  books,  no  watering-places,  no  Paris  or 
Rome,  diversify  the  routine.  Like  the  men, 
talking,  gossip,  and  scandal  are  the  occupation 
of  their  lives.  All  classes  enjoy  abundance  of 
liberty — more  so,  I  think,  than  among  us. 


"AVomen  of  the  higher  classes  frequently 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  reading  and  writing, 
and  of  the  choice  poetical  works  in  their  native 
language,  as  well  as  of  the  art  of  reading, 
though,  perhaps,  not  of  understanding,  the 
Koran.  In  the  royal  family,  in  particular,  and 
among  the  ladies  of  the  tribe  of  Kajjar,  these 
accomplishments  are  so  common  that  they 
themselves  conduct  their  correspondence,  with- 
out the  customary  aid  of  a  mecrzan  or  secretary. 
Cooking,  or  at  least  its  superintendence,  is 
another  of  their  pastimes,  especially  among  the 
Kajjar  ladies.  One  of  the  princesses,  %vhose 
husband  was  of  similar  rank,  and  was  on  inti- 
mate terms  of  acquaintance  with  my  husband, 
used  frequently  to  send  me  savory  dishes  at  our 
dinner-hour.     An  intimation  always  accompi- 


PERSIA. 


27 


nied  the  viands  of  their  beins;  the  preparation 
of  the  '  Shazadeh  Khanum,'  tlic  lady  princess 
herself.  Sometimes  a  very  young  lamb,  roasted 
whole,  decked  with  flowers,  with  a  rich  stuffing 
of  chestnuts  or  pistachios,  would  appear  as  cur 
pUce  de  rSsislance  ;  or  else  dolraa,  which  consists 
of  cabbages  or  oranges  stuffed  with  forced  meat. 
The  latter  is  an  achievement  in  the  culinary 
art." 


PERSIAN    WOMAN— UPPER    CLASS. 

A  Persian  Caravanserai.- 
TimonanouT  Persia  places  of  accommodation 
for  travelers  are  still  maintained,  and  are  of 
three  kinds. 

Caravanserais,  large  buildings  in  the  desert 
spots  ;  khans,  which  are  similar  structures  in 
towns ;  and  menzils,  which  are  rather  private 
institutions.  Eastwick  thus  describes  a  regular 
caravanserai,  or  karwansarai,  at  Pachanau  : 

"The  karwansarai  at  which  we  put  up  was  a 
Btrong  building  of  burnt  brick,  standing  about 
two  hundred  feet  above  the  river,  and  had  been 
built  seventy-six  years  before  by  Haji  Hadi,  a 
merchant  of  Miyani,  a  town  on  the  road  to  Ta- 
briz.     The   view  from    the    karwansarai   was 


THE    KANGRl,     OR    PORTABLE    STOVE    OF   THIBBI. 

striking.  Looking  down  the  road  to  Manzil, 
the  next  stage  in  the  direction  of  Eesht,  my 
eyes  followed  the  defile  through  which  flowed 
the  Elver  Pachanau,   closed  in   by  a  line  of 


mountains  topped  with  snow.  In  the  opposite 
direction  I  saw  a  long  gorge,  down  which 
rushed  the  river  with  a  loud  noise. 

"  These  karwansarais  are  quadrangular  build- 
ings, sometimes  of  great  sizes,  one  at  Jamala- 
bad  having  a  roof  eight  hundred  feet  long  by 
eighty  broad,  with  arched  recesses  raised  four 
or  five  feet  from  the  ground  all  round.  In 
these  travelers  lodge,  while  their  mules  and 
other  beasts  rove  about  in  the  open  space 
below. 

"There  is  some  convenience  and  plenty  ;f 
filth  in  these  resting-places,  with  very  little 
chance  of  getting  anything  to  eat,  so  that  the 
traveler  must  depend  on  his  own  suppUes.  Wa 
couched  in  a  recess  black  with  smoke,  and  with 
a  rude  aperture  in  the  roof  as  a  chimney,  whic'.i 
was  also  very  handy  for  admitting  the  rain." 
Tlie  superior  class  of  caravanserais  appear  very 
striking  objects  to  the  stranger  who  approaches 
them,  whether  seen  in  their  own  solitary  mag- 
nificence, or  in  contrast  with  the  miserable 
hovels  which  sometimes  appear  in  their  neigh- 
borhoosJ. 


PERSIAN    WOM.VN— LOWER    CLASS. 

"A  European  who  has  had  no  previous  ac- 
quaintance with  them  is  certain  to  take  them 
for  palaces,  fortresses,  or  castles ;  hut  this  first 
impression  becomes  fainter  when  a  more  delib- 
erate observation  shows  that  no  inclosed  build- 
ings rise  above  the  level  of  tlie  inclosed  wall. 
Tills  wall  is  very  high  —  in  general  upward  of 
twenty  feet,  and  it  sometimes  extends  one  hun- 
dred yards  on  each  side  of  the  square  which  it 
incloses.  In  the  centre  of  the  front  wall  ap- 
pears the  entrance,  a  tall  and  spacious  archway, 
over  which  are  sometimes  chambers  crowned 
with  superb  domes. 

■'  On  each  side,  under  the  extensively-arched 
roof  of  the  portico,  are  rooms  which  are  usually 
occupied  by  the  keeper  and  his  people,  and  some 
of  them  are  used  as  shops,  in  which  are  exposed 
for  sale  such  commodities  as  travelers  most 
require.  On  passing  through  this  archway  the 
spectator  perceives  a  sort  of  piazza  extending 
on  every  side  of  the  interior  of  the  quadrangle, 


leaving  a  spacious  area  in  the  middle.  On  » 
nearer  approach,  it  appears  that  each  of  the 
high  arched  recesses  separated  by  piers  is  an 
apartment,  the  floor  of  which  is  elevated  three 
or  four  feet  above  the  ground,  and  divided  frota 
the  adjoining  apartments  by  walls,  the  ends  of 
which  form  what  appear  like  the  piers  of  ti 
piazza.  These  apartments,  which  are  open  in 
front,  are  neatly  paved,  and  sometimes  posses? 


PERSIAN    WOMAN. 

a  fii-eplace,  while  compartments  cut  out  in  the: 
depth  of  the  thick  wall  are  serviceable  as  cup- 
boards. A  small  door  conducts  to  another  more 
private  room  behind  this.  It  is  commonly  of 
an  oblong  shape,  with  the  chimney  on  the  side 
opposite  the  door,  at  which  the  only  light  en- 
ters that  the  room  receives.  Along  the  walls, 
about  three  feet  from  the  floor,  there  runs  a. 
line  of  such  '  topshehs,'  or  cupboards,  as  w« 
have  just  mentioned,  and  which  are  considered 
indispensable  in  all  Persian  apartments,  but 
vary  in  depth  from  three  inches  to  a  foot. 

"The  vaulted  chambers,  over  the  gates,  whiclt 
are  found  in  the  oldest  and  best  caravanserais, 
form  the  place  of  honor  in  such  buildings. 
Tliey  are   usually  occupied  by  the  persons  of 


A    PERSIAN    LANTKEM. 

most  note,  particularly  if  females  are  wrtb 
them  ;  but  it  sometimes  happens  that  this  por- 
tion of  the  building  is  set  apart  for  the  purposes 
of  an  oratory. 


28 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


INTERIOR    OF    A    TILEinJAB. 


SHiK     CULTIVATORS     IN     PEESU 


PERSIA. 


'2» 


"  The  stables  of  the  caravanserai  extend  I 
along  a  covered  lane,  which  is  between  the  back 
wall  of  the  apartments  and  the  outermost  wall  of 
the  building,  and  along  this  wall  there  extends 
within  the  stable  another  series  of  cell4ike 
apartments,  destined  for  the  accommodation  of 
muleteers,  servants,  and  the  poor  people,  who, 
having  no  servants  to  attend  to  their  cattle, 
perform  that  duty  for  themselves. 

"In  the  centre  of  the  court  appears  an  elevated 
platform  of  masonry,  which  forms  the  roof  of 
a  subterraneous  chamber,  called  a  '  zeera  ze- 
moun,'  to  which  travelers  retire  during  the 
great  midday  heats  of  the  Summer,  and  which 
is  then  indeed  a  most  refreshing  retreat.  Some- 
times, however,  the  place  of  this  platform  is 
occupied  by  the  circular  or  square  parapet  of 
the  deep  well,  or  reservoir,  from  which  the 
caravanserai  is  suppUed  with  water." 


A  Persian  Lantern. 

The  East,  with  its  warm  climate,  and  its 
open  -  air  en  joyments,  soon  adopted  various 
kinds  of  ornament- 
al lanterns  to  light 
up  their  gardens  or 
roofs,  where,  as 
evening  came  on, 
it  was  most  plea- 
B  a  n  t  to  assemble 
for  converse.  The 
light  was  not  need- 
ed for  study  or 
labor ;  if  work  was 
done,  it  was  gen- 
erally of  a  kind 
that  required  but 
little  more  than 
the  moon's  rays — 
spinning  with  the 
distafif  or  s  pi  n  d  1  6 
being  the  chief  em- 
ployment of  the 
women.  Some  of 
the  lanterns  from 
Egypt  and  Persia 
are  quite  handsome 
and  attractive,  the 
covering  of  paper 
or  muni J J  being 
prettily  adorned, 
and,  though  not 
lasting,  have  a 
very  pleasing 
effect,  as  long  as 
they  can  escape 
fire  and  water. 

Some  such  lanterns  appear  among  us  on  the 
Fourth  of  July.  They  might  easily  be  intro- 
duced on  other  occasions,  and  contribute  to  the 
happiness  of  our  young  folks.  For  a  Christ- 
mas-tree or  church  -  decorations,  with  proper 
care,  they  would  not  be  amiss. 
►-♦-« 

•The  Kangri,  or  Portable  Stove  of  Thibet. 
OuB  present  manner  of  protecting  the  person 
against  the  cold  by  well-heated  apartments,  the 
use  of  grates  and  convenient  fireplaces,  is  of 
quite  recent  origin. 

_  In  warmer  countries,  although  the  cold  is  at 
timee  severe,  they  have  not  yet  relinquished  the 


old  fashion.  In  Italy  and  Spain  the  only  means 
of  heating  a  room  is  the  system  of  an  open 
chafing-dish  with  live  charcoal,  a  mode  so  dan- 
gerous that,  as  we  know,  it  is  often  resorted  to 
in  France  as  a  means  of  suicide. 

Our  grandmothers,  in  days  when  churches 
were  not  heated,  always  carried  a  foot-stove — 
a  neat,  square  box  of  black  walnut,  with  a 
sliding  drawer  that  contained  a  bottle  of  hot 
water,  well  wrapped  in  flannel,  a  hot  iron,  or 
sometimes  a  chaling-dish  of  hot  coals,  the  heat 
ascending  through  a  symmetrically  arraugeil 
series  of  holes  in  the  top.  Something  of  this 
kind  prevails  among  the  people  of  Cashmere. 

Their  chief  means  of  artificial  warmth  is  the 
kangri,  an  earthenware  jar  covered  with  basket- 
work,  as  shown  in  our  illustration,  which  each 
native  possesses  and  carries  about  with  him 
wherever  he  goes.  This  is  filled  with  charcoal, 
and  as  the  Cashmerians  squat  down  on  the 
ground,  they  stick  it  under  their  long  clothes, 
where,  until  they  again  rise,  it  remains  hidden 
from  sight,  and  forms  a  hot-air  chamber  under 
their  garments. 


A   PERSIAN   CARAVANSEKAI. 

The  value  attached  to  it  may  be  seen  by 
these  verses  of  a  poet,  given  by  Vigne,  the 
traveler : 

"O  Kangri  I  O  Kangri! 
Tfou  are  the  gift  of  hourls  ana  fairies  ; 
When  I  lake  you  unrter  my  arm, 
You  drive  away  fear  from  my  heart." 


Persian  Arms  and  Domestic  Articles, 
Peksia  has  never  been  a  spot  much  visited  by 
travelers,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted.  We  should 
know  more  of  a  kingdom  where  arts,  cultiva- 
tion and  literature  have  so  long  flourished, 
where  woman  has  disinthralled  herself  from 
Mahometan  slavery,  and  where  all  is  attractive. 


We  present  some  specimens  of  Persian  work, 
embracing  swords,  powder-flasks,  drums,  and 
their  less  warlike  implements,  beautiful  vases^ 
I  attractive  both  in  form  and  decoration,  bowls, 
spoons,  drinking-glasses,  fruit-dishes,  and  evea 
pastry. 

Kashan  is  the  great  seat  of  Persian  manufac 
ture.  Its  hght,  washable  silks  are  extremely' 
beautiful.  Its  works  in  copper,  embracing 
vases,  tazzas,  dishes,  plain  and  ornamented 
with  paintings  imitating  enamel,  produce  a 
very  agreeable  effect. 

Of  all  the  Eastern  provinces,  Shiraz  yields 
the  most  solid  articles,  including,  especially, 
sword-blades  of  remarkable  beauty  and  very 
high  price.  Here  you  find  blades  of  splendid 
workmanship,  into  whose  steel,  ornaments  and. 
arabesques  of  gold,  containing,  occasionally, 
passages  from  the  Koran,  were  inserted,  and 
which  were  valued  at  two  hundred  tomans,  or 
Persian  ducats. 

There  is,  indeed,  no  great  profusion  of  Buch 
articles  in  the  bazaar  of  Tabris.     For  many  of 
the  opulent  Persians  avoid  purchasing  them,  in 
order  not  to  betray 
their   wealth,  and 
i  ^S^.=i-,  many     artisana 

avoid  the  manu- 
facture of  such  ar- 
ticles, in  order  not 
to  excite  the  covet- 
ousness  of  the  Sar- 
dar,  or  of  some  Per- 
sian prince,  who- 
are  often  collectors- 
of  curiosities,  but. 
seldom  punctual 
paymasters.  Of 
these  Persian  wea- 
pons, it  may  b» 
said,  in  general, 
that  the  intrinsic 
worth  of  the  blade 
exceeds  that  of  the 
decorations.  Mag- 
nificent sheaths, 
splendid  guards  of 
gold,  ivory,  or  pre- 
cious stones,  sucli 
as  are  encountered 
in  the  bazaars 
of  Constantinople, 
Cairo,  and  Tiflis, 
as  well  as  in  the- 
cities  of  Barbary, 
are  not  at  all,  or- 
rarely,  in  circula- 
tion in  Persia. 
The  chief  attention  of  the  Shiraz  manufac- 
turers is  directed  to  the  blade,  which  is  com- 
posed  of  a  number  of  plates  of  steel,  welded 
together  when  cold,  and  requiring  a  most  prac- 
ticed and  delicate  hand. 

The  artisans  of  Tabris,  Teheran  and  Ispahan, 
have  not  yet  been  able  to  rival  the  mechanics 
of  Shiraz,  who  still  enjoy  the  highest  reputa- 
tion in  this  branch  of  art.  It  is  rare  to  meet 
with  arms  of  other  descriptions. 

A  recent  traveler,  Eastwick,  thus  describes  » 
visit  to  the  crown  jewels  of  Persia 

"  I  went  with  a  Turkish  minister,  an  Italian, 
and  a  Kussian  lady,  to  see  the  Shah's  Jewels^ 


30 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


'which  are  certainly  the  greatest  eight  in  their 
■way  the  world  can  show.  We  presented  our  ■ 
celres  at  the  palace  at  3  p.m.,  and  were  received 
hy  Tahya  Kh4n,  who  took  us  out  of  the  second 
and  inner  great  court  of  the  palace,  into  a 
email  quadrangle,  not  far  from  the  sacred  pre- 
cincts of  the  Harem. 

"  We  then  went  up  a  steep  stair  to  a  small 
room  ahout  20  by  14,  where  jewels  to  the  value 
of  six  or  seven  millions  were  laid  out  on  car- 
pets, at  the  far  end  of  the  room,  while  near  the 
door,  fruits,  coffee,  and  sweetmeats  were  placed 
for  us.  The  first  thing  that  struck  me  was  the 
smallness  of  the  door  and  the  steepness  of  the 
stairs.  It  was  not  a  nice  place  to  escape  from, 
if  one  had  tried  to  make  off  with  a  crown  or 
two. 


description  to  he  possible.  But  I  remember  that 
at  the  back  of  all  was  the  Eaianain  crown,  and 
on  either  side  of  it  two  Persian  lambskin  caps, 
adorned  with  splendid  aigrettes  of  diamonds. 
I'he  crown  itself  was  shaped  like  a  flower-pot, 
with  the  small  end  open  and  the  other  closed. 
On  the  top  of  the  crown  was  an  uncut  ruby, 
apparently  without  flaw,  as  big  as  a  hen's  egg. 
In  front  of  the  crown  were  dresses  covered  with 
diamonds  and  pearls,  trays  with  necklaces  of 
pearls,  rubies  and  emeralds,  and  some  hundreds 
of  diamond,  ruby,  and  turquoise  rings.  In 
front  of  these,  again,  were  gauntlets  and  belts 
covered  with  pearls  and  diamonds,  and  conspic- 
uous among  them  the  Kaianain  belt,  about  a 
foot  deep,  weighing,  perhaps,  eighteen  pounds, 
and  one  complete  mass  of  pearls,   diamonds. 


one  side,  and  the  inscribing  this  name  reduced 
the  value  of  the  diamond,  so,  at  least,  said 
Yahya  Kh4n,  '  deux  millions — mais  deux  mit 
millions  de  quoi— de  piastres,  de  francs — q\xt 
sais-je  ?' 

"I  was  not  prodigiously  impressed  with  this 
jewel.  It  is  a  monster  diamond,  but  not  very 
brilliant.  I  could  pardon  a  rustic  who  should 
mistake  it  for  glass.  Nevertheless,  it  has  a  won- 
drous history.  The  Persians  say — and,  to  copy 
the  Jowettian  expression,  I  partly  agree  with 
them — that  the  Sea  of  Light  and  the  Mountain 
of  Light  were  jewels  in  the  sword  of  AfrftsiAb, 
who  lived  three  thousand  years  b.c.  Rustam 
took  them  from  AfrAsiAb,  and  they  continued  in 
the  crown  of  Persia  till  they  were  carried  away 
by  Timiir,  from  whom  they  descended  to  IIa> 


"Several  men  stood  at  the  door,  and  others 
by  the  sweetmeats  ;  and  near  the  jewels,  on  a 
chair,  sat  the  Mustaufiv'I  MamAlils,  or  Persian 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  a  very  fit  man  to 
be  a  keeper  of  the  jewels,  enonnously  rich, 
close,  reserved,  bigoted. 

"Being  a  Saiyid,  he  wore  the  sacred  color, 
and  was  so  full  of  sanctity  and  haughtiness,  that 
the  very  atmo-sphere  around  him  seemed  to 
breath  '  Noll  me  tangere.'  It  was  thought  a 
singular  proof  of  Sir  H.  Rawlinson's  wonderful 
popularity  and  influence  in  Persia,  that  this 
man  came  to  call  upon  him ;  to  no  other  infi- 
del has  such  a  favor  been  vouchsafed. 

'*  In  such  a  show  of  gems  as  seemed  to  realize 
the  wonders  of  Aladdin's  lamp,  the  eye  was  too 
much  dazzled  and  the  memory  too  confused  for 


PERSIAN    AEMS    AND    DOMESnC    ARTICLES. 

emeralds,  and  rubies.  Still  nearer  to  us  stood 
a  drinking-bowl  completely  studded  with  enor- 
mous jewels,  a  tray  full  of  foreign  orders  set  in 
brilliants,  and  in  front  of  all  lay  a  dozen  swords, 
one  or  two  of  which  are  worth  a  quarter  of  a 
million  each.  Along  with  these  were  epaulets 
covered  with  diamonds,  and  armlets  so  con- 
trived that  the  brilliants  revolved  and  kept  up 
a  continual  shimmer. 

"It  was  difficult  among  so  many  to  single  out 
particular  gems.  Perhaps,  however,  the  first 
place  ought  to  be  assigned  to  the  famous  Daryd 
•  Nur,  or  '  Sea  of  Light.'  the  sister  diamond  to 
tbe  Panjiib  trophy,  the  Niih  i  Niir,  or  '  Moun- 
tain of  Light.'  It  is  an  inch  and  a  half  long, 
an  inch  broad,  and  three-eighths  of  an  inch 
thick.    It  has  the  name  of  Fath  Ail  ShAh  on 


hammad  ShAh,  King  of  Delhi,  and  NAdir 
brought  them  from  India  ;  but  when  he  was 
slain,  Ahmed  ShAh  Abdalli  carried  off  the  Ktih 
i  Nur,  which  descended  to  ShAh  Shuja,  and 
was  taken  from  him  by  Ranjit  Singh. 

"The  DaryA  i  Niir  remained  in  Persia  with 
the  greater  part  of  the  other  gems  that  NAdir 
brought  from  India." 


Parsees  Worshiprng  the  Setting  Sun. 
Asia  is  the  home  of  creeds.  Ohrisiian.  Mo- 
hammedan, Buddhist,  the  woishiper  cf  Brahma 
and  of  Baai — all  turn  to  Asia  for  the  cradle  of 
their  faith.  The  purest  worship  and  the  most 
debased — ^religion  spiritualizea  and  religion  de- 
graded, alike  originated  here.     Of  all  the  forms 


PERSIA. 


SI 


of  error,  none,  perhaps,  excites  less  repugnance 
than  the  worship  of  the  sun  and  other  heavenly 
bodies.  Their  splendor,  their  visible  influence 
on  the  earth,  all  contributed  to  give  them,  in 
the  eyes  of  the  ignorant,  the  attributes  of  deity  ; 
yet.  as  the  writer  of  the  Book  of  Wisdom  has 
it  "They  should  have  known  that  He  that 
made  them  is  mightier  t.iaa  they."  The  wor- 
ship of  the  Sun  and  Fire  has  prevailed  in  Persia 
and  India  from  the  earliest  time,  and  although 
Brahmanism  lias  overridden  the  simpler  faith, 
pilgrims  still  start  from  the  Southern  extreme 
of  India  to  visit  and  worship  at  the  temples  of 
are  in  Northern  Persia.  Months,  often  years, 
elapse  before  these  pilgrims  return  to  their 
homes ;  but  they  go  cheerfully  on— happy,  in- 
deed, were  the  object  of  their  worship,  the 
"Sim of  JuBtice." 


from  it  till  they  have  finished  their  religious 
duties,  the  performance  of  wuich  usually  occu- 
pies about  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Their  prayers 
are  not  repeated  distinctly,  but  are  inarticu- 
lately murmured  through  the  teeth  without 
opening  the  lips. 

Such  is  the  worship  of  the  descendants  of  the 
mighty  Persians,  the  believers  in  the  Zenda- 
vesta. 

If  we  turn  to  China  we  find  grosser  forms. 
Prayer  here  assumes  a  mechanical  form,  which 
strikes  us  as  indescribably  absurd.  To  save 
the  lungs  the  bonzes  have  invented  a  wheel,  on 
the  spokes  of  which  printed  prayers  are  in- 
serted, and  the  revolution  of  the  wheel  is  con- 
sidered a  prayer.  Yet  when  we  laugh  at  them 
we  must  not  forget  that  the  uttering  of  words 
is  as  purely  a  mechanical  act,  and  tliat  it  is  as 


iron  hooks,  wliich  seemed  to  penetrate  deeply 
into  his  bleeding  flesh,  lamps  with  three  and 
seven  branches,  which  he  kept  burning  for  the 
redemption  of  mankind.  Another  was  stand- 
ing up  with  his  arms  and  legs  stretched  out, 
and  held  in  their  position  by  heavy  chains 
fastened  to  the  floor  ;  he  was  to  remain  in 
this  position  for  three  months.  It  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  understand  how  these  mortifications  of 
the  flesh  are  effected.  The  bonze  of  the  lamps 
had  a  piece  of  flesh-colored  skin  secured  upon 
his  forehead,  into  which  the  hook  was  fastened, 
and  the  blood  which  flowed  was,  doubtless, 
chicken  blood ;  and  as  ^  the  fellow  in  the  X 
position,  he  was  often  to  be  seen  among  big 
brethren  ;  yet  the  self-sacrifice  of  these  two 
bonzes  for  the  sins  of  the  world  was  truly  admii> 
able  and  mcritoriuus. 


The  Parsees,  or  Guebres,  as  the  worshipers 
of  fire  are  called,  form  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  population  of  Persia  and  of  Western  India, 
where  they  strictly  adhere  to  their  religious 
forms  and  ceremonies.  The  effect  of  large 
orowds  of  Guebres  standinGc  on  the  sea  shore 
and  praying  aloud  with  uplifted  arms  is  very 
striking.  The  murmur  of  their  voices  is  pow- 
eiful  and  constant,  and  has  a  singular  effect 
when  heard  amid  the  dashing  waves. 

During  sunrise  and  sunset  they  line  nearly 
the  whole  shore,  and,  from  their  dress,  atti- 
tudes, and  occupat'oc  form  an  impressive  spec- 
tacle. They  stand  with  their  faces  directed 
toward  the  sun,  and  never,  for  a  moment,  turn 


PERSIAN    ARMS     AJJT)     DOMESTIC    ARTICLE3. 

valueless  as  the  revolving  wheel  if  the  prayer 
does  not  spring  from  the  heart. 

A  recent  writer  says  of  a  bonzerie  that  he 
visited : 

In  the  grottoes  live  several  fanatical  bonzes, 
who  have  become  entirely  estranged  from  the 
outer  world,  and  are  so  absorbed  in  an  intimate 
communion  with  the  Bouddha  that  they  are 
never  seen  except  in  the  most  eccentric  postures 
of  devotion.  These  are  the  holy  saints  of  the 
community,  who  are  venerated  by  the  faithful. 
"Two  of  them."  says  a  recent  traveler,  "were 
voluntarily  undergoing  the  most  ridiculous 
punishments.  One  of  them  had  susnended  to 
his  forehead  and  left,  arm,  by  ueans  of  great 


The  bonzes  have  another  very  remarkabid 
institution  called  the  praying  mill.  This  re- 
volving prayer,  as  they  call  it,  is  much  like  a 
spinning-wheel.  They  fasten  upon  it  strips  of 
cloth  or  paper,  upon  which  are  inscribed  the 
prayers  addressed  to  Heaven  The  interceder 
turns  the  wheel  with  his  right  hand,  while  his 
left  rests  upon  his  heart.  At  the  end  of  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  of  this  perfcrmance.  if  it  is 
done  with  contrition  and  rapidity,  divine  indul- 
gence is  secured. 

There  are  some  mills  bo  ingenious  and  coa- 
venient  that  the  lazy  can  lie  on  the  ground  and 
.smoke  their  pipes,  while  the  revnlvinjr  prayei 
intercedes  in  their  behalf.     These,  being  vay 


32 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


hlge  and  complicated,  arc  moved  by  the  wind, 
and  often  by  water  power. 

Their  style  of  sepulture  is  very  peculiar. 
The  bonzes  are  buried  in  an  upright  posture,  or 
in  the  position  they  take  in  prayer,  sitting  upon 
their  feet,  their  hands  folded,  and  heads  bowed 
down.  Thus  arranged,  the  body  is  placed  in  a 
large  earthen  jar,  upon  whicli  another  jar  U 
reversed  as  a  cover  ;  the  whole  is  then  hermet- 
ically inclosed  in  mason  work. 

The  rules  of  the  order  forbid  the  use  of  any- 
thing for  food  whicli  has  been  alive,  of  garlic, 
and  of  oil.  Yet  it  is  surprising  to  see  upon 
their  tables,  chickens,  roast  pork,  mutton,  fish, 
and  birds'  nests.  But  all  their  nutritive  dishes 
are  only  imitations,  to  please  the  eye  rather 
than  the  palate,  prepared  peaa  and  farinacious 
materials,  and  molded  in  the  desired  form. 


barism,  and  civilization  can  only  be  real  and 
true  when  it  is  harmonious. 


A  Group  of  Persians. 
In  general,  it  may  be  said  of  the  Persians  tliat 
they  are  handsome,  active  and  robust ;  of  lively 
imagination,  quick  apprehension,  and  agreeable 
and  prepossessing  manners.  As  a  nation,  they 
may  be  termed  brave  ;  tliough  the  valor  they 
have  displayed,  like  that  of  every  otlier  people 
in  a  similar  state  of  society,  has,  in  a  great  de- 
gree, depended  on  the  character  of  their  leaders, 
and  the  nature  of  the  objects  for  which  they 
have  fought.  Unhappily,  however,  their  vices 
are  far  more  prominent  than  their  virtues. 
Though  the  despotism  to  which  they  are  sub- 
ject be  similar  to  that  which  weighs  down  all 


Travelers  are  agreed  that  the  Persians  have 
reduced  dissimulation  and  falsehood  to  a  sys- 
tem, and  practiced  them  so  Ion;.;  and  so  univer- 
sally, that  it  is  difficult  for  them,  even  if  they 
intended  it,  to  tell  the  truth.  Their  whole  con- 
duct is  a  tissiie  of  fraud  antl  artifice.  There  is 
no  deceit,  degradation,  or  crime,  to  whicli  they 
will  not  stoop  for  gain;  and  tlieir  habits  offal.se- 
hocd  arc  so  inveterate,  that  untruths  flow,  as  it 
were,  spontaneously  from  their  tongues,  even 
without  any  apparent  motive .  Mr.  Kinnier'  s  es- 
timate of  their  character  is,  if  possible,  still  more 
unfavorable.  "  They  arc, "  ho  says,  "haughty 
to  their  inferiors,  obsequious  to  their  superiors, 
cruel,  vindictive,  treacherous,  and  r-v.aricious, 
witliout  faith,  friendship,  gratitude,  or  honor." 

Presents — a  necessary  instrument  of  business 
over  all  the  East — are  expected  in  Persia,  with 


A  Eural  Chariot  in  Persia. 
It  is  remarkable  and  almost  inexplicable  that 
■while  most  Eastern  nations  have  reached  unsur- 
passed perfection  in  many  of  the  arts,  they  are 
80  rude  and  uncouth  in  otliers.  In  the  manu- 
fecture  of  silks,  linens,  and  fabrics  generally, 
in  embroideries,  jewelry,  etc.,  they  surpass  our 
ovm  workmen  ;  but  all  kinds  of  domestic  or, 
what  we  would  be  apt  to  call,  useful  instru- 
ments and  implements  are  clumsy  and  primi- 
tive. This  is  illustrated  in  our  engraving, 
which  represents  a  Persian  agriculturist  return- 
ing home  from  a  visit  to  the  market  town.  His 
rough  cart  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  taste, 
almost  akin  to  elegance,  of  the  costumes  of  him- 
self aad  family.  Similar  contrasts  may  be  seen 
in  many  parts  of  Spanish  America.  Great 
luxury  is  not  inconsistent  with  intrinsic  bar- 


A    KURAL    CHARIOT    IN     PERSIA. 

the  Eastern  nations,  they  have  a  peculiar  and 
distinctive  character.  As  compared  with  the 
Turks,  they  are  not  unlike  what  the  Irish  are 
as  compared  with  the  English  or  the  Scotch, 
being  gayer,  livelier,  more  active,  more  versa- 
tile, and  less  to  be  depended  on. 

Though  easily  inflamed  into  passion,  and, 
when  under  its  influence,  abusive  in  the  highest 
degree,  they  are,  generally  speaking,  courteous, 
affable,  and  polite.  They  flatter  with  equal 
skill  and  profusion  of  compliments.  Their  lan- 
guage is  extravagantly  hyperbolical  ;  and  a 
stranger,  ignorant  of  their  character,  would  sup- 
pose them  ready  to  devote  both  fortune  and 
fame  to  his  service.  A  foreigner,  therefore,  can 
hardly  avoid  receiving  the  most  favorable  im- 
pression of  their  friendly  disposition  ;  but  fur- 
ther acquaintance  proves  their  Insincerity. 


j  peculiar  avidity.  Without  presents,  no  inferioi 
can  approach  a  superior,  or  any  individual  ask 
a  favor  from  another  ;  and  the  donation,  being 
:  supixjsed  to  confer  honor,  is  made  in  the  most 
public  place  and  manner  possible.  They  are 
said  to  be,  with  few  exceptions,  incorrigible 
spendthrifts;  their  dress,  horses,  harems,  etc., 
are  generally  arranged  on  a  scale  exceeding 
their  means,  and  intended  for  ostentation ; 
and  the  difficulties  in  which  they  are  thus  in- 
volved make  them  resort  to  any  expedient, 
however  mean  and  discreditable,  for  raising 
money. 

The  natives  of  Persia  do  not  recline  on  cush- 
ions, in  the  luxurious  manner  of  the  Turks ; 
but  sit  in  an  erect  posture,  on  thick  felt,  called 
a  numud.  Tliey  have  seldom,  if  ever,  fires  in 
their  apartments,  even  in  the  coldest  season. 


-L 


PERSIA.. 


33 


A   GROUP    OF    PEESUNB 


84 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIOxSS. 


SACKED  TANK   AT   CMRITZUR. 

Rnd,  in  order  to  be  warm,  fold  themselves  in 
a  fur  pelisse  on  a  barounce,  which  is  a  handsome 
robe  of  crimson  cloth,  lined  with  shawls  or 
velvet.  Like  other  Oriental  nations,  they  rise 
with  the  sun  ;  and,  having  dressed  and  said 
their  prayers,  talie  a  cup  of  coffee,  or,  perhaps, 
some  fruit.  They  then  enter  upon  the  business 
of  the  day,  if  they  have  any  ;  and,  if  not,  smoke 
and  converse  until  about  eleven  o'clock,  at 
which  time  they  usually  have  their  breakfast, 
and  then  retire  into  the  harem.  Here  they 
remain  until  about  three  o'clock,  when  they 
return  to  the  hall  and  finish  their  business  ;  for 
■with  these  people,  the  most  important  affairs  are 
discussed  and  transacted  in  public.  Between 
■nine  and  ten.  the  dinner,  or  principal  meal,  is 
served  up  ;  this  chiefly  consists  of  pillau-n,  and 
of  mutton  and  fowl,  dressed  in  various  ways ; 
of  which,  however,  they  eat  but  moderately. 
Wine  they  never  taste  before  company,  al- 
though, in  private,  they  are  the  most  noto- 
rious drunkards,  and  invariably  drink  before 
they  eat. 

They  are  passionately  fond  of  tobacco,  which 
they  smoke  almost  incessantly  from  the  moment 
they  rise  until  it  is  time  for  them  to  retire  to 
rest ;  it  constitutes,  indeed,  the  principal  source 
of  amusement  to  a  man  of  fortune  ;  and  were 
it  not  for  his  caica?i,  one  is  at  a  loss  to  imagine 
in  what  manner  he  would  spend  his  time. 

The  Persian  females,  at  least  those  of  the 
sedentary  part  of  the  population,  are,  for  the 
most  part,  closely  concealed.  The  wives  of  the 
wealthy  pa.ss  their  time  in  visiting  their  friends, 
and  amusing  themselves  with  diversions  of  one 
kind  or  another,  and  with  intrigues.  The  bath 
is,  however,  the  principal  see  le  of  their  enjoy- 
ment and  relaxation,  where,  secure  from  inter- 
ruption, they  give  full  scope  to  merriment  and 
scandal  JIarriages  are  usually  celebrated  with 
great  splendor,  and  often  entail  a  ruinous  ex- 
pense to  the  parties. 


sha^w^ls,  etc.,  I  reached  the 
entrance  to  the  great  tank, 
the  Mecca  of  the  Sikhs. 

In  the  centre  of  the  tank 
stands  a  temple  of  white 
marble,  from  fifty  to  sixty 
feet  square,  witli  a  .small 
dome  rising  from  each 
comer,  which  is  supported 
by  eight  columns  ;  and  from 
the  centre  of  the  building 
rises  a  large  dome.  The 
upper  half  of  the  external 
part  of  the  building  is  a 
mass  of  exquisite  gilding, 
even  to  the  very  dome  it- 
self; and,  as  if  to  make  it 
more  brilliant  from  con- 
trast, tlie  lower  half  of  the 
building,  from  tlie  edge  of 
the  water,  is  of  the  purest 
white  marble,  beautifully 
inlaid  after  the  Florentine  style  of  mosaic, 
with  designs  of  vines  and  flowers  in  agate,  cor- 
nelian, jasper,  and  other  similar  and  b?autiful 
stones. 

Near  by  1.5  a  bridge  made  of  twisted  twigs. 
There  is  one  very  large  rope,  about  a  foot  in 
breadth,  for  path  and  two  side  ones,  as  a  rail, 
occasionally  connected  with  the  one  you  walk 
on  by  short  bars.  It  is  a  suspension  bridge 
over  a  rapid  rushing  torrent — the  .Jhelum,  or  an- 
cient Ilydaspes — al)Out  three  or  four  hundred 
feet  wide,  and  requires  a  steady  head  and  gait 
to  cross  it. 

The  bridge  is  secured  on  eitlier  bank  about 
sixty  feet  above  the  water's  edge,  and  in  the 
centre,  the  arc  of  the  circle  is  great,  being 
only  about  eight  foet  above  the  water. 


Sacred  Tank  at  Umritztir. 
UirarrzuR  is  the  largest  town  in  the  Punjaub 
/the  Sikh  county),  and  the  most  important, 
commercially.  The  city  is  walled,  and  presents 
a  fine  appearance  from  a  short  distance.  The 
streets  are  paved  with  brick,  and  some  are  quite 
■wide.  After  a  circuit  of  the  principal  bazaars, 
and  seeing  the  natives  working  at  the  Cashmere 


The  Tomb  of  Noah. 

'IHE  great  plain  of  Ararat  presents  a  very 
interesting  and  beautiful  aspect.  It  is  studded 
with  numerous  villages,  clothed  with  rich  ver- 
dure, watered  by  refreshing  streams,  skirted  by 
a  subordinate  range  of  mountains,  and  over- 
shadowed by  the  awful  monument  of  the  ante- 
diluvian world.  In  all  its  amplitude  of  gran- 
deur this  mountain  seems  to  stand  as  a  stupen- 
dous link  in  the  history  of  man,  unitmg  the 
two  races — the  men  before  and  the  men  after 
the  Flood.  As  you  travel  over  that  plain,  and 
gaze  on  the  icy  peaks  of  the  mountains,  rising 
majestically  into  the  cloudless  heaven,  your 
Persian  guide  touches  your  sleeve,  and  mentious 
that  you  are  fast  approaching  Nakhtche'van. 

"  'What  is  Nakhichevan  ?" 

"  Is  it  possible  that  the  Frankish  gentleman 
has  never  heard  of  that  city  ?" 

"  Not  that  he  can  remember." 

"It  is  an  old  city  with  a  still  older  tomb — 
the  sepulchre  of  our  father  Noah.  When  Noah 
"ame  out  of  the  ark  and  descended  the  moun- 
tain, he  built  a  city,  and  called  it  by  a  name 
which  signified  the  first  residence.  Once  upon 
a  time  it  contained  10,000  houses — that  was  a 
long  while  ago  ;  it  belonged  to  the  Armenians, 
then  to  the  Turks,  then  to  the  Russians — but 
they  had  all  alike  cared  for  the  tomb  of  Noah." 

The  tomb  of  Noah  is  situated  at  the  side  of 
the  broken  walls  of  an  abandoned  fortress,  in 
tlie  midst  of  a  vast  plain  covered  with  the 
ruins  of   bygone  glories,   half  buried  in   the 


sand.  It  is  a  small  round  cell,  the  interior 
forming  an  octagon,  ten  or  twelve  feet  in 
diameter,  which  has  been  cleared  of  the  old 
lamps  and  broken  pots,  and  residuary  grease, 
the  mementoes  of  the  piety  of  the  faithful. 
Formerly  the  shrine  was  visited  by  pilgrims  of 
all  faiths — Russians,  Armenians,  Persians,  Jews, 
Turcomans,  and  the  rest,  to  do  reverence  to  our 
common  father — since  the  Flood.  The  vie'W 
on  both  sides  of  tliis  ancient  structure  is  very 
fine,  commanding  an  extensive  prospect  of  the 
plains  of  Armenia  and  the  mountains  of  Ararat. 
To  these  mountains  you  htisten  forward,  aftei 
regarding  with  an  unavoidable  interest  tha 
ruins  about  Nakhtchevan,  but  still  more  inter- 
ested in  the  spectacle  of  Ararat,  awful  in  height 
and  beautiful  in  sliape,  and  whereon  all  of  hu- 
man flesh  once  had  their  home. 

The  curious  aspect  presented  by  the  ruins  of 
the  old  Armenian  fortress  and  the  tomb  of  the 
patriarch  is  correctly  represented  in  our  engrav- 
ing. 

A  Popular  Tumult  in  Teheran. 

We  transcribe  from  Eastwick's  interesting 
volume,  entitled  "Three  Years'  Residence  In 
Persia,"  the  account  of  a  popular  tumult  in  Te- 
heran, the  capital  of  Persia,  since  1786,  when 
it  displaced  Ispahan  in  that  respect.  It  will  be 
seen  how  precarious  are  the  lives  and  dignities 
of  the  official  in  this  ill-governed  country: 

' '  Next  morning  I  galloped  back  to  Teheran, 
a  ride  of  about  twenty-five  miles,  starting  about 
9  A.M.,  and  getting  in  at  noon.  The  ground 
was  white  with  snow,  which  fell  fast,  accompa- 
nied by  a  terribly  cold,  biting  wind.  Eight 
miles  from  Teheran  the  road  enters  a  defile,  the 
mountain  which  overlooks  the  rinns  of  Rhages 
being  on  the  left.  So  ended  in  complete  failure 
what  was  intended  as  a  sporting  tour,  but  the 
sportsman  in  Persia  requires  sinews  of  iron,  and 
an  ardor  not  to  be  damped  by  heat,  cold, 
thirst,  or  starvation. 

"The  distress  in  Teheran  was  now  culminating, 
the  roads  being  almost  impassable,  supplies  of 
food  could  not  reach  the  city.  The  bakers' 
shops  were  besieged  by  mobs  clamoring  for 
bread.  As  soon  as  a  European  showed  himself 
in  the  streets  he  was  surrounded  by  famishing 
women,  supplicating  assistance,  who  were  not 
to  be  kept  back  by  any  scruples  of  their  own, 
or  remonstrances  of  the  me'n.  Matters  were 
evidently  growing  very  serious,  and  on  the  1st 
of  March,  as  Mr.  Alison  and  myself  were  sit- 
ting at  Mr.  Dickson's  examining  the  Nauroz  pre- 
sents for  the  servants,  the  chief  Persian  secre- 
tary came  in,  pale  and  trembling,  and  said 
there  was  an  draute,  and  that  the  KalAntar,  or 
mayor  of  the  city,  had  just  been  put  to  death, 
and  that  they  were  dragging  his  body,  stark 
naked,  through  the  bazaars.  Presently  we  heard 
a  great  tumult,  and,  on  going  to  the  windows, 
saw  the  streets  filled  with  thousands  of  people, 
in  a  very  excited  state,  surrounding  the  corpse, 
which  was  being  dragged  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, where  it  was  hung  up  by  the  heels,  naked, 
for  three  days. 

'■'  On  inquiry  we  learned  that  on  the  28th  ot 
February,  the  Shah,  on  coming  in  from  hunt- 
ing, was  surrounded  by  a  mob  of  several  thous- 
and women,  yelling  for  bread,  who  gutted  the 
bakers'  shops  of  their  contents,  under  the  very 


PERSIA. 


35 


eyoj  oi  the  king,  and  were  i30  violent,  that  as 
Boon  as  the  Shah  had  entered  the  palace,  he 
ordered  the  gates  of  the  citadel  to  be  shut. 

'•  Next  day,  the  1st  of  March,  the  disturb- 
ances were  renewed,  and,  in  spite  of  the  gates 
being  closed,  thousands  of  women  made  their 
way  into  the  citadel,  and  began  to  assail  the 
guards  with  large  stones,  being  urged  on  by 
their  male  relatives,  who,  under  cover  of  this 
attack,  were  looking  out  for  a  chance  to  effect 
a  more  serious  rise.  Meantime,  the  Shah  had 
ascended  the  tower,  from  which  Hajji  Baba's 
Zainab  was  thrown,  and  was  watching  the  riot- 
ers with  a  telescope.  The  Kaldntar,  who  had 
been  seen  just  before  entering  the  palace,  splen- 
didly dressed,  with  a  long  retinue  of  servants, 
went  up  the  tower  and  stood  by  the  Shah,  who 
reproached  him  for  suffering  such  a  tumult  to 
have  arisen  On  this  the  Kalilntar  declared  he 
would  soon  put  down  the  riot,  and,  going 
amongst  the  women  with  his  servants,  he  him- 
self struck  several  of  them  furiously  with  a 
largo  stick.  One  of  the  women  so  assailed  ran 
as  far  as  the  English  Mission,  and  came  in  call- 
ing out  for  help,  and  showing  her  clothes  cov- 
ered with  blood.  On  the  women-  vociferously 
calling  {■)T  justice,  and  showing  their  wounds, 
the  Shah  summoned  the  KalAntar,  and  said, 
'  If  thou  art  thus  cruel  to  my  subjects  before 
my  eyes,  what  must  be  thy  secret  misdeeds  V 
'ITien,  turning  to  his  attendants,  the  king  said: 
'  Bastinado  him,  and  cut  off  his  beard.'  And 
again,  while  this  sentence  was  being  executed, 
the  Shah  uttered  the  terrible  word,  Tandb  ! 
'  Strangle  him.'  In  a  moment  the  execu- 
tioners had  placed  the  cord  round  the  unhappy 
mans  neck,  and  in  an  instant  more  their  feet 
were  on  his  chest,  trampling  out  the  last  signs 
of  life.  At  the  same  time  the  Kadkhudas,  rr 
magistrates,  of  all  the  quarters  of  Teheran  were 
subjected  to  the  bastinado,  and  at  sight  of  these 
punishments  the  frenzy  of  the  populace  was 
for  tliat  day  appeased,  and  Teheran  was  saved 
by  a  hair's  breadth  from  a  revolution. 

' '  Tlie  next  day  the  Shah  appeared  dressed  in  a 
red  robe,  as  a  sign  that  severe  measures  would 
be  adopted,  and  several  other  persons  were  pun- 
ished, so  that  the  mob,  though  terribly  excited, 
were  kept  in  awe.  Several  tumultuous  assem- 
blies, however,  took  place,  in  one  of  which  the 
Imam  Juma,  or  High  Priest,  was  nearly 
thronged  to  death,  and  was  rescued  in  a  swoon- 
ing state  from  the  multitude.  It  was  also  pro- 
posed that  all  the  women  of  Teheran  should 
divide  themselves  into  two  bodies,  and  go,  the 
one  mass  to  the  English  envoy,  and  the  other 
to  the  Russian  minister,  and  call  on  them  to 
speak  to  the  Shah  to  give  them  food.  Subse- 
quently a  multitude  of  women  did  actually 
enter  the  English  Mission  witli  the  said  inten- 
tion, and  were  not  got  rid  of  without  trouble, 
and  so  excited  were  they  that  the  law  of  the 
'  vail '  was  quite  disregarded." 


Concluding  Eemarks. 
Persia  is  a  land  we  know  something  about 
n-om  our  school  days,  and  yet  how  scant  the 
knowledge  regarding  it.  Persia  figures  in  sacred 
history,  it  figures  in  ^lohammedan  history ; 
but,  as  we  have  no  direct  intercourse,  as  we  buy 
few  or  no  goods  from  Persian  hands,  our  ideas 
assume  a  dreamy  sort  of  vague  indistinctness. 
They  are  a  civilized  and  polished  people,   of 


course,  but  how  f.ir  polished  and  civilized  is  not 
definite.  What  they  are,  our  types  well  show, 
except  the  woman  in  her  street  attire.  In  the 
busy  streets  of  Teheran,  Ispahan,  or  Sheraz, 
amid  tlic  motley  crowd  that  throng  by  the 
shops,  where  the  goods  are  as  skillfully  and 
attractively  displayed  as  on  Broadway  ;  where 
the  stern,  turbaned  Kurd,  the  laughing  Mirza, 
the  wild  dervish,  the  Affghan,  and  his  guards 
jostle  each  other,  you  will  see  women  generally 
in  parties  of  two,  three,  or  four,  sometimes, 
though  not  so  frequently,  alone.  They  are  all 
covered  with  the  Tchadtr,  a  blue  cotton,  or 
occasionally  a  silk  vail,  covering  them  from 
head  to  foot,  the  face  completely  hidden  by  the 
roubend,  a  band  of  white  linen  fastened  at  the 
back  of  the  head,  over  the  blue  vail.  Just  at 
the  eyes,  a  square  piece  is  worked  in  needle- 
work, so  as  to  enable  them  to  breathe  freely 
and  see  quite  well.  Under  this  vail  and  over 
the  skirts,  is  worn  a  pair  of  wide  trowsers, 
reaching  to  the  feet,  and  put  on  only  when 
going  out.  Thus  attired,  they  glide  along, 
dragging  tlieir  little  slippers,  do  their  shopping, 
and  bother  the  salesmen,  without  giving  them 
the  satisfaction  of  a  look.  The  women  marry 
young,  and  are  always  sold,  though  the  price 
generally  goes  to  adorn  the  bride.  Divorce  is, 
however,  frequent,  and  unions  for  a  specified 
time  are  tolerated  by  custom,  though  Ijy  law 
condemned. 

The  Persians  arc  a  gay,  talkative  people,  fond 
of  poetry,  music,  the  drama,  and  painting.  To 
many  whose  ideas  of  the  Oriental  are  drawn 
from  the  sombre  Turks,  this  may  seem  strange, 
but  Turkey  is  the  wall,  not  the  mirror,  of  tbe 
East. 


Mr.  Eastwick  gives  the  following  a;couat 
of  the  Shah  already  alluded  to  : 

"Nasiru'd  din  ShAh,  the  present  ruler  of 
Persia,  is  thirty-two  years  of  age,  five  feet  six 
inches  high,  well  and  rather  strongly  made, 
with  black  and  long  mustache,  but  no  beard, 
hazel  eyes,  and  a  mild,  good-humored  expres 
sion.  He  stood  to  receive  the  foreign  envoyi, 
Hound  liis  nock  were  six  strings  of  pearls  and 
emeralds,  each  gem  of  which  might  have  been 
an  earl's  ransom,  and  he  also  wore  a  diamond 
aigrette  in  his  lamb-skin  cap  that  would  have 
been  a  dower  for  an  empress.  The  scabbard  ot 
his  sword  was  studded  so  thickly  with  diamonds 
from  hilt  to  point,  that  a  ray  of  light  could  not 
have  entered  between  them,  and  was  worth, 
they  said,  a  quarter  of  a  million  sterling.  In 
face  of  that  blaze  of  jewels  our  European 
Court  costumes  looked  utterly  mean.  The 
Russian  Minister,  who  was  our  doyen,  now  said 
a  few  words  in  French  by  way  of  congratula- 
tion to  the  Shah,  and  the  Russian  head  drago- 
man, whose  name  appropriately  signifies  '  stur- 
geon,' interpreted  them.  In  return,  the  Shab 
asked  each  of  the  foreign  envoys,  ahwdl  i  shumd 
kliub  ast,  '  are  you  well  ?'  and  then  inquired  of 
the  Russian  Minister  why  he  did  not  learn  Per- 
sian. The  Russian  answered  that  there  waa 
time  yet  to  learn  it,  which,  considering  that  he 
was  sixty  years  of  age,  and  had  been  half  his 
life  in  Persia,  soemcd  a  rather  p'easant  state- 
ment. 

' '  We  now  went  to  see  the  Salam,  or  '  general 
salute,'  in  the  outer  quadrangle  of  the  palace, 
which  has  an  area  of  between  one  and  two 
acres,  and  was  entirely  surrounded  by  thre* 
regiments  of  si.'ldip-s  drawn  up  in  sin^;lc  line, 


THE  TOMB   OF   NOAET. 


86 


THE    WORLD'S    GBEAT    NATIONS. 


with  thett  baciis  to  the  wall.  In  the  building 
that  faces  down  this  quadrangle,  the  Shah's 
throne  was  placed,  a  throne  which  was  brought 
from  the  golden  halls  of  Shahjehanabad.  We 
all  went  into  a  small  room  on  the  left  hand  of 
that  in  which  the  enthrouization  was  to  be, 
,but  in  a  story  above  it,  and  as  none  but  the 
Shah  must  be  seen  sitting  on  this  solemn  occa- 
sion, the  windows  were  shut  upon  us  ;  but  the 
mercurial  Gaul  broke  out  some  panes  to  see  the 
ceremony  more  distinctly.  On  the  tops  of  the 
walls,  and  on  the  roof  of  the  palace,  hundreds  of 
people  were  clustered,  while  the  great  court 
below  them  was  filled  by  a  multitude  of  the 
higher  officials  of  the  kingdom,  standing  in 
richly-dressed  groups,  according  to  their  rank, 
from  the  ministers  downward.  In  the  centre 
of  these  a  small  knot  of  European  officers,  the 
instructors  of  the  Shah's  troops,  were  conspicu- 
ous, and  among  them  England  was  well  repre- 
sented by  Colonel  Dolmage,  formerly  of  the 
23rd  Royal  Welsh  Fusiliers,  a  handsome  man, 
BIX  feet  and  an  inch  high,  looking  more  than  a 
match  for  any  Saracen  in  the  assembly. 

"  It  would  be  vain,  without  the  aid  of  the  Muse 
who  indited  Homer's  catalogue  of  ships,  to 
attempt  a  description  of  all  the  dresses  that 
glittered,  like  beds  of  flowers,  under  our  eyes 
that  day.  On  the  left  of  the  throne  stood  the 
Sipah  Salir,  or  Commander-in-Chief,  a  big, 
broad,  heavy  man,  blazing  in  gold  and  dia- 
monds. On  the  right  were  the  great  civil 
officers  of  State,  with  those  tall,  graceful  Ara- 
bian turbans.  Lower  down  were  rows  of  Mus- 
taufis,  or  secretaries,  Affghans  and  Sist4nis, 
the  latter  remarkable  for  their  vast  turbans 
of  snowy  white.  Two  dresses  surpassed  all 
the  rest  in  magnificence,  that  of  the  Ainu  '1 
Mulk,  the  'Eye  of  the  State,'  who  is  the 
king's  brother-in-law,  and  that  of  the  Shah's 
son-in-law,  the  son  of  the  Sipih  Salar.  The 
former  was  such  a  dress  as  Nero  might  have 
worn  when  he  presided  at  the  Olympic  games, 
or  as  might  have  glittered  on  Elagabulus  as 
priest  of  the  Syrian  sun-god.  At  the  distance 
at  which  we  were,  I  could  not  distinguish  the 
material,  but  it  sent  forth  purple  and  golden 
flashes  at  every  movement  its  wearer  made. 

"  TiieShah'sapproach  ta  tlie  throne-room  was 
announced  by  salvoes  of  artillery,  and  then  a 


clear,  sonorous  voice  called,  like  a  clarion, 
GUtir,  '  He  has  passed  !'  When  the  Shah  had 
taken  his  seat,  all  bowed  the  graceful  Persi.m 
bow,  by  stooping  the  body,  with  the  palms  of 
the  hands  slightly  resting  on  the  knees.  The 
Ainu  '1  Mulk,  now  walking  backward  from 
the  Shah,  moved  down  the  assembly,  giving 
handfuls  of  silver  coins  to  all  from  a  splendid 
golden  salver.  Inferior  officers  distributed 
sherbet  from  priceless  vessels  of  gold,  studded 
with  gems,  and  the  most  costly  china.  A  Mula, 
or  doctor  of  Islam,  then  stood  forth  and  ut- 
tered, in  a  loud  and  melodious  voice,  the 
KhvXbak,  or  prayer  for  the  sovereign.  After 
this  the  Poet  Laureate  recited  an  ode,  and  with 
this  the  ceremony  ended. 

"  As  a  wind-up,  we  went  to  see  the  wrestling 
and  other  games,  which  were  to  take  place  in 
the  great  Maidan,  or  plain  of  the  Ark.  We 
sate  in  the  Teheran  and  Tabriz  telegraph-office, 
in  front  of  which  a  place  for  the  lists  was 
cleared  and  watered.  About  2  p.m.  a  crowd  of 
wrestlers,  jugglers,  and  mountebanks,  dressed 
as  devils,  of  fighting  rams  and  dancing  mon- 
keys, suddenly  inundated  the  arena.  This 
plan  of  serving  up  all  the  entertainment  at 
once  is  very  absurd,  for  the  eye  and  the  atten- 
tion are  sa  distracted  by  the  multiplicity  of 
objects  that  no  one  spectacle  is  thoroughly  en- 
joyed. For  my  part,  I  was  most  taken  up  with 
the  wrestlers,  who  were  really  very  skillful, 
and  one  or  two  of  whom  exhibited  prodigies  of 
strength.  In  particular,  a  gigantic  athlete  from 
Yezd  attracted  all  eyes.  With  shaven  head  and 
bare  feet,  he  measured  over  six  feet  six  inches, 
and  from  the  waist  upward  was  magnificently 
made.  His  chest  was  vast,  and  the  ribs  came 
remarkably  low  down,  while  his  arms  resem- 
bled the  trunks  of  trees,  rather  than  the  limbs 
of  a  man.  Only  his  legs  were  not  worthy  of 
the  superb  upper  structure.  He  first  exhibited 
his  skill  in  the  use  of  the  clubs,  producing 
several  pairs  of  an  enormous  size,  which  he 
used  with  wonderful  dexterity,  and  finished  by 
throwing  them  under  his  legs  for  twenty  or 
thirty  feet  up  into  the  air,  and  catching  them 
again. 

"  When  the  giant  had  ended  his  display,  seve- 
ral men  advanced  toward  him,  and  challenged 
him  to  wrestle.     One  by  one   they  grappled 


with  their  tremendous  antagonist,  and  one 
after  another  they  were  lifted  from  the  ground 
and  thrown,  sometimes  with  such  force  that 
we  expected  them  never  to  rise  again.  They 
were  fine,  powerful  men  in  general,  from  five 
feet  nine  to  six  feet  high,  but  they  had  no 
chance  with  the  Yezd  champion.  In  the  mean- 
time the  crowd  had  been  gradually  encroaching 
on  the  arena,  and  it  was  evident  that,  imless 
something  was  done,  the  games  would  be  inter- 
rupted. In  particular,  a  body  of  matchlockmen 
made  themselves  very  obnoxious  by  pushing  in 
amongst  the  performers,  and  the  Shah's  far- 
rashes,  who  were  keeping  the  ring,  were  obliged 
to  make  a  combined  onslaught  on  the  intrud- 
ers. With  their  long  white  sticks  they  raised 
a  merry  clatter  on  the  heads  of  the  matchlock- 
men,  and  drove  them  back  many  yards,  when 
they  re-formed,  and  in  turn  charged  the  far- 
reishes,  and  a  sharp  miUe  ensued.  But  the  far- 
rashes  were  supported  by  the  consciousness  of 
being  in  authority,  and  plied  their  staves  with 
still  greater  vigor,  so  that  they  at  last  chased 
the  rebels  completely  off  the  ground,  amid  a 
roar  of  applause  from  the  multitude.  While 
this  was  going  on,  the  Tezdl  had  been  wrest- 
ling with  his  last  opponent,  who,  next  to  him- 
self, seemed  to  he  the  most  powerful  man 
present — not  tall,  but  prodigiously  broad  and 
muscular,  with  a  bull  neck  and  loins  of  iron. 
The  struggle  had  been  a  prolonged  one,  and 
occasionally  the  short  athlete  seemed  to  gain 
the  advantage,  though  I  suspect  the  Yezdi 
allowed  the  spectators  to  think  his  strength 
was  failing,  in  order  to  add  to  the  piquancy 
of  the  contest.  At  last,  when  expectation  had 
been  well  wound  up,  the  Yezdi  seemed  to  make 
an  immense  effort,  the  muscles  on  his  arms 
stood  out  like  cordage,  he  ^  /  his  opponent 
in  toward  him,  and  then,  slipping  his  right  arm 
down  from  the  short  man's  shoulder  to  the 
small  of  his  back,  bent  him  in,  and,  sweeping 
his  legs  from  under  him,  laid  him  flat  on  the 
ground.  This  ended  the  show,  and  the  giant 
was  led  off  in  triumph,  amid  a  crowd  of  ad- 
mirers, to  receive  a  dress  of  honor,  and  a 
reward  from  some  official,  who,  doubtless,  got 
the  better  of  him  in  a  wrestle  for  muddkhil."^ 


•  Tees. 


X  WIPIT  B4ZAAB. 


EGYPT. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

Phabaoh's  Tbbabxjbb— l'ETin>i,E  AT  Petra— Door  Pins  and  Hinqes— Promenading— Temple  at  Ellora— Indoor  Life— Temple  op  V»nu9— 
Zetnab— A  Pbimitive  Boat— Shopping — Drawing  Water— The  Pyramids— The  Sycamore— Sawing  Wood— Ancient  Chart— Cotjchib- 
Fercy  BOAT— School  in  Egypt -Night  Patrol- Memnon— Fetes  of  the  Viceroy- Cobinthian  Tombs— Cairo— Street  Sprinkling— 
Mamf.luke  Tombs— Boulac— Dancing  Dervishes— Sabre  Dance— alma  Dance— Sarcophagus— Battle-ax— Tables— Stone  Knives, 
Car,  Nilometeb— ovens— The  Great  Sphinx— Metal  Mirrors— Kebry-Redinz— Cups— Wine  Bottlf.s— A  Family  Gbotjp- Lanterns — 
Lady's  Head  -  dress— Necklaces— Oenaments—Reception  of  European  Ladies— A  Bedouin  Settlement— Gold  Ckroors— Diamond 
Ckroors— Lamps — Carrying  Children- Helmet  of  Touman  Bey— Houses  and  Furniture— Cairo  Houses— Fountain— The  SHADOor 
—Filigree  Works-Sacrifices— Mummied  Bull— Mummy -case— Pyramid  of  Cheops— Rma  or  Cheops— Sugar  -  cane  Sellep.— Tat- 
tooed Lady— Schoolboy— PoTTEB—VouNG  Arab  girls. 


GYPT,  three  thousand 
years  afco,  was  the  seat 
of  ancient  civilization, 
and  is  still  one  of  the 
most  interesting  coun- 
tries of  the  Old  World. 

Even  ia  the  days  of 
Herodotus  it  was  distin- 
guished for  the  grandeur 
of  its  architecture  and 
for  the  profundity  of  its 
learning,  wliich,  in  the 
hands  of  its  priests,  maintained  so  deep  a  hold 
upon  the  nations  surrounding  it.  Fortunately 
for  the  world,  many  of  its  marvels  survive  to 
the  present  day.  This  is  partly  owing  to  the 
peculiar  nature  of  the  climate,  and  the  massive- 
ness  of  their  construction.  The  Pyramids  still 
exist  in  all  their  native  sublimity,  although 
more  than  three  thousand  years  have  passed 
since  they  were  constructed,  and  well  deserve 
the  apostrophe  of  the  First  Napoleon,  when  he 
said  to  his  troops,  "  Forty  centuries  look  down 
upon  your  valor. ' ' 

This  country  is  hounded  on  the  North  by  the 
Mediterranean,  and  on  the  South  by  Nubia  and 
Abyssinia,  through  which  the  Nile  flows,  carry- 
ing fertility  from  almost  the  centre  of  Africa 
to  the  Mediterranean  Sea;  it  abounds  in  grain, 
cotton,  rice,  indigo,  and  various  drugs  and 
fruits. 

Most  of  the  inhabitants  called  Fellahs  are  of 
Arabian  descent,  the  remainder  are  Copts, 
Turks,  Greeks,  Jews,  etc.  The  prevailing  relig- 
ion is  the  Mohammedan,  and  agriculture  forms 
the  leading  pursuit,  although  large  quantities 
of  linen  goods,  carpets,  silk  handkerchiefs, 
jewelry,  and  pottery  are  manufactured.  In 
addition,  they  export  quantities  of  rice,  wheat, 
Tose-water,  indigo,  dates,  opium  and  coffee. 

The  capital  of  Egypt  is  Cairo — the  largest 
city  in  Africa.  Alexandria,  so  named  after  its 
founder,  the  great  Macedonian  conqueror,  is  on 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  Cairo,  and  was  formerly  famous  for  its 
Taluable  library.  Damietta,  on  the  east  branch 
of  the  Nile,  is  largely  engaged  in  trade  with 
Syria. 

Tlie  most  important  portion  of  Egypt  was 
the  Delta,  which  contains  about  eight  thousand 
square  miles,  and  was  once  studded  with  flour- 
Tii-iiiiK  cities.    The  chief  towns,  however,  were 


in  the  narrow  valley:  these  were  Memphis,  Ele- 
phantine, Panopolis,  Heliopolis,  Pelusium,  and 
several  others.  The  principal  river  is  the  Nile, 
and,  indeed,  may  be  called  their  only  one,  al- 
though at  the  distance  of  about  ninety  miles 
it  divides  into  three  distinct  channels,  while, 
lower  down,  they  still  further  sub-divide,  so 
that,  in  the  time  of  Herodotus,  the  Nile  waters 
reached  the  Mediterranean  by  seven  distinct 
mouths.  Egypt  has  one  large  and  several 
smaller  lakes.  The  large  lake  is  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Nile,  and  is  called  Mcsris. 

The  early  establishment  of  monarchical  gov- 
ernment in  Egypt,  is  indicated  in  Scripture  by 
the  mention  of  a  Pharaoh  as  contemporary  with 
Abraham.  It  is  needless  to  call  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  the  Bible  account  of  Joseph's 
sojourn,  and  the  exodus  of  the  Israelites. 

Certain  is  it  that,  more  than  four  thousand 
years  ago,  the  Egyptians  had  attained  a  high 
degree  of  mechanical  skill  in  quarrying,  trans- 
porting and  raising  into  place  the  huge  blocks 
whereof  the  Pyramids  are  composed. 

The  reed  pen  and  the  inkstand  were  also 
known  to  them,  as  they  are  depicted  in  their 
hieroglyphics. 

The  people  seem  to  have  maintained,  with 
some  occasional  interruptions,  a  national  inde- 
pendence till  they  fell  beneath  the  sway  of 
Rome. 

Shakespeare  has  immortalized  the  last  and 
most  famous  of  their  sovereigns—  the  beautiful 
Cleopatra.  With  her  expired  the  ancient  king- 
dom of  Egypt ;  it  is  now  a  dependency  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  although  it  seems  to  be  fast 
regaining  its  standing  as  an  independent  na- 
tion. 

Within  the  past  few  years  a  railroad  and  the 
Suez  canal  have  given  new  life  to  this  ancient 
empire,  and  there  is  little  doubt  it  will  soon  be- 
come the  highway  of  commerce  between  Europe 
and  the  Indies  ;  no  less  than  seven  hundred 
ships  having  passed  through  the  canal  in  one 
year  as  early  as  1870. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  degraded  condition 
of  the  people  at  the  present  time — their  Mus- 
sulman rulers  treating  them  more  as  beasts  of 
burden  than  human  beings  ;  but  the  influence 
of  commerce  will  slowly  but  surely  elevate  their 
condition. 

Our  illustrations  portray  a  graphic  idea  of 
the  ancient  magnificence  and  present  state  of 


the  Pyramids,  although  the  mystery  which 
enshrouds  their  origin  will  probably  never  be 
dispelled. 

Despite  the  learning  and  advancement  of  the 
Egyptians  in  the  Arts  and  Sciences,  nothing 
could  be  more  debasing  than  their  religion ; 
the  chief  object  of  worship  having  been,  appa- 
rently, the  sacred  bull  Apis,  mummies  of  which 
still  exist. 

Those  who  are  curious  in  Egjrptian  antiqui- 
ties will  be  amply  repaid  by  a  visit  to  the  Mu- 
seum of  the  Historical  Society  of  New  York, 
where  they  will  find  numerous  Egyptian  relics. 


Pharaoli's  Treasure. 

A  TEMPLE  AT   PETRA,    ARABIA. 

The  temple  of  which  we  give  a  view  has  been 
termed  by  the  Arabs  "  Khasne  Pharaoh" — 
Pharaoh's  Treasure— from  their  supposition  that 
here  are  hidden  those  stores  which  they  have 
vainly  sought  for  elsewhere.  In  the  sarcastic 
words  of  Monsieur  Laborde,  "  It  was  quite  in 
accordance  with  their  character,  after  having 
fruitlessly  srwiled  the  monuments  inclosed  in 
the  tombs,  to  seek  the  spit  where  the  con- 
structor of  such  magnificent  edifices  had  de- 
posited his  treasure.  That  spot  they  supposed 
they  had  found  at  last  — it  was  the  urn  which 
may  be  distinguished  on  the  top  of  the  monu- 
ment. This  must  contain  all  the  riches  of  the 
great  king ;  but,  unhappily,  it  is  out  of  their 
reach,  and  only  taunts  their  desire.  Conse- 
quently, each  time  that  they  pass  through  the 
ravine,  they  stop  an  instant,  fire  at  the  urn, 
and  endeavor  to  break  it,  in  the  hope  of  bring- 
ing it  down  and  securing  the  treasure.  Their 
efforts  are  fruitless  ;  and  they  retire  murmuring 
against  the  King  of  Giants,  who  had  so  adroitly 
placed  his  treasure  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  above  their  reach." 

The  temple  is  hewn  in  an  enormous  and  ci  m- 
pact  block  of  freestone,  which  is  lightly  colored 
with  oxide  of  iron.  Its  high  state  of  preserva- 
tion is  owing  to  the  shelter  which  the  surround- 
ing rocks  afford  it  against  the  wind,  and  also  in 
preserving  the  roof  from  the  rain.  The  only 
traces  of  deterioration  are  in  the  statues  at  the 
base  of  the  column,  which  have  been  produced 
by  the  humidity  undermining  the  parts  most 
in  relief,  or  nearest  to  the  ground.    To  tb'- 


88 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa. 


to  catch,  or  the  door  will  not 
catch  at  all.  The  carpenter  is 
Bent  for,  and  he  remedies  it,  by 
planing  off,  leaving,  conse- 
quently, on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  door,  a  beautiful  chink  for 
Jack  Frost  and  Madame  Wind 
to  walli  in.  Now,  the  Eg}-ptiaa 
plan  suggests  a  remedy.  Let 
the  hinges  be  at  the  top  and  bot- 
tom cf  the  door,  extending  along 
the  top  and  bottom  BufBcient  to 
give  a  good  purchase,  and  being 
mortised  in,  they  will  not  shov? 
more  than  the  ordinary  bolt. 
But,  even  on  the  Egyptian  plan, 
if  mado  ornamental,  and  more 
triangular  in  shape,  so  as  to  hold, 
the  corner,  they  would  bo  ser- 
viceablo  and  ornamental. 


PHAnAOH  S   TREASURE. 


ttltie  canss  maT  be  attributed  the  fall  of  one  cf 
the  columns  wuich  was  attached  to  the  front. 
Had  the  structure  been  built  instead  of  being 
Lewa,  the  fall  of  this  column  would  have 
dragged  down  the  entire  building.  As  it  is, 
it  merely  occasions  a  void,  which  does  not  de- 
stroy the  effect  of  the  whole.  "It  has  even 
been  useful,"  says  Monsieur  Laborde,  "  in  so 
far  as  it  enabled  us,  by  taking  its  dimensions, 
to  a.scertain  the  probable  height  of  the  temple, 
which  it  would  otherwise  have  been  impossible 
to  do  with  precision."  He  calls  the  temple 
"one  of  the  wonders  of  antiquity,"  and  apolo- 
gizes for  the  expression  in  the  following  man- 
mer :  "We  are  apt,  doubtless,  to  charge  the 
trav:^lcr  with  exagg-^ration  who  endeavors,  by 
high-sounding  eulogiums,  to  enhance  the  merit 
of  his  fatigues,  or  the  value  of  his  labors  :  but 
here,  at  least,  plates  designed  with  care  will 
establish  the  truth  of  a  description  which 
might  otherwise  appear  extravagant. ' ' 

ITie  interior  of  the  temple  does  not  fulfill 
the  expectations  created  by  the  magnificence  of 
the  exterior.  Several  steps  lead  to  a  room,  the 
door  of  which  is  perceived  under  the  peristyle 
"  Although  the  chamber  is  hewn  regularly,  and 
is  in  good  proportion,  the  walls  are  rough,  iis 
doors  lead  to  nothing,  and  the  entire  appears 
to  have  been  abandoned  while  the  work  was  yet 
in  progress.  There  are  two  lateral  chambers, 
one  of  which  is  irregular,  and  the  other  pre- 
sents two  apertures,  which  seem  to  huve  been 
hewn  ff,r  two  cofBns." 

Ihe  following  description  of  this  temple  is 
^ven  by  Captains  Irby  and  Mangles:  "  The  po- 
sition IS  one  of  the  most  beautiful  that  could 
be  imagined  for  the  front  of  a  great  temple  the 
richness  and  exquisite  finish  of  whose  decora- 
□cns  offer  a  most  remarkable  contrast  to  the 


savage  scenery  that  surrounds  it.  It  is  of  a 
very  lofty  proportion,  the  elevation  comprising 
two  stories.  The  taste  is  not  exactly  to  be 
commended  ;  but  many  of  the  details  and  orna- 
ments, and  the  size  and  proportion  of  the  great 
doorway  especially,  to  which  there  are  five  steps 
of  ascent  from  the  portico,  are  very  noble.  No 
part  is  built,  the  whole  being  purely  a  work  of 
excavation  ;  and  its  minutest  embellishments, 
wherever  the  hand  of  man  has  not  purposely 
effaced  and  obliterated  them,  arc  so  perfect, 
that  it  may  be  doubted  whether  any  work  of 
the  ancients,  excepting,  perhaps,  some  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nile,  have  come  down  to  our  time 
so  little  injured  by  the  lapse  cf  ages.  Tliero 
is,  in  fact,  scarcely  a  building  cf  forty  years' 
standing  in  England  so  well  preserved  in  the 
greater  part  of  its  architectural  decorations. 
Of  the  larger  portions  of  the  architecture 
nothing  is  deficient,  excepting  a  single  column 
of  the  portico ;  the  statues  are  numerous  a»d 
colossal." 

iigyptian  Door-pin.'],  or  Hinges. 

f  HIS  door--  'n  and  hinge  may  look  clumsy,  but 
it  is  correct  in  principle,  and  our  architects,  in 
the  domestic  line,  would  do  well  to  profit  by  it. 
In  the  olden  time,  the  hinge  was  a  genuine 
article,  spreading  its  broad  and  elegantly- 
worked  arm  of  iron,  or  brass,  well  across  the 
door,  into  which  it  was  firmly  set.  It  did  not 
look  amiss,  but  ornament  was  not  the  object. 
It  solidified  the  whole  affair.  The  door  was 
swung  easily,  and  did  not  settle.  In  our  days, 
we  have  two  slight  metal  plates  at  the  end  of 
the  door,  held  in  by  slim  screws,  and  upon 
which  comes  all  the  strain  of  the  dotr  It 
gives,  aa   a  matter  of  course;   the  bolt  fails 


Egyptian  Vomon  Fronienading 
at  Cairo. 
In   the  hot   climate  of  Egypt 
the  j,roves  of  tycamores,    palm 
trees,  etc. ,  in  the  gravej'ards,  are 
a    favorite    promenade    for    the 
women.     It  is  a  mistake  to  sup- 
pose that  all  the  women  of  the 
East  wear  vails,  when  out  of  tho 
Harem,  for  the  middle  and  lower 
classes  often   go   without  them. 
The  presence    of  the  great,   fat 
and  consequential  major  domo  ii 
absolutely  necessary,    and  ho   carries  a   long 
bamboo   staff  to   keep   impertinent    strangers 
from  tho  bevy  of  damsels  under  his  charge. 


Great  Eylas  Templo  at  EUora. 

Of  the  Temples  at  EUora,  one  has  a  spacious 
court,  seventy  feet  square,  and  an  admirabl/ 
constructed  colonnade  on  the  sides.  In  tho 
interior  of  this  some  columns  support  a  music- 
gallery  with  a  fine  nave,  surrounded  on  thrca 
sides  by  triple  columns  supporting  the  sido- 
walls,  from  which  spring  several  noble  arches 
that  extend  round  the  templo  ;  at  the  extremity 
of  the  latter  a  kind  of  dome,  in  front  of  which 
Buddha  sits  on  a  throne,  with  an  attendant  oa 
either  side,  and  flying  figures  over  his  hea'i-- 
this  is  called  Biswarkama. 

Then     comes    the    grandest    building    ever 


""illllllll|l"'ll!l 


(Ulllliii  


BOYFTIAH   SOOtt-PUiS,    OK  BIBOBS 


EGYPT 


39 


witnessed— a  tem- 
ple, called  Kylas.  It 
is  not  only  an  exca- 
vated temple,  but  the 
whole  face  of  the  rock 
has  been  removed,  ex- 
cept what  was  neces- 
sary to  work  up  into, 
or  sculpture  out  into, 
a  magnificent  temple  ; 
for  every  part  is  just 
where  nature  put  it, 
like  a  piece  of  statu- 
ary. This  has  a  court 
forty  feet  wide  on  every 
side,  and  the  rock  near 
two  hundred  feet  per- 
pendicular height  at 
the  deepest  excavation 
down  to  the  courtyard. 
The  court  is  about  one 
hvmdred  and  fifty  feet 
wide  by  two  hundred 
deep.  It  is  surrounded 
by  cells  or  viharas. 
The  temple,  a  succes- 
sion of  chapels  and 
verandas  with  finely 
sculptured  columns. 
All  around  the  exte- 
rior are  very  elaborate 

alto-relievos.  Two  elephants  stand  in  the  court- 
yard ;  besides,  in  various  parts  sculpture  of 
the  most  revolting  description,  as  one  of  the 
engines  brought  into  the  contest  between  the 
Brahmins  and  Buddhists  was  sensuality,  and 
I)anderiug  to  the  passions,  as   the  Brahmins 


EGYITIAN   LADllS   PROMENADING    AT  CAIRO. 

did.    This  temple  was  finished  by  the  Brahmins  ' 
just  after  the  contest  teimiaated. 


One  may  live  as  a  conqueror,  a  king,  or  a 
magistrate ;  but  he  must  die  as  a  man. 


Egyptian  Ladies 
Indoors. 

Onb  of  the  most 
striking  peculiarities 
of  the  customs  of  the 
Orientals  is  the  singu- 
lar notions  entertained 
as  to  the  social  rela- 
tions of  women.  The 
dominion  of  the  oppo- 
site sex  is  an  institu- 
tion entirely  Western. 
In  the  Er.st  a  woman 
is  looked  upon  as  the 
slave  of  her  lord,  bom 
only  to  do  his  bidding, 
unworthy  of  his  con- 
fidence, and  unfit  for 
honorable  associetion. 
The  eye  of  the  traveler, 
upon  first  arriving  in 
Egypt,  and  circulating 
among  its  singular 
people,  is  first  struck 
by  the  vailed  faces  of 
the  women.  Their 
dress,  upon  the  whole, 
is  a  model  of  incon- 
venience, but  exempli- 
fies at  a  glance  tha 
jealous  subordination  in  which  the  female ;  are 
kept.  A  pair  of  neat  feet  encasetl  in  yellow  or 
red  leather  over-boots,  the  lower  portion  of 
black  or  blue  silk,  balloon-shaped  pants,  and  o 
pair  of  sparkling,  ofttimes  bewitching,  black 
eyes  peering  from   beneath   a  white  vail  and 


CKEAT   KTLAS  TEMPIK    AT    EllOIlA. 


40 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Uack  scarf,  are  all  that  escape  once^lment. 
The  vail,  which  extends  to  the  knees,  is  an  evi- 
dence of  chastity,  white  indicating  respecta- 
bility. The  poorer  classes  of  women  wear  vails 
of  coarse  blue  cotton  cloth.  To  see  au  Egyptian 
foman  in  public  without  a  vail  is  consid- 
red  highly  indecent,  and  she  is  not  secure  at 
against  rude  remarks  and  jeers  of  the  crowd. 
The  higher  the  social  standing  of  her  lord,  the 
greater  the  seclusion  exacted  from  the  woman. 
Frequently  in  the  evening  the  gilded  coaches 
of  the  wealthy,  with  closed  curtains,  may  be 
seen  driving  along  the  bazaars,  or  in  a  more 
humble  attitude,  a  woman,  or  rather  bundle  of 
Bilk,  mounted  astride  a  highly  caparisoned 
donkey,  followed  by  a  neatly  dressed  donkey- 
boy  and  attendant. 

In  the  sketch  which  we  give,  we  represent 
two  Egyptian  ladies  of  rank,  as  they  appear 
Indoors.  In  contrast  with  the  rigid  restrictions 
placed  upon  women  in  public  in  the  establish- 
ments of  the  rich,  great  taste  is  displayed  and 
<io  little  expense  is  incurred  to  make  their  im- 


prisonment attractive  and  luxurious.  From 
without,  the  buildings  present  no  regularity  of 
design,  and  are  enclosed  within  a  blank  wall 
completely  excluding  the  rude  gaze  of  outsiders. 
All  that  can  be  seen  are  a  series  of  dormar-win- 
dows,  opening  toward  the  wind  for  ventilation, 
balconies  and  bay-windows,  some  beautifully 
arched  with  stone  or  wood  chiseled  in  the  most 
chaste  forms  of  Saracenic  designs,  and  in  the 
absence  of  glass,  both  balconies  and  windows 
filled  with  very  fine  trelliswork,  which  com- 
pletely obstructs  the  piercing  curiosity  of  a 
stranger.  Within  the  walls  and  the  courts, 
however,  art  has  often  accomplished  her  best 
efforts. 

Fountains  and  innumerable  alabaster  and 
plaster  vases,  filled  with  fragrant  and  blooming 
flowers,  niches,  beautifully  worked  cornices, 
baths,  paved  floors,  frescoed  and  even  gilt  ceil- 
ings, cabinets  worked  in  arabesques,  and  divans 
for  indoleiit  repose.  Surrounded  by  these  plea- 
sures of  the  senses,  woman  of  the  better  class 
passes  her  useless  existence  to  gratify  the  pas- 


XGYPriAK   LADIES  IMDOOBS. 


sions  and  dissipate  the  ennui  of  her  lord  and 
master. 

Wealth  to  an  Oriental  seems  to  have  no  other 
value  than  as  a  medium  for  the  indulgence  of 
indolence.  While  one  man  revels  in  unbounded 
affluence,  thousands  struggle  beneath  the 
scourge  of  filth,  rags,  and  poverty  and.  hopeless 
oppression.  The  markets  of  Constantinople, 
with  their  Circassian  and  Georgian  beauties, 
bom  and  reared  amid  the  romantic  wilds  of  the 
mountains  of  their  native  land,  mostly  supply 
the  demands  of  the  Egyptian  trade. 


A  Tisit  to  the  Temple  of  Venus,  at 
Denderah,  Egypt. 

Crossino  to  the  western  side  of  the  river  at 
Gheneh,  a  ride  occupied  three-quarter.s  of  an 
hour.  A  portion  of  the  road  lay  below  the 
telegraph  wires,  between  two  railway-like  em- 
bankments, modern  and  unromantic-looking  in 
the  extreme,  and  little  in  accordance  with  the 
train  of  thought  and  anticipation  suggested  by 
a  visit  to  the  renovsTied  ' '  Temple  of  Venus. ' ' 

The  embankment  ceased  in  due  time,  and 
nature  appeared  again  clothed  in  fields  of  green 
com,  with  peas  and  beans  in  variously- colored 
blossoms,  among  which  we  found  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  the  wild  hyacinth.  Wo  had  raised 
our  minds  to  the  highest  pitch  of  pleasurable 
anticipation  as  we  drew  near  the  temple.  Per- 
haps this  was  the  reason  of  the  reaction  that 
ensued ;  but  when  we  entered  the  great  portico 
— shall  I  confess  it? — we  exclaimed  simulta- 
neously, with  mingled  feelings  of  disappoint- 
ment and  surprise,  "How  ugly  !" 

The  sound  of  our  own  words  startled  us,  and 
we  almost  expected  the  ancient  gods  and  god- 
desses around  to  start  into  life  and  rebuke  us  ; 
still  the  effect  was  the  same.  Heavy  grotesque, 
the  portico  appeared,  though  still  a  grand  and 
perfect  specimen  of  the  architecture  of  the  age. 
The  hall  beyond  has  much  greater  pretension 
to  beauty  and  elegance,  but  it  is  sadly  defaced, 
and  so  blackened  that  we  could  hardly  make 
out  anything.  The  atmosphere  in  this  and  in 
the  succeeding  chambers  was  so  impure  that  we 
could  do  little  more  than  poke  our  heads  in, 
cough,  and  come  out  again  into  the  portico,  to 
study  its  massiveness  and  perfect  preservation, 
if  our  taste  would  still  refuse  to  perceive  any 
beauty  in  the  style. 

The  portico  was  added  to  the  temple  by  the 
Emperor  Tiberius  ;  the  oldest  names  occurring 
on  the  building  are  those  of  Julius  Coesar,  the 
beautiful  Cleopatra,  and  their  son  Cajsarion,  or 
Neo-Ca;sar,  whose  portraits  are  found  on  one  of 
the  outer  walls.  It  was  extremely  hot,  and  I 
had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  finding  out  these 
figures,  not  knowing  exactly  where  to  look  for 
them.  I  did  find  them,  however,  and  thought 
that  either  Cleopatra  could  hardly  have  felt 
flattered  by  her  portrait,  did  she  ever  see  it,  or 
the  ideas  of  beauty  in  that  age  were  no  more 
in  accordance  with  modem  taste  than  was  the 
temple  of  Denderah  with  our  own. 

The  portico  has  twenty-four  columns,  six 
across  the  front,  closed  half  way  up  by  screens. 
Each  pillar  is  surmounted  by  a  woman's  head, 
four  times  repeated,  so  that  it  faces  you  every 
way  ;  and  these  are  again  crowned  with  a  largo 
square  block  of  stone,  sculptured  with  hiero- 
glyi)hics,  and  conveying  the   impression  of  a 


EGYPT. 


41 


far  greater  weight  than  the 
four  heads  together  are  calcu- 
lated to  support.  The  winged 
globes  all  along  the  centre  of 
the  roof  have  a  curious  effect. 
At  the  risk  of  breaking  our 
necks,  we  traced  out  a  great 
portion  of  the  zodiac,  painted 
up  there  ;  it  has  been  proved, 
like  the  rest  of  the  temple,  to 
be  of  Roman  origin,  although, 
both  here  and  at  Esneh,  the 
sign  Cancer  is  represented  by  a 
scarabeus,  and  not  a  crab. 
There  was  an  avenue  of 
sphinxes  leading  to  the  por- 
tico, and  extending  to  a  gate- 
way, which  stands  at  some 
distance.  The  ruins  of  various 
other  chapels  or  temples  are 
to  be  seen  at  short  distances 
from  the  Great  Temple.  On 
these  we  could  only  cast  a  pass- 
ing glance,  and  peep  at  the 
ngly  giant-monster  Typhon, 
represented  upon  one  of  them. 


<(^i> 


Zeynab. 

A  LADT  who  spent  some  time 
In  laboring  among  Egyptian 
children,  thus  describes  one 
whom  she  met  near  the  Vir- 
gin's Tree : 

"  Presently  a  young  girl,  who 
was  strolling  about,  apparently 
without  anything  to  do,  her 
morning  labors  being  over,  as 
it  was  now  eight  o'clock  or 
more,  came  up  to  our  party  and  saluted  tis 
good-humoredly,  looking  curious  enough  to 
see  such   unaccustomed  visitors  in   her  quiet 

grove.     Our  friend,  Mrs.    R ,   invited  her 

to  sit  down  beside  us  Eind  entered  into  conver- 
sation with  her.  She  was  a  very  interesting- 
looking  creature,  though  her  features  were  not 
particularly  handsome,  except  her  eyes,  which 
were  full  of  intelligence,  and  of  a  sort  of  olive 
color,  which  I  never  before  saw  in  an  Egyptian 
girl,  black  being  the  universal  hue.  Her  com- 
plexion was  darkened  by  exposure  to  the  sun 
to  a  much  deeper  brown  than  that  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city,  and  made  her  white 
teeth  more  brilliantly  white  by  contrast.  She 
might  have  been  eighteen  or  more,  to  judge 
by  looks,  but  was,  no  doubt,  at  least,  three 
years  younger.  In  the  country  the  girls  do 
not  appear  to  be  so  early  married  as  in  the 
towns,  for  Zeynab  (she  said  that  was  her  name) 
was  uimxarried  still. 

' '  Mrs.  R read  her  a  few  passages  out  of  her 

Arabic  Testament,  but  so  utterly  fallow  was 
the  girl's  mind,  (not  only  ignorant  of  every- 
thing beyond  the  narrow  round  of  material 
concerns  in  which  she  had  been  raised,  but 
unused  to  think  at  all),  that  she  found  it  better 
to  talk  than  to  read.  The  girl  became  inter- 
ested ;  she  had  intelligence,  and  she  listened 
and  asked  questions,  and  had  evidently  no 
desire  to  go  away, 

"  When  the  children  could  no  longer  be  kept 
from  demanding  their  mothers'  attention,  and 
she  was  obliged  to  leave  her  new  pupil,  instead 
of  taking  her  departure,  Zeynab  came  to  sit 


TEMPLE  OF  VENUS  AT  BESDERAH — INTERIOR   VIEW. 


beside  me  and  asked  me  what  I  was  doing.  (I 
was  drawing.)  A  picture  of  any  kind  was,  of 
course,  a  complete  novelty  to  her,  but  on  being 
shown  the  trees,  etc.,  and  then  told  that  these 
marks  and  colors  were  to  represent  them,  she 
understood  the  object  very  readily,  and  watched 
the  process  with  great  satisfaction. 

"  I  then  called  her  attention  to  the  beauty  of 
the  trees  and  talked  about  gardens  (every 
Egyptian  delights  in  a  garden  beyond  anything 
else),  and  then  related  to  her  the  story  about 
the  garden  of  Eden,  and  Adam  and  Eve. 

"When  we  came  to  the  sentence  of  death,  I 
asked  where  she  thought  she  would  go  after 
she  died.  She  opened  her  bright  eyes  very 
wide,  and  then  drooping  the  long  black  eye- 
lashes over  them  and  raising  her  hands  with  a 
gesture  between  uneasiness  and  indifference, 
replied : 

"  'Marafsheh!'  (the  common  Egyptian  con- 
traction of  the  word,  meaning,  '  I  do  not 
know,'  or,  'I  know  nothing  of  it.') 

"  '  You  have  a  soul,  Zeynab  ;  it  is  not  only 
men  who  have  souls — every  child,  every  girl, 
has  a  soul.' 

"  'Yes,  lady,  I  know  it.' 

"  '  Have  you  not  heard  that  every  soul  must 
go  either  to  Heaven  or  Hell?  Have  you  not 
heard  of  Heaven  and  Hell  ?' 

"  '  Yes,  I  know,'  she  said  again. 

' ' '  Well,  when  this  is  all  become  dust  (touching 
her  arm),  where  do  you  think  your  soul  will 
go?' 

" '  Marafsheh,'  she  repeated,  very  sadly, 
hanging  down  her  head. 


"After  talking  some  little  time,  I  took  leave, 
engaging  her  to  come  and  see  me,  with  her 
mother,  which  she  promised  to  do  very  soon,  as 
Ramadan  was  near  at  hand,  and  no  Moslems 
willingly  undertake  long  walks  or  pay  visits  in 
that  month,  as  they  dare  not  take  anv  refresh- 
ment. 

' '  Early  the  following  week  my  expected 
visitors  made  their  appearance  between  nine 
and  ten  o'clock. 

' '  Zeynab  and  her  mother  walked  into  the  class- 
room where  I  was  teaching,  one  bearing  a  jar 
of  new  milk  on  her  head  and  the  other  a  cloth 
in  her  hand,  containing  a  number  of  fresh  eggs : 
they  had  walked  at  least  three  miles  with  these 
as  a  present  for  me  ! 

"  Zeynab' s  eyes  shone  like  opals  in  her  brown, 
sunburnt  face,  as  she  affectionately  greeted  me ; 
and  the  old  dame  was  as  cordial  m  her  own 
way.  I  brought  them  up-stairs,  and  they  were 
as  delighted  and  amazed  at  the  sight  of  the 
simple  apartment  as  if  it  had  been  a  room  in  a 
palace.  The  dimity  curtain,  and  clean,  white- 
waslied  walls,  the  plain  but  commodious  divan, 
and  a  deal  table,  covered  with  a  crimson  cotton 
cloth,  appeared  wonderful  luxuries  to  eyes  only 
accustomed  to  dirty  and  unfurnished  mud 
cabins. 

' '  The  mother  was  the  most  curious,  and  begged 
permission  to  look  behind  the  curtain,  which 
formed  one  end  of  the  long  room  in*!  a  bed- 
chamber. 

"  Here  her  surprise  and  admiration  were  in- 
creased by  the  spectacle  of  a  littls  toilet-stand 
of  the  humblest  style  possible,  but  above  which 


42 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


hung  a  mirror  longer  than  her  hand,  and  in 
which  she  could,  for  the  first  time,  see  her 
whole  face  reflected. 

"  'Zeynab,  girl,  come  here  !— come  and  look !' 
she  exclaimed. 

' '  The  brushes  and  pincushion  were  scarcely  less 
marvels  of  curiosities  ;  and  many  were  her  ex- 
clamations of  '  Ma.shallah !'  ('What  God 
willeth'— 'Cometh  to  pass'  being  implied  or 
understood) — '  wonderful !' 

' '  I  asked  if  she  had  foun  1  any  difficulty  in  dis- 
covering the  house  ? 

"'No,'  she  said:  'I  did  just  as  you  told 
me :  came  first  to  Bab-el  Hadeed,  then  walked 
up  the  broad  road,  and  then  asked  for  Bab-el 
Baher,  and  they  showed  me  :  then,  I  came,  as 
you  said,  to  the  blacksmith's  shop,  i;nd  he  knew 
you,  and  said  this  was  the  bouse. ' 

' '  Among  the  various  articles  in  the  room,  none 
more  amazed  my  guests  than  the  bookshelf, 
with  about  two  dozen  volumes. 

'■  '  Have  you  really  read  all  those  books  ?'  the 
mother  said,  and  was  evidently  amazed  at  the 
amount  of  learning  it  implied ;  she  even  rose 
again  from  her  seat,  and  went  to  the  shelf  to 
look  closer  at  the  books,  and  count  them  over." 


^'  ^  5^  .-V 


A  Primitive  Abyssinian  Boat. 

OcR  Celtic  ancestors  in  their  coiTacks,  wicker- 
baskets  covered  with  hides,  ventured  on  distant 
voyages  to  the  coasts  of  Iceland,  France  and 
Spain.  Hora<»  extols  to  the  skies  the  unknown 
hero  who  first  had  courage  to  venture  upon 
water,  trusting  to  frail  oak.  How  much  greater 
heroes  were  our  Celtic  sires!  But  their  cor- 
racks,  frail  as  they  were,  yield  to  the  Abyssinian 
hokoomada,  inasmuch  as  it  is  simply  tlie  hide 
without  a  framework. 

A  traveler  thus  describes  his  crossing  of  the 
small  river  Goante : 

"  A  stiff  hide  is  raised  up  on  the  edges  so  as 
to  form  a  sort  of  bowl,  into  which  the  passenger 
gets  carefully,  and  crouches  down,  still  more 
carefully  preserving  his  equilibrium.  Boat  and 
man  are  then  launched,  and  a  native,  holding 
the  cord  attached  to  the  bark,  plunges  into  the 
stream  and  guides  it  on,  or  follows  it,  impelling 


it  with  one  hand.  Sometimes  botli  motive 
powers  are  employed.  My  servant,  Enghedda, 
firet  essayed  it,  but  the  hokoomada  was  badly 
managed.  It  took  in  water,  and  down  went 
sliip  and  passenger.  Three  men  dashed  in  and 
fished  them  up. 

"  My  men  began  to  rebel  against  undertak- 
ing such  a  dangerous  voyage,  so  I  got  in  and 
passed  safely  over,  and  on  landing  I  turned 
b.ick,  smiling,  to  encourage  them.  In  ten 
minutes  we  were  all  ferried  over,  and  giving  a 
heur  to  the  native,  for  ho  had  assisted  us,  we 
continued  o)!r  route  to  Goumara." 


/,   fRUUIlVii   ABXSSIMIAN    BOAT. 


Shopping  in  Egypt. 
The  streets  .tro  generally  crammed  witb  peo- 
ple, and  lined  with  busy  shops,  each  s'lop  being 
a  small  open  room,  unconnected  with  the  house 
by  any  door  or  passage  ;  and  closed  in  r,t  night 
by  folding-doors,  secured  by  locks  and  bolfcs 
outside.  It  is  fitted  all  round  with  shelves  or 
cases  for  merchandise,  and  has  a  floor  raised 
about  two  feet  from  t'.-c  ground,  wliich  projects 
about  the  same  distance  into  the  roadway,  and 
upon  which  carpets  and  cushions  are  jjlaced  for 
customers,  who  seat  thomselves  on  this  rude 
divan  while  they  arrange  purchases.  This  is 
always  a  lengthy  business,  and  expected  to  be 
so  by  buyer  and  seller,  who  quietly  give  them- 
selves up  to  a  half  hour's  "  haggle"  over  every 
trifle.  The  buyer  seated,  the  seller  offers  a  pipe, 
and  sends  to  the  nearest  coffee-house  for  cups  of 
the  hot  beverage.  Tlien  begins  the  exaltation 
of  the  article  to  be  sold,  and  an  extravagant 
price  is  named,  to  be  succeeded  by  as  great  a 
depreci  tion  of  price  and  quality  on  the  part  of 
the  buyer.  Then  the  subject  is  dropped,  pipe;; 
and  coffee  resumed,  to  be  after  a  time  renewed, 
as  before,  until  something  like  a  fair  medium  is 
reached,  and  the  bargain  concluded.  There  is 
no  fixed  price  for  anything  ;  hence  you  cannot, 
as  in  Europe,  ask  for  an  article,  pay  its  value, 


and  leave  a  shop  with  it  iu  the  course  of  five 
minutes ;  it  is  impossible  thus  to  economise 
time  in  the  F-ast.  The  subdivision  of  trade, 
too,  is  another  hindrance.  If  a  man  wants  a 
turban,  he  has  to  go  to  one  dealer  for  tlie  scar- 
let skuU-aip,  fez,  or  tarboosh  ;  to  another  for  the 
heavy  silk  tassel,  and  to  a  third  for  the  shawl 
which  he  winds  about  it,  and  so  makes  it  com- 
plete. One  man  deals  in  pipe-stems,  generally 
made  cf  jasmin  or  cherry-stick;  a  second  drills 
them  ;  a  third  dcali  in  p.mbcr  mouth-pieces ;  a 
fourth  in  the  red  earthen  bowh  from  biout  or 
Stamboul ;  a  fifth  in  leaf-tob.-.cco,  which  a  man 
cuts  up  for  you  ;  and  thu.i  half  a  day  may  be 
easily  consumed  in  obtaining  what  half  an  hour 
would  secure  to  you  in  Xew  York.  Each  trade  is 
distinct,  and  has  its  own  appointed  distr  ct,  so 
that  much  time  i:i  cccup-ed  in  visiting  shops 
widely  asunder. 


Scene  near  Alexandria— Women  Drawing 
"Water  from  a  Well. 

Standinq  on  the  desert  shore,  which  stretches 
out  one  long  waste,  your  eye  will  catch  a  few 
solitary  jjalms  overhanging  and  announcing  a 
fountain,  or  well,  rather,  to  wliich  the  women 
come  to  draw  water,  that  menial  act  so  asso- 
ciated with  all  our  ideas  cf  E.TBtem  life,  and 
entering  into  many  cf  the  finest  pictures  pre- 
sented to  us  by  the  Scriptures. 

From  such  a  point  as  we  have  selected,  be- 
yond these  trees,  and  then  a  group  of  women, 
will  he  seen  the  city  of  Alexandria. 

There  is  nothing  remarkable  about  it.  Not- 
withstanding the  white  palace,  the  old  Bummer- 
house  cf  the  Pasha,  and  other  distinguished 
buildings,  Alexandria  looks  like  a  long  hori- 
zontal streak  of  whitewash  min;;led  %vith  brown, 
.and  crossed  perpendicularly  with  the  sharp 
lines  of  ships'  masts.  The  bay  in  front  is  now 
plowed  by  modem  steamers  ;  along  the  beach 
hurry  as  modem  land  convcy;:nces. 

Enter  the  town  and  you  find  that  the  quaint 
and  curious  costumes  of  the  people,  the  queer 
shops,  and  the  strongly-defined  character  cf  the 
whole  place,  a;;  well  as  the  busy,  crowded  ba- 
zaars, all  abound  la  interest.     The  long  lines 


SUOPPING    IN    EQTPT 


EGYPT. 


43 


44 


THE    WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONS. 


of  camels  that  slowly  pace  the  streets  give  a 
novel  aspect  to  them  ;  they  are  melancholy, 
half-dried  looking  animals,  of  solemn,  heavy 
gait,  and  pace  on  through  the  densest  crowds, 
utterly  regardless  of  the  people,  who  have  to 
look  out  for  themselves,  and  hasten  into  the 
aaarest  shop,  to  avoid  the  blows  of  heavy 
stones,  or  piles  of  wood,  which  are  loosely  hung 
by  palm-Topes  to  their  sides,  and  sway  about  in 
a  dangerous  way,  sometimes  scratching  the 
walls  on  both  sides  of  the  streets.  Even  in  the 
narrow  »ookhs,  or  closed  bazaars,  these  beasts 
ire  allowed  to  pass,  to  the  great  inconvenience 
or  everybody. 

Their  drivers  sit  on  elevated  seats  upon  their 
humps,  and  swing  backward  and  forward  with 
an  uneasy  motion  that  must  be  painful  to  the 
back,  and  almost  as  disagreeable  as  that  of  a 
vessel  at  sea. 

The  most  pictuiesqus  parts  of  the  town  are, 
as  usual,  the  most  filthy.  Every  artist  has  had 
abundant  experience  of  this  fact  at  home  and 
abroad.  Thus  some  of  the  nastiest  alleys  of 
Alexandria  have  "bits,"  that,  reproduced  in 
pictures,  might  make  a  painter's  fortune. 
Gleams  of  sunshine,  more  intense  than  we 
northern  men  ever  see  at  home,  dazzle  the  eye 
here,  almost  like  the  Bude  light ;  and  strike 
iicross  streets  of  richly-carved  houses,  lighting 
up  the  gayly-colored  dresses  of  the  people,  to 
which  the  dark  houses,  and  the  dirt  and  dust 
"verywhere.  act  as  a  useful  foil ;  tattered  cloths, 
1 1   strips   of  prismatic  tints,  hang  across  the 


THE   PTRAJITDS   OF  EGYPT. 

wider  streets  to  keep  off  the  sun.  All  this  is 
delightful  in  pictures,  where  smells  can  never 
be  reproduced,  nor  dirt,  nor  flies,  nor  other 
vermin  that  disgust  strangers,  and  which  no 
care  ou  their  part  can  prevent  them  from  be- 
coming painfully  familiar  with.  Entomology 
may  be  a  pleasant  study  when  properly  con- 
ducted, but  as  you  are  forced  to  study  it  in 
Egypt  it  is  simply  disgusting. 

Owing  to  the  rough  way  in  which  the  houses 
are  constructed,  they  have  when  new  a  half- 
ruinous  look.  Some  of  the  older  ones  have 
elegant  examples  of  woodwork  in  the  project- 
ing windows,  formed  by  open  1  ittices  of  en- 
riched geometric  design. 

The  bazaars  are  generally  gay  with  colored 
wares ;  those  of  the  silk-merchants  and  the 
shoesellers  are  the  most  picturesque ;  the  richly- 
tinted  silks,  and  the  ranges  of  bright  red  and 
yellow  slippers,  have  a  very  gay  effect. 

The  native  coffee-shops  are  dark  and  dirty 
(as,  indeed,  are  most  others)  ;  the  jewelers'  are 
curious  from  the  style  of  their  designs,  as  well 
as  the  cheap  character  of  the  finery,  which  the 
poorest  women  will  insist  on  wearing  in  pro- 
fusion. 

The  provision-market  is  well  stocked ;  and 
l.ere  you  may  occasionally  see  how  h<ird  poor 
women  work  as  porters.  Balancing  upon  their 
heads  a  shallow,  broad,  wooden  bowl,  have 
seen  them  loaded  with  the  fore-quarter  of  an 
ox,  which  they  carry  from  the  slaughter-houses 
outside  the  town  to  the  butchers'  quarter  in  its 


interior.  They  will  ordinarily  carry  fifty  okt 
(the  oke  being  about  two  and  three-quarter 
pounds  English). 

The  male  porters  are  generally  supposed  to 
be  able  to  carry  about  a  hundred  oke ;  they 
move  very  heavy  building  stones,  by  balancing 
them  on  their  backs,  bending  forward,  ana 
carrying  the  hands  backward  as  a  support  for 
the  lower  edge  of  the  stone.  They  generally 
place  a  cord  over  the  shoulders,  like  a  slinj,  to 
secure  boxes,  etc. 

The  Pyramids  of  Egypt. 

The  Suez  Canal  has  lately  attracted  so  miicn 
notice  to  the  grand  old  bnd  of  I'har.ioh,  that 
there  is  no  telling  what  discoveries  may  not  be 
made  there  when  once  the  stream  of  human 
life  begins  to  pour  across  that  little  isthmus 
from  the  Mediternmean  to  the  Bed  Sea. 

Egypt  is  distinguished  for  her  vast  antiquities, 
large  portions  of  which  bear  no  marks  of  de- 
cay, and  yet  display,  in  all  their  grandeur 
and  entirety,  the  arts  and  the  power  of  the 
first  feneration  of  men.  These  remains  are 
remarkable  for  their  magnitude,  the  aim  of 
their  contrivers  being  apparently  to  astonish  by 
their  immensity — which  is  particularly  con- 
spicuous in  the  pyramids.  Tlie  largest  of  these 
measures  nearly  five  hundred  feet  in  perpen- 
dicular height,  and  has  a  square  base  of  seven 
hnniJred.  The  greater  part  consists  of  a  solid 
masri  of  masonry,  composed  of  "  Syene  marble,*' 


EGYPT. 


45 


Or  red  granite.  The  temples,  though  they  can- 
hot  rival  the  stupendousness  of  the  pyramids, 
yet  appear  to  exceed  every  other  work  of  human 
art.  The  site  of  Thebes  exhibits  a  space  of  ten 
miles,  almost  entirely  covered  with  colossal 
sacred  ruins.  Even  the  statues  witli  which  they 
are  adorned  always  possess  gigantic  dimensions. 


The  Sycamore  of  the  Virgin. 

Tradition  represents  Matarieh,  in  Egypt,  as 
having  been  the  residence  of  Christ  and  his 
mother  during  tlieir  exile  in  the  land  of  Pharaoh , 
and  a  sycamore  is  shown  as  having  given  its 
refreshing  shade  to  the  Messiah  and  to  Mary. 
A  French  traveler  says  : 

"Not  f.ir  from  Mary's  Fountain,  I  was  led 
within  an  inclosure  set  with  trees;  our  Moslem 
guide  stopped  us  before  a  sycamore,  saying : 
'  This  is  the  Tree  of  Jesus  and  Mary. '  Vansleb, 
Cure  of  Fontainebleau,  states  that  the  ancient 
sycamore  fell  of  old  age  in  1058  ;  and  fragments 
of  it  are  preserved  by  the  Franciscans  at  Cairo. 


Only  the  stump  remained,  and  from   this  the 
present  tree  shot  up." 

Lady  Herbert  of  Lea,  in  her  recent  work 
"Cradle  Lands,"  says  of  her  p.rty:  "They 
passed  through  a  sandy  plain,  full  of  cotton, 
date-pdms,  and  bananas,  and  by  a  succession 
of  miserable  native  huts,  which  consist  of  mud 
walls,  with  a  roof  of  Indian  corn,  and  a  hole  in 
tlie  wall  for  light,  until  they  came  to  an  obelisk, 
and  from  thence  to  a  garden,  in  the  centre  of 
which  is  a  sycamore  tree,  carefully  preserved, 
under  which  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph 
are  said  to  have  rested  with  the  infant  Saviour, 
on  their  flight  into  Egypt.  It  is  close  to  a  well 
of  pure  water,  and  surrounded  with  the  most 
lieautiful  roses  and  Egyptian  jasmin." 


Sawing  "Wood  in  Ancient  Egypt. 
There  is  something  very  interesting  in  the 
details  of  daily  life  and  labor  among  the  an- 
cient Egyptians,  so  strangely  preserved  in  their 
pictured  tombs.     From  one  of  these  we  take  a 


picture  of  an  Egyptian  carpenter  using  a  saw, 
thus  showing  how  early  the  handsaw  waa 
known.  Egyptian  saws  were  of  bronze,  finely 
tempered,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  teeth 
point  to  the  handle,  not  from  it.  To  this  day 
the  Chinese  and  Japanese  carpenters,  like  the 
ancient  Egyptians,  saw  toward  them,  not  from, 
them.  The  handle  of  the  Egyptian  saw  is  less 
fitted  to  give  purchase  in  working  than  that 
which  we  have  adopted. 


Ancient  Egyptian  Chair. 
It  will  surprise  some  of  our  readers  to  see  so 
modern-looking  a  chair  ascribed  to  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  yet  it  is  accurately  copied  from  a 
mural  painting  on  an  ancient  tomb  in  the  land 
of  the  Pharaohs.  It  shows,  too,  that  in  many 
points  early  Egyptian  civilization  was  nearer  to 
our  own  than  other  lands  in  far  less  remote 
ages.  This  chair,  evidently  well-  upholstered 
and  cushioned,  would  afford  a  more  comroriable 
seat  in  sickness,  or  in  advanced  years,  vaaix 


THK  STCAMOKE  OF  THE  VIEOnj. 


46 


THE     WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


aonid  be  foiind  in  the  palace  of  a  Plantagenet. 
Ouv  modern  cabinet.-maker8  would  improve  it  in 
some  points,  but  not  in  many,  for,  with  all 
deference  to  them,  we  believe  the  art  of  manu- 
f  1  jturing  uncomfortable  chairs  seems,  at  the 
present  time,  to  have  been  more  successfully 
cultivated  than  its  reverse. 

So  near  are  we  to  ancient  Egypt,  that  a  mode 
of  raising  water,  which  is  shown  in  ancient 
Egyptian  paintings,  has  been  patented  at  Wash- 
ington as  original,  and,  of  course,  was  carefully 
axammed  before  the  patent  issued. 


Ancient  Egyptian  Oonchu. 
Very  few  individuals  of  this  generation 
Would  consider  the  couches  on  which  the 
tmcients  reclined  as  at  all  comparable  to  those 
now  in  use ;  and  it  is  surprising  how 
the  Grecians,  Romans  and  Egyptians,  could 
relish  a  dinner  taken  in  a  recumbent  position. 
In  the  era  of  the  Eoman  Republic  the  people 
Bat  on  hard  benches  upright  as  they  do  in  our 
owa  country ;  but  as  conquest  corrupted  their 
manners,  the  wealthier  classes  imitated  the 
Asiatic  nations,  and  reclined  at  their  meals. 
Our  engraving  represents  the  ancient  Egyptian 
couches,  which  were  usee  both  for  sleeping  and 
eating  purposes. 

<i^i> 

An  Abyssinian  Ferry-boat. 

The  Abyssinians,  whom  the  English  so  se- 
verely chastised  in  1868,  are  a  curious  com- 
pound of  barbarism  and  semi-civilization. 
Their  early  acceptance  of  Christianity  brought 
some  gleams  of  progress  which  have  been  lost 
in  the  night  of  the  native  savagery. 

A  French  traveler,  Le  Jean,  gives  an  illustra- 
tion of  a  feixy-boat  in  which  he  crossed  the 
Goumara.  He  had  just  crossed  the  Goante  ic 
a  hokoomada,  an  OX  hide  made  into  a  cup-shape, 
and  propelled  from  behind  by  a  swimmer : 

This  might  do  /or  a,  small  stream ;  but  the 


ANcmn  tarsTiAS  cbahl 


SA.WING  WOOD   IN   ANCIE-VT   EGYPT. 

Goumara  boasted  a  regular  ferry  and  means  of 
crossing.  This  was  a  tankoa.  It  was  not  ex- 
actly a  steamboat,  as  our  readers  perceive ;  it 
was  a  rectangular  raft  capable  of  carrying  si.x 
or  eight  persons,  and  composed  of  bundles  of 
straw  firmly  bound  together.  It  is  quite  thick, 
and  draws  about  twenty  inches.  Sink  it  can- 
not ;  the  worst  danger  is  that  in  a  heavy  sea 
you  may  slide  gracefully  off,  there  being  no- 
thing at  the  side  to  keep  the  passengers  in,  or 
water  out.  In  a  country  where  swimming 
comes  by  nature,  this  is  an  unimportant  omis- 
sion. 

The  baggage  was  placed  astern  j  the  boatman 
is  at  the  bow,  with  no  means  of  propulsion  but 
a  pole. 

In  this  respect  the  tankoa  is  a  type  of  the 
routine  spirit  of  the  Abyssinians ;  they  have 
never  learned,  either  from  reflection  or  from  the 
example  of  the  savages  bordering  on  the  Nile, 
that  a  wide,  thin  paddle  would  give  them 
greater  motive  power.  Hence  the  raft  could 
with  difficulty  combat  the  current,  and,  often 
yielding  in  the  struggle,  was  borne  back  near 
the  starting-point,  the  whole  afternoon  being 
consumed  in  traversing  the  muddy  river. 


and  then  we  both  set  to  teaching  the  five  firft 
letters  of  their  difficult  alphabet,  till  thef 
seemed  to  be  getting  tired  ;  they  were  then 
allowed  a  rest,  and  afterward  a  singing-lessoa 
was  commenced. 

' '  The  neighbors  might  have  supposed  a  set  of 
cats  to  be  the  pupils,  if  they  listened  to  the 
discordant  sounds  which  the  first  attempt  at  a 
{;amut  produced ;  but  as  the  proverb  says, 
'  Children  and  fools  should  not  see  things  half 
done.' 

"  Three  months  later,  a  stranger  visiting  the 
school  was  delighted  at  the  sweet  singing  of 
the  hymns !  The  mewing  and  squeaking  were 
nearly  forgotten  by  that  time. 

' '  The  children  were  delighted  when  the  work- 
hour  arrived,  the  real  inducement  to  most  of 
them  and  their  mothers  having  been  the  needle- 
work. Perhaps  the  teachers  were  not  sorry 
when  every  little  brown  middle  finger  was  sup- 
plied with  a  new  thimble,  and  they  could  sit 
down  for  a  few  minutes.  No  one  who  has  not 
tried  it  can  conceive  the  difficulty  of  teaching 
those  who  have  not  only  no  wish  to  learn,  but 
no  idea  of  what  learning  is,  or  what  possible 
good  is  to  bo  gained  by  all  this  trouble  ;  and, 
ot  course,  the  strain  upon  the  mind  is  greatly 
increased  when  one's  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage is  very  limited  indeed. 

' '  The  children  all  took  willingly  to  sewing ; 
indeed,  they  had  many  times  in  the  course  oi 
the  forenoon  thrown  down  the  cards,  and  cried 
out :  '  The  work !  give  us  the  work !' 

•'  The  English  needles  and  scissors  gave  much 
pleasure,  and  were  eagerly  examined  by  some 
mothers  and  elder  sisters  who  paid  visits  to  the 
schoolroom  in  the  course  of  the  day  to  see 
what  the  foreigner  was  doing  with  their  little 
ones ;  for,  if  ignorant,  they  are  usually  very 
fond  parents.     Some  brought  bread,  bunches  of 


A  School  in  Egypt. 

Mrs.  Parkes,  wife  of  an  English  official,  and 
who  resided  in  Cairo  for  several  years,  gives  the 
following  graphic  description  of  Egyptian  school 
life: 

"  At  last  the  grown-up  children  departed,  and 
the  two  little  scholars,  with  the  two  Syrian  chil- 
dren— sister  to  the  young  teacher — were  estab- 
lished on  the  mat,  and  were  soon  joined  by 
several  more,  till  at  length,  by  about  ten 
o'clock,  we  had  nine  pupils  seated  i;i  a  semi- 
circle— all  Moslems ! 

"No  recruiting-sergeant  was  ever  liiilf  so 
pleased  with  a  handful  of  future  soldiers,  for  it 
was  beating  up  for  recruits  for  the  Lord !  Each 
was  now  asked  her  name  in  turn,  and  then  who 
had  made  her,  to  which  the  older  ones  replied, 
'  Allah.'    Several  little  ones  said  '  Mohammed.' 

"  The  first  verse  in  the  Bible,  '  In  the  begin- 
ning,' etc.,  was  repeated  to  them,  and  they 
were  taught  to  say  it,  first  each  one  by  herself, 
and  then  altogether.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  instructions  for  them,  poor  children  !  The 
young  teacher  was  too  inexperienced  to  be  able 
to  explain  it,  so  I  did  what  I  could  in  that  way ; 


ASCnUT    EOYPTIAU     COUCIIKS. 


EGYPT 


4T 


48 


THE    WORLD'S     GREAT    JSATIONS 


A  SCHOOL  IN  EOYPT. 


raw  carrots,  or  some  such  dainty,  and,  aftcv 
giving  it  to  tlie  cliildren.  would  squat  down  on 
the  mat  to  watch  tlie  proceedings.  Of  course, 
it  did  rather  interfere  with  business,  hut  it  will 
not  do  to  strain  a  new  rope  too  tight ;  and,  be- 
sides, Eastern  manners  are  unlike  ours,  and  I 
thought  it  wisest  never  to  meddle  with  them, 
unless  some  real  evil  wag  in  question. 

"  Though  ragged  and  dirty,  the  children  had 
not  in  general  the  starved  looks  of  too  many 
scholars  in  our  beloved  country  ;  nor  do  ragged 
clothes  and  dirty  faces  imply  such  a  degree  of 
p;>verty  as  with  us.  In  the  higher  classes  a 
child  is  often  intentionally  kept  dirty  to  avoid 
the  evil  eye,  and  perhaps  this  feeling  may  have 
given  the  idea  that  ragged  clothes  are  no  dis- 
grace. 

"In  the  country  villages,  a  blue  cotton  shirt  is 
the  unvarying  costiune  of  boys  and  girls,  the 
latter  having  the  addition  of  a  vail,  the  former 
of  a  cotton  cap.  But  in  the  city  the  dress  ii 
more  varied,  and  most  of  the  scholars  wore 
colored  print  trowsers  and  little  jiickets,  or  some 
other  article  ;  they  looked  much  as  if  the  con- 
tents of  an  old  clothesman's  bag  had  been 
scattered  over  tliem  at  random,  as  there  was 
not  one  of  the  nine  in  whole  or  well-fitting  gar- 
ments. Still,  when— between  coaxing  and  a 
little  manual  aid — the  young  faces  were  all 
washed  clean,  they  were  not  a  bad-looking 
circle  :  several  had  very  pretty  features  —  the 
soft,  black  eye  of  Egypt  has  great  beauty,  and 
they  all  have  white  and  even  teeth." 


rooms  peacefully  knitting  stockmgs  to  sell  to 
European  tourists,  who  give  them  three  times 
what  the  stockings  are  worth,  being  unable  to 
fight  out  the  matter  in  Arabic."  The  people 
of  Cairo,  except  in  the  season  of  Ramadan,  retire 
to  rest  early,  and  their  night  patrol  have  little 
to  do  beyond  watching  the  mosques,  and  arrest- 
ing prowlers  who  lurk  in  the  bazaars,  on  the 
look-out  for  plunder. 


The  Colossi  of  Menmon,  in  Egypt. 
The  easternmost  of  the  two  sitting  colossi 
was  once  the  wonder  cf  the  ancients.  It  has 
been  a  subject  of  controversy  among  modern 
writers,  some  of  whom,  notwithstanding  t'.io 
numerous  inscriptions  which  decide  it  to  have 


been  the  vocal  Mcmnon  of  the  l!omai,_,  nave 
thought  fit  to  doubt  its  being  the  very  statua 
said  by  ancient  authors  to  utter  a  sound  at  the 
rising  of  the  sun.  Strabo,  who  visited  it  with 
ffilius  Gallus,  the  Governor  of  Egypt,  confesses 
that  he  heard  the  sound,  but  could  not  affirm 
whether  it  proceeded  from  the  pedestal  or  from 
the  statue  itself,  or  even  from  some  of  thosa 
who  stood  near  its  base  ;  and  it  appears,  from 
his  not  mentioning  the  name  Memuon,  that  it 
was  not  yet  supposed  to  be  the  statue  of  that 
doubtful  personage.  The  colossi  measure  about 
eighteen  feet  three  inches  across  the  shoulders, 
sixteen  feet  six  inches  from  the  top  of  the 
shoulders,  seventeen  feet  nine  inches  from  the 
elbow  to  the  fingers'  end,  and  nineteen  feet  eight 
inches  from  the  knee  to  the  plant  of  the  foot. 
The  thrones  are  ornamented  with  the  figures  of 
the  god  Kilus,  who,  holding  the  stalks  of  two 
plants  peculiar  to  the  river,  is  busy  in  binding 
up  a  pedestal  or  table,  surmounted  by  the  name 
of  the  Egyptian  monarch  —  a  symbolic  group — 
indicating  his  dominion  over  the  upper  and 
lower  countries.  A  line  of  hieroglyphics  ex- 
tends perpendicularly  down  the  back,  from  the 
shoulder  to  the  pedestal,  containing  the  name 
of  the  Pharaoh  they  represent.  Three  hundred 
feet  behind  these  are  the  remains  of  another 
colossus  of  similar  form  and  dimensions,  which, 
fallen  prostrate,  is  partly  buried  in  the  alluvial 
denosits  of  the  Kile. 


Petes  of  the  Viceroy  of  Egypt. 
Tub  Viceroy  of  Egypt  celebrated  the  an- 
niversary of  his  accession,  on  January  18th, 
1869,  by  a  series  of  festivities.  A  regatta  was 
held  on  Lake  Timsah,  which  borders  tlie  town 
of  Ismailia,  the  central  station  of  the  Suez 
Canal,  and  the  boats  were  principally  those 
connected  with  the  works  on  the  canal.  The 
most  interesting  part  of  the  entertainment  was 
the  dromedaries'  race,  and  the  effect  of  the  long 


The  Night  Patrol  of  the  City  Guard 
at  Cairo,  Egypt. 

Tnii  City  Guard  of  Cairo,  composed  of  Nu- 
bians, whose  business  it  is  to  patrol  the  narrow 
streets  between  the  setting  and  rising  of  the 
sun,  is  a  picturesque,  if  not  particularly  effect- 
ive, body.  Its  costume  is  in  a  state — shall  wo 
Call  it  of  "betweenity" — neither  Oriental  nor 
Occidental,  but,  as  it  were,  a  moiety  of  each.  A 
writer  in  the  Iiondou  Graphic,  speaking  of  these 
watchmen  of  the  night,  says:  "  It  is  curious  to 
see  blacIiLmen  sitting  at  the  door  of  their  guard 


TOE  -MiCHX    PATKOl    OF   TUB   CITY   GUAIOJ    AT   CAIBa 


EGYPTi 


49 


robes  of  the  Arabs  who  rowed,  and  the  trappings 
of  the  animals  flying  behind,  gave  a  very  pic- 
turesque appearance  to  the  scene. 


Oorinthian  Tombs  at  Petra,  Egypt. 
In  ascending  Mount  Hor  and  top  of  Aaron's 
tomb,  erected  by  the  Mussulraen,  on  into 
the  surrounoing  valleys,  the  traveller  will 
pass  varieties  ot  facades  of  freestone  tombs 
in  every  tint.  The  El  Dhir  is  an  exquisite 
fagade,  the  architecture  of  Eomc  in  its  later 
days,  facing  on  an  open,  grassy  plot  of  about 
two  acres ;  the  name  signifies  Convent,  but  it 
was  one  of  the  many  fine  tombs  of  ?etra  in  its 
pilmy  days,  when  thoy  appear  to  have  made 
more  liberal  provision  for  the  dead  than  the 
living.  The  interior  is  veiy  rough,  consisting 
of  two  or  three  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  though 
the  £ioade  exhibits  two  stories. 

. iii^i> 

Cairo, 

Caxro  is  called,  by  tlie  natives,  Masr :  it  was 
originally  known  by  the  name  of  El  Kahirah, 
whence  the  Italian  appellation  of  Cairo.  It 
was  founded  at  night.  Astrologers  had  beenl 
consulted,  and  had  fixed  upon  a  propitious  mo- 
ment for  laying  the  first  stones  of  the  city  walls. 
They  were  to  have  given  a  signal  at  that  pre- 
cise moment  by  ringing  a  number  of  bells, 
which  were  suspended  to  cords  supported  by 
poles  along  the  whole  circumference  of  the  in- 
tended wall ;  but  a  crow  happening  to  alight 
upon  one  of  the  cords,  the  bells  were  put  Ln 
motion  before  the  appointed  time,  and  the 
builders  who  were  waiting  the  signal  imme- 
diately commenced  their  work.  This  contre- 
temps caused  the  name  of  El  Kahirah  (Unpro- 
pitious)  to  be  given  to  it.  Occasionally  "The 
Mother  of  the  World"  and  other  sounding 
titles  were  applied  to  Cairo. 

Cairo  is  of  irregular  form,  about  two  miles 
in  length  by  one  in  breadth,  with  a  population 


FirTES   OF  TUB  VICf:ROY  OF  EOYPT. — THE   DROMEDARY   RACE. 


of  two  hundred  thousand  souls.  The  streets 
are  unpaved,  and  few  of  them  are  of  sufficient 
breadth  to  admit  carriages.  Here  and  there, 
however,  streets  are  met  with  broad  enough  to 
allow  them  to  pass  conveniently  by,  and  some- 
times two  abreast.  The  by-streets  and  those  in 
the  quarters  of  the  interior  are  very  narrow, 
generally  only  from  four  to  ten  feet  wide,  r.nd 
in  consequence  of  the  Cairene  mode  of  building 
houses,  each  story  projecting  beyond  that  im- 
mediately below  it,  two  persons  may  with  ease 
shake  hands  acrosi  the  streets  from  the  upper 
windows.  This  narrowness  of  the  streets  i.> 
common  to  many  towns  in  hot  climates,  having 
for  its  object  greater  coolness.  Soma  of  the 
bazaars,  to  protect  those  seated  in  the  shops 
below  from  the  sun,  have  coverings  of  wood, 
and  the  appearance  of  the  street  isnot.injured 


by  the  effect ;  but  when  of  matting  or  sail- 
cloth, their  tattered  condition  and  the  quantity 
cf  dust  they  shower  down  during  a  strong  wind 
upon  those  below,  add  little  either  to  tho 
beauty  cf  the  street  or  to  the  comfort  cf  tho 
people  for  whoso  benefit  they  are  intended. 
The  bazaars  are  also  kept  cool  by  watering, 
which,  though  it  contributes  to  that  end,  has  a 
very  prejudicial  effect,  the  vapor  constantly 
arising  from  the  damp  ground  in  a  climate  like 
that  of  Egypt  aiding  greatly  to  the  increase  of 
ophthalmia.  It  is  a  startling  fact  that  one  out 
of  every  six  among  the  inhabitants  of  Cairo  is 
cither  blind  or  has  some  complaint  in  the  eyes. 
The  whole  city  is  divided  into  quarters,  sepa- 

j  rated  by  gates,  which  are  closed  at  night.  X 
porter  is  appointed  to  each,  who  is  obliged  to 

1  open  the  door  to  all  who  wish  to  pass  through, 
unless  there  is  reason  to  believe  them  improper 
persons,  or  not  furnished  with  a  lamp,  which 
every  one  is  obliged  to  carry  after  the  Esher, 
or  one  hour  and  a  half  after  sunset. 


IB£  COLOSSI   OF   MEMNON,  IN   KQTPT. 


Sprinkling  the  Streets  of  Ismailia. 

The  picture  shows  a  strange  result  of  the  in- 
fluence cf  our  Western  ideas  of  comfort  and  pro- 
gress on  the  stationary  Orientals.  In  the  days 
of  the  Crusades,  they  gave  our  ancestors  many 
a  valuable  hint  and  suggestion,  and  here  wo 
have  the  streets  of  Ismailia,  an  Egyptian  city 
that  dates  but  yesterday,  regularly  watered ; 
and  how  ?  By  the  Arab  camel-driver  adapting 
his  labor  to  new  uses. 

Ismailia  has  sprung  up  near  Lake  Timsah, 
on  the  Suez  Canal,  half  way  between  Port  Said 
and  Suez,  and,  with  its  five  thousand  inhabit- 
ants, is  now  the  capital  of  the  Isthmus,  enjoy- 
ing its  modem  luxuries — among  them,  a  fresh- 
water canal,  bringing  the  waters  of  the  Nile  to 
its  people.  As  may  be  supposed,  Ismailia  is  a 
European  city,  transjiorted  to  the  East  by  a 
power  as  mighty  and  more  real  than  that  of 
Aladdin's  magician. 

<c^i> • 

That  time  is  partly  lost  which  could  have 
been  better  employed. 


CiO 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Tombs  of  the  Mamelukes, 
Cairo. 
^  At  Cairo,  that  picturesque  city  of 
filth  and  magnificence,  a  true  sense 
«f  what  the  East  really  is  begins  to 
dawn  on  the  mind  of  the  traveler. 
No  city  is  so  truly  Oriental  as  this 
Eastern  metropolis.  She  is  splendid  in 
4ier  delicate  Saracenic  architecture, 
4)ut  melancholy  in  her  ruins  and 
squalor.  Yet  in  that  bright  Egyptian 
«unshine,  war-worn  and  weather-worn, 
nothing  can  deprive  her  of  her  in- 
Aerest. 

She  sits,  still  a  queen.  She  has  van- 
.quished  the  ages,  and  well  deserves 
her  title,  "Kahirah,"  or  the  Victo- 
Tious.  Cairo  is  neither  paved,  drained, 
.nor  lighted — that  is,  as  a  European 
■would  understand  these  tenns.  Thou- 
sands of  yellow  dogs  are  her  scaven- 
•^ers,  and  so  well  are  they  regulated 
vby  a  home  policy  of  their  own,  that 
.any  dog  straying  into  the  district  of 
another  will  be  torn  to  pieces  by  those 
iha-.-ing  the  right  to  dwell  there.  Gas 
lis  not  used  except  for  the  palaces  ;  and 
no  paving,  at  least  in  the  more  an- 
cient parts,  save  that  which  remains 
of  the  earliest  which  her  streets  wit- 
messed.  The  traveler  who  is  obliged 
ito  be  out  at  night  lights  his  way  with  a  paper 
lantern,  and  has  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out  for 
iholes  in  his  path.  But  the  dangers  are  well 
■worth  encountering,  for  the  sake  of  the  many 
objects  of  interest  on  every  side.  Here  are  tlie 
earliest  known  specimens  of  the  pointed  arch, 
iiere  the  architectural  masterpieces  of  the  reign 


Boulac,  near  Cairo. 
BonLAC  is  about  three  miles  from 
Cairo ;  it  is  the  point  of  Cairo,  and 
was  founded  in  the  year  of  the  Flight, 
713  (A.D.  1313-14).  The  town  is  about 
a  mile  in  length,  and  half  a  mile  is 
the  measure  of  its  greatest  breadth. 
It  contains  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 
At  this  place  duties  on  exports  and 
imports  to  and  from  Alexandria  are 
levied.  Boulac  formerly  stood  on  an 
island  where  sugar-cane  was  culti- 
vateJ,  and  the  old  channel  which 
passed  between  it  and  Cairo  may  still 
be  traced.  The  tilling  up  of  this  chan- 
nel has  removed  Cairo  further  from  the 
Kile,  and  has  given  Boulac  the  rank 
and  advantages  of  a  port  of  entry. 


TOMBS   OP  TOE  MAMELDKIS,  CArKO. 

of  Saladin.  Here  rose  and  here  fell  the  empire 
of  the  MameluKes,  those  sovereign  slaves, 
"without  father,  without  mother,  without  de- 
scent. ' '    Here  are  their  tombs,  glorious  in  decay. 

♦-»-♦ 

Men  are  never  placed  in  such  extremes  but 
there  is  a  light  to  guide  them. 


Dancing  Dervishes. 
A  LADY,  writing  to  a  friend  from 
Cairo,  says:  "At  this  very  moment 
tliere  is  a  most  extraordinarj'  religious 
ceremony  going  on  under  our  win- 
dow. It  has  continued  for  three  even- 
ings, and  this,  I  am  happy  to  saj',  is 
the  last,  as  the  horrid  noise  keeps  one 
awake  all  night.  The  ceremony  be- 
gins thus :  A  high  pole,  hung  with  col- 
ored lamps,  is  fixed  into  the  ground, 
round  whicli  stands  a  circle  of  dervishes  (a 
dervisli  is  a  kind  of  Moslem  devotee),  all  hold- 
ing hands.  A  dervish  in  a  green  turban,  which 
marks  his  descent  from  Mohammed,  stands  in 
the  centre  of  the  group,  and  begins  a  swinging 
kind  of  chant,  which  is  taken  up  by  the  rest.  As 
they  sing,  they  clap  their  hands  together  simul- 


COBINTHIAN  XOMDS  AT  FETBA. 


EGYPT. 


61 


C^IBO. 


taneously,  swaying  their  bodies  backward  and 
forward,  and  bending  their  heads  almost  to  the  | 
ground.    Then  conies  the  most  disgusting  part 
of  the  scene— each  man  makes  the  most  horri- 
We  howl,  something  between  the  bark  of  a  dog 
Jind  the  cry  of  a  wolf,  and,   foaming  at  the 
mouth,  he  nods  his  head  incessantly,  first  on 
one  side,  then  on  the  other,  till  one  wonders 
iiheir  heads  do  not  drop  off.  This  goes  on  with- 
out cessation,  until,  one  by  one,  they  fall  ex- 
hausted on  the  ground.   The  word  of  their  mo- 
notonous chant  is  merely  a  repetition  of  the 
■word  Allah,  which  means  God.    This  perform- 
ance, in  which  men  seem  to  wish  to  become 
like  wild  beasts  rather  than  anything  else,  is 
supposed  to  be  a  religious  service,  and  by  it 
they  think  they  are  doing  honor  to  God  and  to 
some  saint  of  their  own.    How  melancholy  it  is 
that  people  should  be  so  ignorant  as  to  imagine 
■that  such  a  devotion  can  be  pleasing  to  God ! 

"There  are  other  dervishes  besides  these 
howling  men,  whose  religious  exercises  are 
more  elegant,  though  not  more  edifying.   These 


SPRINKUNO   IHE  STREETS  Or  ISM.\IUA. 


are  the  dancmg  dervishes,  who  mostly  come 
from  Constantinople.  They  perform  every  Fri- 
day, which  is  their  Sunday,  and  a  large  party 
of  us  went  to  see  them. 

"We  were  ushered  into  a  room  where  was 
the  sheik  of  the  sect,  on  a  divan,  as  usual 
smoking  a  chibouque.      He  politely  saluted 
every  stranger  who  entered,  and  ordered  coflFee 
to  be  brought.     Ali,  our  dragoman,  who  had 
accompanied  us,  took  off  his  shoes  on  entering 
the  sacred  presence  !    When  all  the  sight-seers 
had  assembled  we  were  taken  into  a  kind  of 
circus,  at  the  end  of  which  the   sheik  was 
placed,  while  we  strangers  were  outside  the 
barrier.     The  dancing  dervishes  were  dressed 
in  white  felt  hats  like  chimney-pots,  and  great 
cloaks  of  bright  cloth  or  silk,  which  they  kept 
on  while  they  marched  past  the  sheik,  to  whom 
they  made  a  profound  obeisance  as  they  passed. 
In  the  meantime,  a  dervish  in  a  gallery  read 
aloud  some  verses  of  the  Koran,  which  were 
followed  by  a  monotonous  chant  to  the  music 
of  reeds  and  drums.     Then  the  dervishes  cast 


BOULAC,    XEAB   OAIBO. 


52 


THE    WORIiD'S    GEEAT    NATIONa 


off  their  cloaks,  and  ap- 
peared in  white  cotton 
dresses  with  hoops  at  the 
hottom ,  lilie  a  modem  steel 
petticoat.  They  folded 
their  arms,  shut  their 
eyes,  stiffened  their  heads, 
r.nd  went  off  in  a  whirling 
waltz.  As  they  turned, 
they  extended  their  arms 
quite  straight,  like  the 
Bails  of  a  windmill ;  and 
when  they  took  the  final 
epin,  and  stopped  sud- 
denly, they  looked  just 
like  children  playing  at 
'making  cheeses !' " 


Babre-Dance  of  Egyptian 
Almas. 
TiiE  dance  of  the  Egypt- 
ian Almas  have  become 
better  known  as  modem 
facilities  have  increased 
the  number  of  travelers.  Dances  as  old  as  the 
Pharaohs,  which  were  seen  and  imitated  to  some 
extent,  doubtless,  by  the  Jews,  though  evidently 
more  licentious  in  their  character  than  of  old, 
still  prevail  on  the  Nile.  Some  of  these  dances 
are  extremely  striking,  and  of  these  cue  of  the 
most  thrilling  is  the  sabre-dance.  During  the 
festivities  that  accompanied  the  opening  of  the 
Suez  Canal,  an  entertainment  was  given  to  the 
tourists  by  Mr.  Bichara,  the  French  Vice-Con- 
tul,  and  in  it  was  introduced  the  sabre  dance 
thown  in  our  illustra  tion.  It  was  danced  by  a 
Bcdouiah  or  Bedouin  girl.  When  this  beautiful 
brunette,  with  a  yataghan  in  each  hand,  the 
point  at  her  very  eye,  began  her  dance,  her  flue, 
intelligent  head  swaying  in  that  fearful  limit, 
the  applause  moved  even  Arab  stolidity.  In 
the  rapid  evolutions  of  the  dance,  in  the 
various  figures  and  postures  in  which,  with  the 
ease  and  grace  of  a  serpent,  she  alternately 
glided  these  sabres,  flashed  in  the  light,  cross- 
ing, brandished,  but  as  completely  and  easily 
controlled  as 
the  light  casti- 
nets  of  a  Span-  •7^. 

ish  dancer. 


DANCLNU   UEUVIBUES,  CAIKO,  EGYPT. 

(castanets),  from  which  vibrated  a  complete  rush 
of  sonorous  notes.  All  four  of  them  had  recently 
been  sent  as  a  present  to  the  princess  from  Con- 
stantinople. They  were  attired  in  red  silk 
trowsers,  trimmed  with  gold,  and  elegant  blue 
damask  jackets,  open  at  the  chest,  and  which  set 
off  their  fine  fi:nirc3  to  the  greatest  advantage. 
Their  raven  hair  hung  down  their  backs  in  long 
curls,  like  that  cf  the  other  slaves ;  but  one  cf 
them  was  quite  fair,  and  her  hair  was  cut  i:i 
the  Savoyard  fashion.  The  most  beautiful  cf 
the  four,  a  charming  creature  of  about  twenty 
years  of  age,  led  the  dance  &  la  mode  Taglioni. 
Nothing  could  possibly  surpass  the  agility,  nim- 
bleness,  and  grace  of  all  her  attitudes  ;  her 
whole  contour  was  the  personification  of  ele- 
gance itself.  Her  head  was  thrown  back,  her 
small  mouth  half  open,  the  eyes  half  closed, 
as  she  bovmded  about  the  room  like  a  graceful 
gazelle  ;  and  every  time  that  her  artistic  enthu- 
siasm led  her  in  front  of  one  of  the  immense 
mirrors  which  reached  from  the  ceiling  down  to 


the  floor,  she  glanced  co- 
quettishly  at  her  owr, 
figure — most  assuredly  ex- 
cusable in  so  lovely  a 
creature ;  for  it  was  im- 
possible to  conceive  a 
more  exquisite  specimen 
cf  feminine  beauty  and 
symmetry. 

"The  ballet  was  the 
'  lion'  of  the  fantasia,  and 
its  representation  took 
place  amidst  a  breathless 
silence,  only  broken  at 
intervals  by  the  clinking 
of  tlio  smjanets,  and  it  oc- 
cupied a  whole  hour. 

"The  princess  scarcely 
bestowed  any  attention 
upon  an  amusement  which 
was  no  novelty  to  her,  ana 
with  which  she  had  enter- 
tained me  as  being  a  for- 
eigner of  distinction.  As 
her  highness  reclined  in- 
dolently on  her  divan,  her  red  lips  were  placed 
from  time  to  time  to  the  beautiful  amber 
iaouthpiece  of  her  chibouk,  from  which  sho  puffed 
forth  light  clouds  of  perfumed  smoke. 

"The  slaves  who  were  unemployed  stood 
r.t  the  end  of  the  saloon,  but  many  of  them 
kept  constantly  moving  about ;  and  from  the 
number  I  sav/  that  day,  I  should  think  that- 
her  highness  must  have  had  not  less  than  a. 
hundred  white,  and  a  much  greater  number  cf 
black  ones.  Some  of  them  were  not  more  than 
six  years  old.  While  the  dancing  was  going  on, 
some  cf  them  were  employed  in  handing  us 
violet,  jesamin,  and  rose  sherbet,  with  various 
kinds  of  confectionery." 


Alma  Dance 
at  Oairo. 
Miss  Nott 
thus  describes 
a  dance  of 
these  renown- 
ed danseuscs, 
given  to  enter- 
fain  her  by  the 
Princess  Epo- 
US3  of  the  Is- 
mail Pasha : 

"After  the 
concert  was 
terminated, 
then  the  ballet 
began.  Four 
dancers  glided 
into  the  apart- 
ment, holding 
copper  sapanels 


SABRE   DANCE   OF  EaTPTIAN   ALMAS. 


An  Egyptian  Sarcophagus. 

The  care  taken  by  the  Egyptians  to  preserre 
their  dead  has  been  the  wonder  of  succeedii  g- 
ages.  Their  tombs,  cut  in  the  rock,  and  elabo- 
rately adorned,  must  have  required  the  atten- 
tion of  many 
a  man  during- 
his  lifetime. 
Often,  in  the- 
fine  cemeteries, 
growing  in 
various  parts, 
of  the  country, 
we  hear  of  pro- 
death  tombs 
and  coffins, 
but  what  with 
us  is  noted  as 
an  eccentricity 
was  the  rule 
among  the  an- 
cient  Egypt- 
ians. The  cof- 
fin, or  sarco- 
phagus, in  the 
tomb  of  one  of 
these  wealthy 
■men,  was  a 
massive  work 
of  granite,  ba- 
salt or  alabas" 
ter,  sculptured! 


EGYPT, 


53 


over  with  figures  and  inscriptions' detailing  tiio 
name,  rank  and  deeds  of  Lira  who  was  to  sleep 
his  last  Bleep  within  it.  They  fondly  hoped 
that  this  costly 
■work  would  pro- 
tect their  bodies 
after  death  from 
a  n  unhallowed 
disinterment ; 
hut  the  very  care 
taken  to  secure 
their  remains 
from  violation 
Las  often  led  to 
the  desecration 
against  which 
they  would 
guard.  The  linen 
"bandage  around 
the  common 
mummy  of  the 
pits  did  not  offer 
anything  to  the 
decipherer,  while 
■the  inscriptions 
on  th«  sarcopha- 
gus afforded  to 
the  ior.lous  anti- 
quarian an  oppor- 
tunity not  to  l;o 
neglected,  of  ad- 
ding cliaracters  to 
lis  hieroglyphic 
alphabet,  or 
-words  to  his 
Egyptian  vocabu- 
lary. Many  of 
the  cabinets  of 
Europe  can  show 
fragments  of  a 
sarcophagus, 
while  but  few 
take  the  trouble 
to  preserve  many 
cpecimens  of  the 
common  mummy 
■of  the  pit. 

Sometimes  the 
wealthy  dead 
were  coffined  in 
a  wooden  case,  or 
double  case  of 
sycamore,  cover- 
ed witli  gilding 
and  painting. 
These,  as  they 
offered  the  same 
temptation  as  tho 
inscribed  sarco- 
phagus, have  of- 
ten shared  the 
:Eame  fate.  But 
the  tombs  con- 
tain, besides  the 
dead,  other  ar- 
ticles, the  re- 
vival of  which 
involves  no 
charge  of  dese- 
cration. With 
the  dead  it  was 
usual  to  deposit, 
:ia  the  tombs,  ar- 
ticles  cf   luxury 


on  which  they  had  set  a  value  while  living; 
and,  in  the  case  of  the  humble  artisan,  the 
tools  and  utensils  which  he  used  in  life  were 


laid  with  him  when  he  rested  from  his  toil. 
Hence,  various  objects  of  interest  have  been 
found  in  the  tombs.  Elegant  vases  of  granite, 
alabaster,  metal 
and  earth  are 
abundant  in  the 
various  museums 
of  Europe.  The 
tools  of  the  ma- 
son and  carpen- 
ter, articles  of 
household  furni- 
ture, models  of 
boats  and  houses, 
the  palettes  used 
by  the  sacred 
scribes,  with  their 
cakes  of  ink  and 
reed  pens  or 
brushes,  with  va- 
rious other  arti- 
cles, are  by  no 
means  uncom- 
mon. Books,  writ- 
ten on  rolls  of  the 
papyrus  —  which 
was  made  from 
the  inner  coat  of 
a  species  of  reed, 
once  abundant  in 
the  lakes  and  ca- 
nals of  Egypt 
—  are  also  found 
■ — sometimes  in- 
closed in  the 
Bwathings  of  the 
mummy,  some- 
times in  hollow 
cases  of  wood  or 
in  earthen  jars. 


Touman  Bey's 
Battle- Ax. 
Among  the  an- 
cient relics  pre- 
served at  Cairo, 
with  the  memen- 
toes of  Pharaohs, 
Shepherd  Kings, 
Ptolemies,  Rom- 
an Emperors  and 
the  early  heroes 
of  Islam,  are  sev- 
eral pieces  of 
arms,  and  armor 
that  belonged  in 
their  day  to  Tou- 
man Bey,  the  last 
ruler  of  the  Ma- 
malukes,  that 
famous  body 
which,  like  the 
Janizaries  at  Con- 
stantinople, at 
last  became  so 
powerful  as  to 
shake  the  throne 
they  were  organ- 
ized to  uphold. 
The     battle  -  ax 


64 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATION& 


shown  in  our  illustration  is  of  the  finest 
Damascus  steel,  inlaid  and  engraved 
with  that  graceful  outline  and  exquisite 
finish  wnich  has  so  Ions  rendered  the 
work  of  the  Oriental  armorers  a  matter 
of  universal  admiration. 


Egyptian  Tables, 
OniENTAi.  houses  are  conspicuous  for 
the  absence  of  furniture,  as  ours  are 
for  their  encumbered  condition.  The 
tables  shown  in  our  illustration  are  a 
specimen.  A  pedestal,  sometimes  with 
a  receptacle  for  a  chafing-dish.  The 
table  is  simply  a  beautiful  tray,  which 
is  placed  on  the  pedestal,  and,  as  no 
chairs  are  used,  it  is  raised  but  little 
on  the  ground,  and  to  a  certain  extent 
supported  by  the  persons  of  those  who 
sit  around.  The  group  is  graceful  to 
look  at,  if  not  very  convenient  for  Euro- 
peans to  imitate. 


Ancient  Egyptian  Stone  Knives. 

Fli.nt  was  at  an  early  date  used  by  man 
for  cutting  instruments,  and  the  remains  in  al- 
most all  countries  of  the  world  show  that  the 
inhabitants,  at  some  period  more  or  less  remote, 
used  stone  implements,  and  the  antiquarians 
characterize  this  period  as  the  Stone  Age.     In 


BATTLE-AX   OF  TOtTMAN   BEY. 

side  of  the  horses,  letting  the  ends  trail  on  the 
ground,  and  then  lay  the  load  across,  adopt 
probably  the  most  primitive  form  of  convey- 
ance. A  branching  bough  cut  off  to  form  a  sled 
was  doubtless  the  next  invention.     As  the  sled 


The  Nilometer, 
On  the  end  of  the  Island  of  Ehoda  is 
the  ancient  Nilometer  used  for  centuries, 
to  perform  the  important  ofiSce  of  ascer- 
taining the  daily  rise  of  the  river  during 
the  inundation. 

The  Nilometer  may  be  described  as 
an  open,  square,  well-like  chamber  of 
stone,  which,  at  one  time,  was  covered 
by  a  dome.  It  has  a  Cufic  inscription 
round  the  upper  part,  and  arched  re- 
cesses below.  The  researches  of  Wil- 
kinson failed  to  discover  a  date  on  any 
part.  "The  inscription,"  he  says,  "is. 
not  without  its  interest  for  architectural 
inquiry,  though  devoid  of  a  date,  since 
the  style  of  the  Cufic  is  evidently  of  au 
early  period,  corresponding  to  that  used 
at  the  time  of  its  reputed  erection— the 
middle  of  the  ninth  century — and  as  the 
arches  are  all  pointed,  we  have  here  an- 
other proof  of  the  early  use  of  that  form 
of  arch  in  Saracenic  buildings."  In  the 
centre  is  a  pillar  divided  into  cubits, 
and  digits,  a  staircase  on  one  side  lead- 
ing to  the  water,  which  covers  a  deposit  of 
about  six  feet  of  mud.  When  David  Roberts 
visited  this  place,  but  a  few  years  since,  he  was 
obliged  to  watch  an  opportunity,  leap  the  low 
wall,  and  hurriedly  complete  his  sketch  of  tha 


EGYPTIAN   TABLES. 


this  country  that  age  extended  to  the  coming  of 
the  Europeans,  and  the  stone  arrow  and  spear- 
heads, adzes,  axes  and  knives  are  frequently 
turned  up  by  the  plow.    The  Egyptians,  skilled 
as  they  were,  seem  to  have  retained  the  use  of 
stone  knives  to  as  late  a  day  as  that  of  Abraham, 
and  the  sacred  rite  of  circumcision,  insti- 
tuted in  the  family  of  that  patriarch,  was 
ordered  to  be  performed  with  a  stone  knife. 
In  Mexico,  they  used  not  flint  but  obsidian 
or  volcanic  glass,  which  gave  a  very  keen 
edge. 


assumed  more  skillful  shape,  it  became  the  sled 
used  at  quarries,  and  in  Madeira  to  transport 
wine:  though  the  most  elegant  and  graceful 
form  is  that  of  our  American  sleigh,  which,  in 
point  ot  fact,  exceeds  those  ol  Russia  or  any 
other  Eastern  country. 


Ancient  Egyptian  Oar. 

AiTEn  subduing  certain  animals  and  ren- 
dering them  beasts  of  burden,  the  next  step 
was  to  invent  an  article  by  which  they  could 
convey  greater  burdens  than  could  be  plaeed 
on  their  bodieS;  or  convey  man  in  a  con- 
venient way. 

The  Western  tribes  who  tie  poles  to  the 


AKCIBNT  EGYPTLAN  STONE  KNIVES. 


EGTmAN   SABCOPHAGITS. 

interior,  "at  the  risk  of  being  drowned  in  the 
well  of  the  Nilometer,  or  shot  by  the  sentinel," 
says  the  writer  of  the  descriptive  letter-press 
accompanying  the  views  made  for  his  great 
work  on  Egypt  and  the  Holy  Land.  At  that 
time  the  large  building  beside  it  was  used  as 

a  powder-magazine,  and  all  access  denied 

to  strangers. 

Nubian  Ovens  at  Gournou. 

The  village  of  Gournou,  in  Upper  Egypt, 
is  a  mere  collection  of  farms  and  hovels 
sheltered  by  a  few  trees.  We  may  trace 
among  them  the  homes  of  Nubian  peasants 
by  the  queer-looking  gods  of  claj',  stuck  up 
as  protectors  over  their  small  possessions, 
on  the  walls  and  gates  of  the  hovels  of 
these  poor  Pagans.  There  is  another  pe- 
culiarity to  be  observed  in  the  villages  of 
Upper  Egypt,  that  is,  the  groups  of  clay 
ovens,  of  all  sizes  and  forms,  erected  by 


EGYPIL 


53 


the  people  for  bread-baking.  No  house  is  with- 
out one  of  these,  but  iu  many  instances  each 
indulges  in  a  group  of  them.  The  fire  is  made 
below,  the  bread  occupying  the  closed  or  open 
receptacles  above.  Our  illustration  will  give  a 
good  idea  of  their  structure. 


Jocasta  in  marriage  to  him  who  should  deliver 
his  country  from  the  monster,  by  a  successful 
e.\planation  of  the  enigjma.  It  was  at  '.ast 
happily  explained  by  Gikli;ius,  who  remarked 
that  a  man  walks  on  his  liands  and  feet  when 
young,  or  in  the  morning  of  life  ;  when  he  has 


brass  laver  or  bcain ;  whereas  Moses  said  miiv 
rors — which  were  of  copper,  lead,  and  tin — and 
such  as  the  specimens  of  ancient  mirrors  found 
in  more  recent  times.  They  are  generally  cir- 
cular iu  form,  attached  to  an  elaborately- 
ornamented  handle,  either  a  beautiful  femoleb 


ANCIENT  EOTPnAN   CAR. 


,Tli6  Great  Sphinx,  near  Cairo. 
It  had  the  head  an(i  breasts  of  a  woman,  the 
body  of  a  dog,  the  tail  of  a  serpent,  the  wings 
of  a  bird,  the  paws  of  a  lion,  and  a  human 
voice.  'ITiis  monster  was  sent  into  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Thebes  by  Juno,  to  punish  the 
family  of  Cadmus,  whom  she  persecuted  with 
immortal  hatred ;  and  it  laid  this  part  of 
Boeotia  under  continujd  alarms,  by  proposing 
enigmas,  and  devouring  all  those  who  at- 
tempted to  explain  them  without  success.  In 
the  midst  of  their  consternation,  the  ITiebans 
were  told  by  one  of  their  oracles  that  the 
Sphinx  would  destroy  herself  as  soon  as  one  of 
her  enigmas  was  explained.  In  this  enigma 
she  wished  to  know  what  animal  walked  on 
four  legs  in  the  momiag,  two  at  noon,  and 
three  in  the  evening.  Upon  this,  Creon,  King 
of  Thebe^,  promised  his  crown  and  his  sister 


attained  the  years  of  manhood,  or  the  noon  of 
life,  he  walks  erect ;  and  in  the  evening  of  his 
days  he  supports  the  infirmities  of  his  age  with 
the  assistance  of  a  staff.  The  Sphinx  no  sooner 
heard  this  true  explanation  than  she  dashed 
herself  from  a  rock,  and  immediately  expired. 


Ancient  Metal  Mirrors.  . 
Beautt  soon  learned  to  admire  her  reflection 
in  the  still  stream  or  lake,  and  then  won  her 
votaries  to  polish  a  metalic  surface  to  produce 
the  same  result.  Job,  in  all  probability  the 
most  ancient  of  our  sacred  writers,  alludes  to 
metal  mirrors ;  and  Moses,  the  father  of  histo- 
rians, does  the  same  in  the  book  of  Exodu3. 
Our  common  bibles  have  a  curious  bull,  for 
they  make  Moses  say  that  the  Hebrew  women 
melted   up   their   looldng-glasses   to   make  a 


THE   NILOMETER. 

figure,  or  a  mythological  monster.  The  reflect^ 
ing  surface  was  carefully  wrought,  and  highly- 
burnished  and  polished.  Silver  was  sometimeff 
used,  and  gold  mirrors  are  alluded  to  ;  but  they 
were  probably  gold  iu  the  sense  that  our  gold' 
spectacles  are — a  gold  frame  and  handle. 

To  keep  these  mirrors  bright  required  con- 
stant polishing  with  pulverized  pumice  stono; 
applied  with  a  sponge.  The  coating  of  a  plata? 
of  glass  with  an  amalgam  of  mercury  and  tin- 
foil, produces  a  mirror  that  is  not  dimmed  by 
the  air,  and,  with  its  invention,  tlie  manufac- 
ture of  metal  mirrors  was  abandoned. 


The  tongue  of  youth  and  health,  speaking- 
friendly  sounds  to  the  car  of  sicknass  and  age, 
must  be  the  last,  the  sweetest  of  all  things' 
which  can  smooth  the  soul's  passage  to  eter- 
nity. 


I: 


"z\: 


THE  OBEAT  SPHINX,  NEAR  CAIRO. 


66 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


Inhabitants  of  Eerry-Eedintz  carried 
into  Bondage. 

In  spite  of  the  civilization  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  slavery  in  its  worst  form 
exists  in  many  countries,  which,  from 
their  isolation,  escape  with  comparatively 
little  notice.  What  is  doing  in  Cuha  and 
many  of  the  West  India  islands,  and  in 
Brazil,  is  well  known ;  but  the  cruelty 
and  the  magnitude  of  slavery  among 
many  nations  of  the  East  are  seldom 
thought  of,  and,  consequently,  but  rarely 
condemned.  The  very  spirited  picture 
representing  the  inhabitants  of  Kerry- 
Kedintz  being  carried  into  bondage,  may  be 
viewed  as  an  illustrative  example  of  the  evils 
to  which  we  allude.  Here  may  be  seen  the  more 
than  brutalized  soldiers  of  one  of  the  governors 
cf  a  distant  Egyptian  province,  who  have  been 
turned  loose  upon  an  inoffensive  tribe,  taking  to 
iheir  tyrant  master  the  fruits  of  their  murder 
and  rapine.  The  poor  wretches — who  are  bound 
to  blocks  of  heavy  timber,  and  then  fastened 
to  the  camels  or  horses  of  their  captors — first 
witness  the  destruction  of  their  homes,  the 
murder  of  their  wives  and  children,  and,  as  a 
conclusion,  they  are  tortured  and  driven  like 
wild  cattle  to  a  distant  country,  often  to  become 
the  tyrants  of  other  hapless  victims  as  misera- 
ble as  themselves.  In  the  progress  of  these 
unfortunates  to  the  homes  of  their  future 
masters,  they  often  fall  dead  by  the  wayside ; 
or,  if  escaping  such  a  merciful  release  from 
their  sufferings,  the  wooden  timbers  to  which 
they  are  lashed  works  its  way  into  the  groaning 
fle.sh,  causing  tortures  and  sufferings  which  the 
Christian  reader  can  scarcely  imagine.  To 
these  horrors  are  to  be  added  the  lash,  the 
prick  of  the 
bayonet,  a  trop- 
ical sun,  thirst, 
and  the  accu- 
mulated mise- 
ries which  seem 
to  crowd  upon 
the  unhappy 
inhabitants 
bordering  upon 
the  frontiers  of 
Egypt,  sunk  in 
the  lowest 
depths  of  bar- 
barism. For 
thousands  of 
years  civiliza- 
iton  has  been 
within  the 
reach,  appa- 
rently, of  these 
banighted  re- 
gions ;  but  it 
has  made  no 
impression, 
ameliorated  no 
suffering  :  they 
only  sink  into 
lower  degrada- 
tion as  other 
Western  na- 
tions improve 
in  the  arts  of 
civilization, 
aided  by  rapid 
intercourse. 


bottle,  as  still  used  at  the  present  time. 
They  are  made  of  skins  very  carefully 
prepared.  Our  readers  will  remember 
that  in  the  days  of  Cervantes,  the  inn- 
keeper had  sad  havoc  made  among  his 
wine-skins  by  Don  Quixote,  who,  mis- 
taking them  for  enemies,  cut  and  slash- 
ed at  them  without  mercy. 


«^»»>- 


NUCIAN   OVENS    AT   GOURNOU. 

Egyptian  Oups. 

These  cups  are  made  of  several  materials,  but 
principally  of  a  red  earth,  bakea  almost  into 
the  hardness  and  toughness  of  iron.  Lane  says 
that  he  has  seen  some  which  were  three  thous- 
and years  old,  perfect  in  form  and  color,  and 
although  composed  of  clay,  yet  their  prepara- 
tion had  given  them  a  metallic  ring  that  resem- 
bled iron.  It  will  be  seen  that  their  shape  is 
similar  to  the  covered  cups  of  the  present  day. 


Wine  Bottle  of  Egypt. 
The  tenacity  with  which  Eastern  nations  cling 
to  their  old  customs  and  inventions  is  almost 
incredible  to  an  American,  who  outgrows  his 
own  generation  even  before  it  has  actually 
passed  away.  Travelers  of  to-day  are  surprised 
to  find  in  Syria,  Arabia  and  Egypt,  the  self- 
same social  appliances  they  read  of  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  and  other  ancient  histories. 
Our  illustrations  represent  an  Egyptian  woman 
pouring  out  winC;  and  a  man  carrying  a  water- 


Ascnaai  sotftian  heial  mibbobs. 


Egyptian  Statnes— A  Pamily  Group. 
WnE.v  the  dead  man  of  the  present  day 
is  laid  to  his  rest,  in  the  quiet  bosom  of 
mother  Earth,  amid  the  pomp  of  stately 
hearse,  weeping  friends,  and  long  trains  of  car- 
riages, do  we  ever  pause  to  think  of  the  solemn 
ceremonies  and  myriad  forms  with  which  tho 
corpses  of  centuries  ago  were  placed  in  cata- 
combs and  subterranean  hiills,  where  even  now 
their  black  and  shrivelled  foi-ms  make  the 
traveler  start  back  with  horror,  as  he  meeta 
the  grin  of  their  withered  countenances,  in  dark 
underground  labyrinths  ? 

The  most  noticeable  traits  in  Egyptian  civili- 
zation were  its  curious  process  of  enibalming, 
and  its  unique  and  singular  system  of  funeral 
ceremonies.  The  Egyptians  determined  to  leave 
no  possible  advantage  or  chance  for  human  de- 
composition. They  warred  against  the  resolu- 
tion of  "dust  to  dust,"  with  eveiy  imaginable 
weapon,  and  this  was  the  moie  remarkable, 
inasmuch  as  they  were  the  only  nation  in  the 
world,  existing  at  that  time,  who  attempted  to 
interfere  with  the  process  of  natural  decay. 

The  stated  period  of  mourning  in  Egypt 
endured  seventy  days,  and  only  ceased  when 
inhumation  took  place.  The  operation  of  em- 
balming occupied,  according  to  the  Bible,  forty 

days,  but  Hero- 
dotus stiites  it 
at  seventy.  The 
latter  historian, 
as  well  as  Dio- 
dorus,  has 
handed  down  to 
us  an  account 
of  the  different 
classes  into 
which  Egyptian 
funerals  were 
divided,  in  re- 
gard to  their 
relative  pomp, 
costliness  and 
splendor.  These 
were  three  — 
those  of  the 
wealthy,  the 
middle  classes, 
and  the  poor. 
For  those  who 
belonged  to  the 
patrician  orders 
of  society,  it 
cost  fully  as 
much  to  die  and 
be  buried  "in 
style,"  as  it 
would  now  cost 
to  inter,  in  the 
most  splendid 
and  extensive 
manner,  a  pro- 
minent man  ot' 


EGTFL 


B7 


m 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    KATIONa 


New  York,  London  or  Paris.  No  Booncr  had 
the  breath  of  life  fairly  left  the  sick  person  than 
an  interview  between  the  relations  and  the  em- 
balmers  followed,  in  which  proper  directions 
were  given,  and  the  price  to  be  paid  agreed  on. 
The  corpse  was  then  delivered  to  the  embalmers. 
The  successive  processes  through  which  the 
body  passed  while  in  the  bands  of  these  ghastly 
oflScials  of  death  were  numerous  and  varied.  It 
lay  swathed  in  bands  and  wrappings,  saturated 
in  spices,  and  anointed  in  sweet  aromatic 
essences,  while  all  around  the  labors  connected 
with  its  inhumation  were  gradually  progressing. 
The  painter  was  busied  in  retracing  every  fea- 
ture of  the  dead  on  the  effigy  wlXch  was  to 
accompany  it  to  the  tomb,  while  the  apprentice 
mixed  colors  and  compounded  pigments  at  the 


WINE   BOTTLE   OF    EOTPT. 

feet  of  the  corpse.  The  moulder  fashioned  the 
rude  likeness  of  the  dead  with  pumice,  and  the 
potter  formed  the  ornamented  vases  or  urns,  in 
which  every  relic  remaining  from  the  body  was 
placed,  and  which  was  buried  with  the  coffin 
itself. 

When  the  corpse  had  been  fairly  embalmed 
and  properly  shrouded,  it  was  returned  to  the 
relatives  by  the  priests.  They  had  received  a 
man — dead  indeed,  but  still  wearing  rather  the 
appearance  of  one  fallen  asleep  with  the  breath 
scarcely  passed  from  between  the  still 
lips— they  gave  back  to  the  mourners  a 
marble  statue  wrapped  in  tight  bands, 
and  beariag  no  traces  of  the  lost  friend 
save  the  pinched  and  discolored  features, 
and  the  rigid  outline. 

The  mummy  w;is  then  placed  on  a 
small  car,  which  was  drawn  by  cords  to 
the  ceremonial  altar.  This  altar  was 
loaded  with  offerings ;  bread,  libations 
of  wine,  baskets  of  fruit,  and  bloomy 
grapes  wiiich  were  carefully  arranged 
with  flowers  and  leaves.  Here  the  priest 
threw  a  shower  of  rich  perfumes  over 
the  body :  it  was  then  transferred  to  a 
small  chapel,  closed  by  means  of  folding 
doors,  before  which  the  priest  solemnly 
read  a  formula  of  prayers,  while  the 
wives  and  female  friends  of  the  de- 
ceased tore  their  hair,  and  rent  the 
heaven?  with  their  loud  shrieks  and  ex- 
claro' vions  of  grief  The  mortuary  pro- 
cession was  led  by  priests,  one  carrying 
the  vase  of  remains,  the  other  bearing 
a  chalice  filled  with  incense.     Then  fol- 


EGYPTIAN   curs. 

lowed  servitors  loaded  with  offerings  and  objects 
that  had  once  been  dear  to  the  defunct ;  then 
came  a  group  of  young  maidens  dressed  in  long 
white  robes,  with  their  hair  anointed  with  pale 
blue  powder,  who  wept  and  lamented  over  the 
many  virtues  of  him  whom  tliey  were  accompa- 
nying to  the  grave.  The  catafalque  itself,  in 
the  shape  of  a  small  barque  or  boat,  placed  on 
a  car,  closed  the  procession. 

At  the  doors  of  the  hypogeum  the  last  liba- 
tions were  made,  the  ceremonies  completed, 
and  the  mummy,  placed  in  its  coffin,  was  de- 
posited in  the  subterranean  halls  below. 

These  immense  buildings  of  death  are  many 
of  them  decorated  with  frescoes  and  paintings 
executed  with  remarkable  skill  and  originality 
of  design.  That  of  Thebes  in  particular  attests 
the  splendor  to  whicli  art  had  attained  1800  B.C. 
Besides  the  frescoes  which  ornament  the  walls, 
representing  scenes  in  religious  history  as  well 
as  real  life,  many  paintings  and  statues  adorn 
the  subterranean  corridors,  and  appear  above 
the  rows  of  the  mummies  in  the  tombs  below. 

Our  illustration  represents  a  skilfully  sculp- 
tured group  which  was  found  at  the  bottom  of 
the  tomb  of  Ames,  in  the  great  necropolis  of 
Thebes.  It  represents  a  family  group,  and 
apart  from  its  merit  as  a  work  of  art  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago,  there  is  something  very 
touching  in  its  silent  vigil  among  the  dead  of 
centuries,  as  an  enduring  emblem  of  domestic 
affection. 

There  are  many  other  objects  of  interest  in 
the  recesses  of  these  vast  hypogeums,  and  the 
traveler  who  seeks  information  there  respecting 
the  funeral  customs  and  manner  of  interment 
peculiar  to  Egypt,  will  gather  much  instruction 
from  a  journey  through  these  catacombs. 


Egyptian  Lanterns. 
The  Egyptians  use,  very  commonly,  lantenS" 
resembling  in  shape  those  stars-and-stripe  ones 
seen  in  the  firework-shops  about  the  Fourth  of 
July.  They  are,  however,  more  substantial, 
the  top  and  bottom  being  thin  copper-plates, 
and  the  side,  of  muslin.  But  the  most  common 
lantern  is  a  bell-shaped  glass,  with  a  tube  in 
the  bottom  to  receive  the  wick.  In  this  cup 
water  is  poured  and  then  oil.  A  pyramidal 
wooden  cover  protects  the  light  from  the  wind, 
and  gives  a  hook  to  suspend  it.  Kandrels,  as 
these  lanterns  are  called,  are  generally  found 
at  doors.  Our  illustration  shows  a  large,  beau- 
tifully arabe.squed  lantern,  such  as  are  hung 
across  streets  during  wedding  festivities.     The 


WATER   BOrrLB  OF  EGYPT. 

central  lantern  is  very  handsome,  and  the  kan- 
drels around  it  give  it  quite  a  pleasing  appear- 
ance when  it  is  lit  up. 

Diamond  and  Gold  Okoor's. 
The  rubtah,  or  headdress  of  an  Egyptian  lady 
consists  of  a  tackeeyeh,  or  close  cotton  cap,  and 
a  turboosh,  or  close  red  cloth  cap,  with  a  mus- 
lin or  crape  handkerchief  wound  tightly 
around.  On  the  crown  of  the  turboosh 
they  wear  the  ckoor's,  an  oval  ornament 
about  five  inches  in  diameter.  Of  Ihis 
.  curious  piece  of  jewelry  we  give  tw> 
illustrations,  showing  the  ckoor's  alma, 
or  diamond  ckoor's,  worn  by  ladies  and 
the  wives  of  well  to-do  merchants,  and 
the  ckoor's  dah'ab,  worn  by  those  oi 
less  degree.  The  former  is  elaborately 
ornamented  and  set  with  diamonds  often 
very  poor.  A  moderaH^ely  handsome  one 
is  worth  from  $700  to  81,000.  They 
retain  it  on  the  head  even  at  night,  com- 
plaining of  headache  if  it  is  removed. 
The  gold  ckoor's  is  of  very  thin  em- 
bossed gold,  almost  always  with  a  false 
emerald  in  the  centre. 


KOTPTIAN   WATEB-CAEBIEBS. 


Less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  the 
Pennsylvania  Legislature  ordained  that 
'•  no  member  thereof  should  come  to 
the  House  barefoot,  or  eat  his  bread 
and  cheese  on  the  steps." 


EGYPT. 


59 


Egyptian  Necklaces  and  Ornaments. 

Among  the  Egyptian  curiosities  in  the 
Museum  of  the  New  Yorlc  Historical  So- 
ciety is  a  necklace  found  on  a  daughter  of 
one  of  the  Pharaohs,  and  the  signet  ring 
of  the  great  Siostris.  They  are  made  of 
gold,  and  are  in  the  highest  state  of  preser- 
vation. Our  illustration  represents  neck- 
laces even  now  used  by  the  dancing-girls 
of  Kgypt.  Strange  to  add,  although  their 
dances  excel  the  can-can  in  their  features, 
the  girls  themselves  are  generally  of  very 
good  reputation  for  the  East. 


Beception  of  European  Ladies  in  Egypt 

The  reception  of  Princess  Clotilde  by  the 
wife  of  the  Viceroy  of  Egypt,  during  the 
visit  of  Prince  Napoleon,  was  attended  by 
ail  those  domestic  festivities  which,  like 
other  Egyptian  institutions,  are  slow  to 
change,  and  seem  almost  indigenous  to  the 
country.  It  is  seldom  that  any  very  reli- 
able account  can  be  obtained  of  these  oc- 
casions, since  neither  author  nor  artist  is 
allowed  to  be  present  in  the  sacred  pre- 
cincts devoted  to  the  Avomcn  of  the  family, 
.-(t  is  tnic  that  the  wives  of  the  Egypt- 
ians pay  visits,  and  arc  subject  to  very  little 
restraint  in  their  communications  witli 
their  own  sex  ;  but  they  have  still  a  certain 
portion  of  the  house  allotted  to  their  use, 
which  is  guarded  with  a  reserve  almost 
amounting  to  the  utter  exclusiveness  of 
other  Mahommedan  countries. 

A  lady  in  the  ^ite  of  the  Princess  Clo- 
tilde, whose  visit  here  must  be  fresh  in  the 
minds  of  many  of  our  readers,  availed  her- 
self of  her  visit  to  sketch  the  scene  of  the 
harem,  which  we  present  in  our  illus- 
tration. The  beautiful  dancing  girls  so 
characteristic  of  the  East  in  their  easy  and 
graceful  movements,  the  band  of  girls  perform- 
ing on  instruments  which  were  strange  enough 
to  a  European  eye  and  ear,  the  whole  scene  of 
ladies  and  children  with  their  attendants  was 
of  that  attractive  Oriental  character  that  could 


EGYPTIAN  STATCBS — A   FAjntT  GKOBP. 

not  but  make  a  lasting  impression  on  the  prin- 
cess and  her  attendants,  thus  permitted  to 
witness  what  is  generally  so  carefully  veiled 
from  foreign  eyes. 

The  carpets,  drapery,  and  decorations  of  the 
harem,  as  seen  in  the  picture,  are  perfectly  regal. 


A  Bedouin  Settlement  in  a  Palm  Qrovet 

A  LADY,  sent  by  a  charitable  society  to 
Egypt,  thus  describes  a  visit  to  a  Bedouin 
camp  : 

"  I  had  long  promised  to  show  the  way 
to  a  little  Bedouin  village  on  the  desert  to 
a  missionary,  who  had  not  been  able  to 
find  it  out  from  my  description.  One  fine 
January  day,  accordingly,  I  found  the  scat- 
tered group  of  mud  huts  and  ragged  tents 
which  composed  that  strange  settlement, 
if  so  it  can  be  called,  when  the  inhabitants 
are  only  settled  during  part  of  the  year, 
and  rove  I  know  not  whither  during  some 
months  of  the  year. 

' '  Having  approached  it  from  the  side  op- 
posite to  Wady  Asfer,  the  cluster  of  huts 
we  first  approached  what  was  not  the  same 
I  remembered  when  I  stopped  there  two 
years  before.  Nor  did  I  recognize  any  of 
the  few  men  that  I  had  seen  on  that  occa- 
sion ;  but  a  party  of  six  or  seven  were 
sitting  on  the  gioimd  wrapped  in  dirty 
and  ragged  ahhas,  close  to  the  huts.  The 
donkeys  and  their  attendants  had  pur- 
posely been  left  behind  a  sand-hill,  about 
a  hundred  yards  off. 

"  I  did  not  feel  very  sanguine  as  to  the 
reception  which  awaited  a  stranger  among 
these  ignorant  and  imcivilized  people.  To- 
my  great  surprise,  the  men,  on  perceiving 
us,  immediately  rose,  which  is  a  mark  of 
politeness,  not  often  shown  even  by- 
friendly  persons  on  ordinary  occasions — 
and  came  forward  to  meet  us. 

"The  missionary  said,  'Peace  be  with 
you  ;'  and  they  replied,  '  Peace  with  thee 
— thou  art  tcdcrnm.'  This  last  expression 
is  used  to  a  friend  or  guest,  and  is  not  com- 
monly given  to  a  passing  stranger ;  I  never, 
at  least,  heard  it  used  in  this  way  before, 
and  from  their  whole  manner  took  it  for  granted 
that  one  or  more  had  previously  met  with  the 
missionary  at  Cairo,  but  I  afterward  learned 
that  he  had  never  seen  any  of  them. 

" '  Come,  sir,  and  sit  with  us,'  they  continued  j 
then,  seeing  me  a  little  behind,  they  added. 


aOTFTIAN  LANTEKN. 


BOYPTLAN   WATER  JXBS. 


60 


THE    WOBLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


■*  This  shall  be  for  the  lady  to  sit  on, '  and 
epread  a  coarse  brown  taantle  on  the 
ground." 

Of  a  subsequent  visit  she  says  • 
"  In  the  course  of  the  Winter  and 
Spring  I  paid  several  visits  to  the  settle- 
ment. On  these  occasions  one  poor  blind 
man  would  come  up  as  soon  as  he  heard 
my  voice,  and  grope  with  his  hand  in  the 
air,  saying,  'Where  is  the  lady?'  and 
smile  with  satLsfaction  when  he  touched 
my  hand.  His  old  mother  was  equally 
quick  in  recognizing  a  voice,  and  would 
always  say,  as  she  caught  hold  of  my 
dress  :  '  The  Ijord  preserve  thee,  my  sister ; 
thou  art  welcome !'  On  one  occasion  the 
blind  man  was  not  to  be  seen  among  the  rest, 
and  I  asked  for  him  :  '  He  is  ycmder, '  said  the 
mother,  pointing  ;  but  I  could  not  see  any  one, 
except  a  fr,w  half  naked  children.  Presently, 
however,  the  sand  began  to  heave,  and  what 


osososr^/- 


GOLD  CKOOKS  WORN  bl  EGYPHAK  WOMEN  Or  LOWER  RANK 


Ancient  Swords  and  Daggers. 

The  sword  is  the  most  early  weapon  men- 
tioned in  Scripture ;  and  we  may  conclude, 
hence,  that  it  is  the  most  ancient  of  all  the 


also  with  the  sword  that  Simeon  and  Levi 
did  such  terrible  execution  on  the  Shech- 
emites,  in  revenge  of  their  sister's  wrongs. 
— Gen.  xxxiv.  25.  And  Jacob  mentions 
the  sword  as  one  of  those  weapons  with 
which  he  had  defeated  the  Amorites. — • 
Gen.  xlviii.  22. 

The  swords  of  the  ancients  were  gen- 
erally made  of  brass  or  copper.  This 
may  appear  strange,  but  it  is  certain  that 
copper  was  wrought  long  before  iron : 
and  it  is  also  certain  that  it  was  applied 
to  every  use,  whether  domestic,  operative 
or  warlike. 

We  learn  this  from  Homer,  who  applies 
brass  or  copper  in  the  "lUad,"  to  almost 

every   use,   and   who    describes  the    Bword  of 

Achilles  as  wrought  out  of  that  metal. 
The  forms  of  the  sword,  in  ancient  times  and 

different  nations,  are  too  numerous  to  mention. 

It  may  be  said  of  them,  generally,  that  those 


had  seemed  to  be  a  small  heap  of  rags  on  its 
surface,  moved  and  showed  a  head  within  them, 
and  proved  to  be  a  turban:  then  appeared  a 
brown  bare  arm,  followed  by  a  portion  of  a  torn 
shirt.  The  sand  heaved  more  violently ;  two 
feet  burst  out  of  the  ground  ;  and  finally 
our  friend  Suleyman  emerged,  in  his 
brown  goat's-hair  mantle,  and,  shaking 
liimself,  joined  his  neighbors,  while  tl^e 
old  woman  explained  that,  feeling  cold 
and  being  ill-clad — it  was  during  the  cold 
reason,  and  the  desert  is  a  good  deal  ex- 
posed—he had  buried  himself  to  keep 
warm  !  She  seemed  to  think  the  process 
the  most  natural  in  the  world,  and  spoke 
of  it  just  as  we  should  of  a  person  having 
gone  to  the  kitchen  fire  to  warm  himself." 


EGTPTIAN   KECKLACKS   AND  ORNAMENTS. 

weapons  which  men  have  devised  for  the  pur- 
pose of  defpnding  themselves,  or  attacking 
others.  Of  Esau,  it  was  said,  by  the  patriarch 
Isaac,  in  his  prophetic  blessing,  that  he  should 
live  by  the  sword. — Gen,  xxvii.  40.    It  was 


He  who  has  so  little  knowledge  of  hu- 
man nature  as  to  seek  happiness  liy  chang- 
ing anything  but  his  own  disposition,  vrill 
waste  his  life  in  fruitless  efforts,  and  mul- 
tiply griefs  which  he  proposes  to  remove. 


DIAMOND  CKOOES  WORN  BY  EGYPTIAN  LADIES  ON  THE  HEAD. 


of  civilized  nations  were  straight,  .and  those 
of  barbarous  nations  curved.  As  the  ancient 
forms  of  the  most  common  articles  are  still  re- 
tained in  the  East,  the  Arabian  dagger,  which 
is  the  most  ancient  of  all  modern  Oriental 
swords,  has  been  pointed  out  as  the 
probable  form  of  those  used  in  the  patri- 
archal times.  Then  again,  those  which 
the  Israelites  are  thought  to  have  used  in 
the  Wilderness  may  have  been  such  as  we 
find  represented  on  Egyptian  paintings, 
one  of  which  very  much  resembles  the 
sickle,  and  the  other  the  broad-bladed, 
curved  knife. 

Moreover,  those  which  the  Hebrews  are 
supposed  to  have  used,  after  their  settle- 
ment in  the  land  of  Canaan,  may  have 
been  of  all  the  different  kinds  used  by  the 
modem  Orientals,  and  such  as  were  dug 
up  at  Canna;,  where  the  Romans,  their 
near  neighbors,  sustained  their  great  over- 
throw by  the  Carthaginian  armies.  Tl'.ese 
latter  are  straight  and  tapering,  with  two 
edges,  and  a  sharp  point,  and  are,  thcro- 


EGYPT. 


61 


o 
a 
o 


'WililililiilHHIH 

I'lllll 


62 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


milk  upon  their  head,  so  well  bal- 
anced as  scarcely  to  disturb  the 
gathering  cream.  Lady  Wortley 
Montague,  nearly  a  century  ago, 
also  remarks  upon  the  clumsy  and 
fatiguing  method  in  which  some, 
European  mothers  more  especially, 
carry  their  children.  The  American 
Indians  very  frequently  cany  their 
children  in  a  kind  of  long  basket 
slung  down  their  backs.  How  they 
carry  them  in  the  land  of  the  Pha- 
raohs our  illustration  will  show. 


ANCIENT  SWORM   AND  DAGGERS. 


fore,  adapted  for  cutting  and  thrusting.     Their 

breadth  is  somewhat   contracted   toward   the 

haft.      Specimens  of   swords   like  these   have 

been  found  in  Ireland  and  Cornwall.    It  is  very 

fjrobable  that  the  latter  sword  was  used  by  the 

Israelites ;   for  we  gather  from  Scripture,  that 

some  which  they  used  had  two  edges  :  see  Ps. 

cxlix.  6. 

ii^ii 

Egyptian  Lamps. 

Ancient  lamps  were  but  poor  contrivances, 
giving  feeble  light  and  much  smoke.  The 
most  ancient  Egyptian  lamps,  and  those  found 
at  Pompeii,  resemble  each  other  wonderfully, 
showing  that,  in  the  centuries  before  the  Chris- 
tian era,  no  progress  had  been  made  in  the 
science  of  illuminating  the  houses  of  monarchs 
■or  nobles,  who  were  but  little  in  advance  of 
the  poorest  peasant  in  this  respect.  The  early 
Egyptian  lamps,  as  will  be  seen  in  our  illus- 
trations, lacked  the  graceful  outline  of  the 
Greek  and  Roman,  and  were  more  ham-shaped, 
the  outlines  curving,  and  all  with  flat  bottoms, 
not  graceful  pedestals. 

Christianity  made  the  first  great  step  in  illu- 
minating. The  candle  invented  in  the  Cata- 
combs of  Rome  by  some  early  priest,  who  had 
a  store  of  wax  and  was  unable  to  procure  oil, 
gave  the  early  church  a  graceful  source  of  light, 
which  she  at  once  symbolized  as  a  type  of  faith, 
and  continues  to  employ  in  her  service.  Threads 
from  his  toga  gave  the  wick,  and  the  rude  wax 
candle  poured  its  mellow  light  on  the  shrine  of 
some  martyr. 

TJndei  Christian  influence,  the  lamps  that  had 
j)layed  so  great  a  part  in  the  civil  and  religious 
life  of  the  old  world,  became  things  of  the  past 
— D«w  forms  and  new  ideas  prevailed. 


Carrying  Children  in  Egypt. 

De  Bougainville,  in  his  travels,  observes 
that  he  considers,  in  all  the  physical  appliances 
of  life,  the  savage  excels  the  civilized  just  in 
proportion  to  their  civilization— an  evidence  of 
the  superiority  of  nature,  in  everything  that 
depends  upon  instinct,  to  artificial  life.  Some 
of  our  readers  may  have  remarked  the  ease 
with  which  the  country-women  carry  pails  of 


The  Helmet  of  Touman  Bey. 

TuE  Mamelukes,  who  played  such 
a  conspicuous  part  in  Egyptian  his- 
tory, were  Circassians,  twelve  thou- 
sand of  whom  were  formed  into  a 
corps  by  a  Turcoman  prince,  in 
1230.  Twenty  years  after,  their 
chief  or  sultan  was  ruler  of  Egypt ; 
and  a  race  of  Mameluke  sultans 
continued  till  1517  ;  when  Egypt 
was  conquered  by  Selim  I.,  who, 
after  defeating  and  killing  Quanson, 
near  Halep,  at  last  overthrew  and 
conquered  Touman  Bey,  his  nephew 
and  successor,  putting  an  end  to  the 
Mameluke  rule.  This  unfortunate 
though  briive  prince  was  hung  over  the  gate 
Biib  Zouyleh,  at  Alexandria,  and  a  race  which 
for  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  had 
ruled  the  land  of  the  winged  Cymbal,  ceased  to 
sway  the  sceptre. 

The  arms  of  this  prince  are  preserved  to  our 
day  in  a  harem  in  Cairo.  The  helmet  shown  in 
our  illustration  is  of  Oriental  form,  without 
visor,  of  Damascus  steel,  bronzed,  and  inlaid 
with  gold.     In  front  a  small  screw  fastens  a 


Slandeb  is  the  revenge  of  a  coward,  and  dis- 
Kmulation  his  defense. 


ANCIENT    EGTrriAN  LAMPS. 


EG*5rPT. 


63 


kind  of  tongue  that  came  down  to  protect  the 
face  from  a  sabre-stroke.  The  rest  of  the  licad 
and  neck  were  protected  by  ringmail,  of  which 
little  remains.  On  the  escutcheons  on  the  hel- 
met are  engraved  sentences  from  the  Koran. 
All  the  arms  are  dated  917  or  921  of  the  Hegira 
(1511  or  1515,  A.D.). 


Egyptian  Houses  and  Puniitiire. 

Tub  picturesque  doorway  of  an.  Egyptian 
house  strikes  us  most  favorably,  as  we  see 
only  the  graceful  outlines  of  Moorish  archi- 
tecture, and  escape  the  associations  offensive  to 
all  the  senses  that  usually  attend  it. 

The  houses  are  often  mere  nuns,  one  part 
inhabited,  while  the  rest  is  a  shapeless  mass, 
lying  where  it  fell.  The  foundation  walls  cf 
the  houses,  to  the  height  of  the  first  floor,  are 
cased  with  a  soft,  yello^vish  stone ;  the  alter- 
nate courses  of  the  front  being  sometimes 
colored  red  and  white,  especially  in  larger 
hoiises.  The  superstructure,  the  front  of  which 
formerly  projected,  till  recent  laws  prohibited 
it  on  p.ccount  of  the  danger  of  fire,  were  quite 
picturesque.  The  entrance  door,  in  superior 
houses,  is  very  fancifully  colored  with  red, 
whito  and  blue,  and  inscribed  with  some  verse 
from  the  Koran,  or  moral  maxim,  the  beautiful 
Arabic  letters  being  easily  adapted  to  ornamen- 
tation. 

The  windows  of  the  ground-floor  are  mere 
grated  loopholes,  higher  than  the  heads  of 
passers-by.  Those  of  the  upper  apartments 
project,  and  arc  covered  with  close  wooden  lat- 
tice-work, glass  being  seldom  used. 


A  BEDOUIN  SBTTLEMENT   IN   A  FALU  GBOVB. 


The  houses  generally  are  two  stories  high — 
rarely  three  ;  and  almost  every  moderately- 
sized  house  has  an  open  court  in  the  centre, 
called  a  "k'hosh,"  which  is  entered  by  a  wind- 
ing passage  from  the  street.  In  the  passage  is 
the  well,  with  water-jars  for  containing  fresh 
water.  Beside  the  doorway  we  show,  also, 
Egyptian  tables. 


OAHRTlNa   CHIIJ)REN    IN   EGTrT. 


As  elsewhere  stated,  Oriental  houses  are  con- 
spicuous for  the  absence  of  furniture,  as  ours 
are  for  their  encumbered  condition.  The  tables 
shown  in  our  illustration  are  a  specimen.  A 
pedestal,  sometimes  with  a  receptacle  for  a 
chafing-dish.  Tlie  table  is  simply  a  beautiful 
tray,  which  is  placed  on  the  pedestal,  and,  as 
no  chairs  are  used,  it  is  raised  but  little  on  the 
ground,  and  to  a  certain  extent  supported  by 
the  persons  of  those  who  sit  around.  The 
group  is  graceful  to  look  at,  if  not  very  conve- 
nient for  Europeans  to  imitate. 


Houses  in  Cairo. 

The  author  of  a  recent  work  on  Egypt,  where 
she  resided  for  several  years,  says  : 

"The  old  houses  are  apt  to  be  very  old 
indeed,  very  dirty,  and  the  woodwork  hope- 
lessly full  of  vermin.  The  new,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  not  furnished  ;  for  it  is  usual  in 
Egypt  to  leave  a  house  uncompleted  until  the 
builder  has  secured  a  tenant — a  plan  very  con- 
venient to  him,  because  he  can  thus  leave  many 
little  details  and  '  finishing  touches '  to  be 
added  at  the  expense  of  the  said  tenant  (unless 
he  is  more  than  commonly  sharp  in  making 
the  bargain). 

"  Some  of  the  streets  to  which  we  had  been 
directed  were  so  narrow  that  the  projecting 
wooden  lattices  touched  from  opposite  sides, 
and  only  a  small  strip  of  sky  appeared  at  the 
top  of  the  houses.  As  the  inhaliitants  keep 
the  ground  perfectly  sluiced  with  water,  these 
vers-  narrow  streets  are  damp  even  in  this  dry 
climate,  and  except  on  the  roofs  no  free  air  can 
be  obtained  in  them. 

"After  many  failures  and  much  fatigue,  a, 
house  was  at  last  found  which  possessed  many 
advantages.  It  was  in  a  healthy,  airy  quarter ; 
and  though  a  Moslem  quarter,  many  Syrian 
families  redded  in  it.  It  was  also  very  near 
the  country,  and  yet  quite  in  the  town  (which 
for  a  school-house  is  a  very  important  combi- 
nation). This  house  was,  moreover,  so  nearly 
completed,  that  two  days  of  active  work  would 


64 


THE    WOELD'S    tJREAT    NATIONS. 


have  sufficed  to  make  it  habitable,  as  no 
paint  was  used.  The  Copt,  to  whom  it 
belonged,  was  a  sly-looliiDg  fellow,  but 
he  promised  '  on  his  head '  to  have  all 
done  in  seven  days.  His  future  tenants 
visited  their  intended  abode  nearly  every 
day  during  this  period,  to  urge  the  work- 
men to  work.  But  when  the  eighth  day 
came,  and  they  presented  themselves, 
humbly  following  on  foot  the  ox-cart 
which  conveyed  tlieir  effects,  the  land- 
lord appeared  a  good  deal  disconcerted 
at  being  taken  at  his  word." 

"Yet  it  was  the  only  chance  for  the 
tenants  to  get  all  things  finished,  to  be 
act'ially  on  tlie  spot,  inhabiting  such 
rooms  as  were  fit  for  use,  otherwise  the 
house  might  have  remained  unfinished  to 
this  very  day. 

"By  sunset  the  rooms,  if  bare  and 
desolate,  were  at  least  clean  and  habit- 
able ;  the  new  cook,  a  respectable  Syrian, 
was  calmly  boilins;  rice  and  milk  for 
supper  in  the  kitchen,  which  had  only 
been  finished  an  hour  ago,  and  the 
tenants  sitting  down  on  the  palm-wood 
frames,  covered  with  mattresses,  which 
were  the  chief  part  of  their  furniture  as 
yet,  could  at  least  say  they  were  monarchs 
of  all  they  surveyed !  The  rooms  were 
whitewashed  exactly  like  the  outside,  and 


from  the  absence  of  paint  on  any  of  the 
woodwork,  and  a  certain  deficiency  in 
straight  lines  and  in  general  finish,  which 
is  to  be  observed  in  most  Egyptian  handi- 
works, the  whole  concern  bad  a  bare  ap- 
pearance ;  the  only  seats  were  the  palm- 
wood  frames,  already  mentioned,  like  the 
bedsteads  (only  smaller),  and  called  ka- 
Tasses  (these  are  used  for  a  hundred  dif- 
ferent purposes  in  Cairo)  ;  but,  bare  as  it 
looked,  it  was  a  home." 


THI  UELMBC    or    lOUHAN    BEY. 


Fountain  of  the  Seby-el-Bedawyeh. 

Cairo  boasts  of  no  less  than  three 
hundred  fountains,  fed  by  cisterns  filled 
at  the  yearly  invmdation.  When  these 
reservoirs  become  exhausted  they  are  re- 
plenished with  water  brought  by  camels 
from  the  banks  of  the  Nile.  These  foun- 
tains are  not  mere  groups  or  masses  of 
statuary,  but  edifices  erected  generally 
from  money  bequeathed  by  the  charitable, 
and  frequently  over  the  hall  where  water 
flows  for  the  weary  is  a  school  for  the 
children  of  its  poor. 

The  fountain  of  Seby- el  -  Bedawyeh, 
shown  in  our  illustration,  is  situated  on 
the  Soug-el-Ezzy,  which  leads  by  the 
Bazaar  of  Arms  to  the  Square  of  Eon- 
melye,  at  the  foot  of  the  Citadel.      An 


DOOBWAT  OF   AN   EQTPTIAN   HOTTSB. 


OPEN   APAETMENT   IN   AN   EGXPIIAN   HOUSE. 


EGYPT. 


65 


inscription  tells  that  it  was  erected  in  tlie 
year  1173  of  the  Hegira  (a.d.  1759},  by  oi  Jer 
Oi  Setti  Bedawyeh,  sou  of  the  Emir  llouchouan 


Feast   of  Beyrara.     The  architecture   of  this  i 
fountain  is  remarkable  for  richness  and  solidity. 
The   marble   columns   sustain   arches  rich  in 


resting  on  a  row  of  pillars.  A  penthouse  shades 
the  reservoir  and  jirotects  those  who  come  ta 
draw  water  in  the  chain-fastened  bronze  basin. 


Bey.     Setti  left  several  legacies  to  build  foun- 
tains, with  funds  to  pay  a  schoolmaster  yearly, 
and  buy  suits  of  clothes  for  poor  children  at  the 
5 


FOUNTAIN    OF  SKTTI  BEDAWTF.H.  CAIRO. 

highly  painted  and  gilded  ornaments.  The 
beautiful  gratework  of  the  windows  is  of 
bronze,  worked  in  an  exquisite  arabesque  and 


The  earth  is  a  tender  and  kind  mother  to  the 
husbandman  ;  and  yet  at  one  season  he  harrows 
her  bosom,  and  at  another  plucks  her  ears. 


66 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


TLo  Shadoof 

OuB  illustration  is  taken  from 
a  sketch  made  on  tlie  spot  by 
a  well-known  traveler,  which 
painfully  shows  the  disadvan- 
tages under  which  Butiquity 
labored,  and  which  in  many 
lands  exist  to  this  hour.  It 
is  really  a  wonder  that  the 
world  has  got  on  so  well  as 
it  hp^s  done,  when  we  look  at 
Buch  primitive  expedients  as 
the  one  before  us. 

The  Shadoof,  like  the  Sakai,  is 
another  method  by  which  tho 
Egyptians  irrigate  their  coun- 
try. This  machine  is  con- 
Etructed  of  mud,  cane,  and  the 
tranches  of  the  palm.  Tliese 
instruments  are  worked  in  the 
Bamc  manner  as  the  old-fash- 
ioned wells  in  our  country. 
The  heavy  ends  are  loaded 
with  mud  and  roots  to  enable 
the  workers  to  bring  up  more 
easily  their  buckets  of  water. 

There  are  generally  two  of 
these  machines  used  to  bring 
the  water  to  the  surface  of  the 
banks,  and  are  worked  by  four 
natives.  The  buckets  are  made 
of  the  skin  of  the  goat  or 
Bhcep.  The  lower  range  of 
men  raise  the  water  half-way 
up  the  bank,  and  deposit  it  in 
a  receptacle  scaoped  out  for 
that  purpose ;  and  this,  pro- 
tected in  front  by  a  screen  of 
plaited  cane,  prevents  the 
liquid  from  running  back 
again.  The  upper  range,  ia 
like  manner,  take.^  it  up  and 
pours  it  on  the  land.  This  is 
divided  off  into  innumerable 
little  lots,  constructed  like 
dykes,  and  which  lead  the 
water  off  in  all  directions. 
The  natives  who  work 
these  Shadoofs  are  al- 
most entirely  naked, 
and  stand  in  the  sun 
from  sunrise  until 
dark  for  the  nominal 
wages  of  a  piastre  or 
BO  per  diem  (three  or 
four  cents).  This  pit- 
tance, however,  they 
very  seldom  get. 


Egyptian  Piligree 
Works, 

At  the  grand  Ex- 
position in  Paris  in 
1867,  much  curiosity 
was  excited  by  a  room 
fitted  up  in  imitation 
of  the  better  class  of 
Filigree  workers  in 
Cairo.  The  exquisite 
neatness  ^vith  which 
they  manufacture 
these  ornaments,  ren- 


der the  latter  great  favorites 
with  the  ladies,  not  only  in  the 
East  but  all  over  the  world. 


An  Egyptian  Sacrifice. 

Wb  are  able  to  see  ancient 
Egypt  in  all  the  various  affairs 
of  life.  And  monuments  thus 
record  the  worship  of  a  race 
that  was  in  a  high  degree  of 
civilization  while  Abraham, 
the  father  of  the  Jews,  wasctill 
leading  a  pastoral  life. 

Egypt  was  the  school  of 
Moses.  According  to  history 
the  Egyptians  were  the  first  of 
all  men  to  establish  solemn 
processions,  holidays,  and  of- 
ferings, and  their  sacred  holi- 
days were  numerous  and  sol- 
emn At  the  feast  of  Diana 
at  Babastis,  sometimes  seven 
hundred  thousand  pilgrims 
often  assembled,  coming  from 
far  and  near  in  boats  on  the 
Nile,  the  women  singing  and 
sounding  castanets  to  the 
music  of  the  men.  On  their 
arrival  at  the  sacred  city,  the 
passengers  began  to  celebrate 
the  festival  and  offer  sacrifices  ; 
and  in  this  solemnity,  says  the 
father  of  history,  they  con- 
sumed more  grape  wine  than 
during  all  the  rest  of  the  year 


THE  SHADOOF. 


EGYFTIAM   FIUGBEE  WOEKEBS. 


A  Mummied  Bull- 
To  WHAT  a  strange  depth  of 
degradation  Egypt,  with  all  its 
learning,  science,  and  art,  sank 
in  its  religious  ideas!  The 
wild  Indian  of  the  western 
world  was  a  prince  of  philoso- 
phers compared  to  the  Pha- 
raohs. And,  then,  what  cara 
they  took  to  immortalize  their 
folly.  A  visitor  to 
the  gallery  and  mu- 
seum of  the  New 
iTork  Historical  Se- 
ciety  will  see  a 
Mummied  Bull,  such 
as  we  depict,  quite 
accurately,  the  whole 
body  of  the  bull  em- 
balmed, and  wrapped 
in  manifold  pieces  of 
linen. 

And  this  was  once  a 
god !  He  stood  in  the 
mighty  temple  of  Se- 
rapis ;  priests  minis- 
tered to  him,  and  ex- 
hibited him  to  the 
worshipers  who  came, 
prince  and  peasant 
alike,  to  adore  him. 
It  was  believed  that 
the  greatest  of  the 
gods,  Osiris,  dwelt 
among  thorn  in  the 
form  of  a  pure  white 


EGYPT. 


bull,   marked   by  certain 

signs.      Among    tliese, 

Herodotus     mentions     a 

blaclv    forehead,    witli    a 

perfectly     white      square 

upon  it,  and  the  figure  of 

an    eagle    on    his   back. 

When  found,  the  utmost 

rejoicing  tooli  place,  and 

the  deified  bull  was  led  to 

the    temple    with    every 

pomp. 
His  death  filled   Egypt 

witli  mourning.  His  body 
vas  embalmed,  wrapped 
■up  in  linen,  and  deposited 
in  the  Apis  sepulchres,  a 
little  westof  the  Pyramids, 
nnd  beneath  the  temple 
of  Serapis. 

-♦ 

Mummy  Oases. 
HnscAN  affection  early 
prompted  attempts  to 
rescue  the  loved  ones  from 
tlie  disfiguring  hand  of 
tlecay,  but  nowhere  were 
the  efforts  more  success- 
fully carried  out  than  in 
iEgypt.  Yet,  the  success  is  a  poor  one.  The 
mummy  or  embalmed  body  is  repulsive,  more 
S3  than  a  simple  skeleton  :  the  form  to  which 
tlie  Hurons  at  their  '•  Feast  of  the  Dead  "  re- 
duced their  kindred: 

Mummy  is  a  name  derived  from  an  Arabic 
•word  mum,  signifying  wax,  and  which  is 
now  applied  not  only  to  those  dead  bodies 
of  men  and  animals,  in  the  preparation  of 
which  wax,  or  some  similar  material  was 
used,  but  to  all  those  which  are  by  any 
means  preserved  in  a  dry  state  from  the  pro- 
cess of  putrefaction 

The  art  of  embalming,  by  which  the  greater 
part  of  the  mummies  now  existing  were  pre- 
pared, was  practiced,  with  more  skill  than 
has  ever  since  been  acquired,  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  ancient  Egypt,  of 
whom  whole  geuerations 
ctill  remain  preserved 
from  decay  in  the  vast 
hypogsea,  or  catacombs, 
in  the  neighborhood  of 
'JTiebes  and  the  other  great 
cities  of  that  country. 

The  most  authentic  de- 
scription of  the  Egyptian 

method  of  embalming  is 

that  given  by  Herodotus 

(ii.86).     In  Egypt,  he  tells 

us,  "There  are  men  who 

professedly    exercise    this 

art.     When    a    corpse   is 

brought    to    them,    they 

show   the    bearers    of   it 

wooden  models  of  bodies, 

painted  in    imitation    of 

reality.    They  say  that  the 

most  expensive  of  them  is 

His  whose  name  I  will  not 

in  such  a  case  mention. 

They  exhibit  also  a  second 

model,  inferior  to  the  first, 

and  cheaper  than  it ;  and 

a  third,   the   cheapest  of 


ANCIENT  BOTPTIAK   SACBIFICIi. 


A   MUMMIED   BULL. 


MrTMMT   CASES. 


67 


all.     After  this  explana- 
tion, they  ask  the  bearers 
of  the   dead   body    after 
which  model  they  wish  it 
to  be  prepared,  and  they, 
havmg  agreed  upon  the 
price,   depart.      He  em- 
balmers    proceed  for  the 
most  expensive    plan   in 
the    following    manner: 
First,  with  a  curved  iron 
they  extract    the   brain 
through     the    nostrils, 
partly  by  pulling  it  out, 
and    partly    by    pouring 
drugs  in.      Then  with  a 
sharp   Ethiopian    stone 
they  cut  the  body  in  the 
flank,    and    through  this 
aperture  they  take  out  all 
the   viscera,   which    they 
wash  with  palm  wine,  and 
clean  with  powdered  aro- 
matics.    Then  they  fill  the 
stomach  with  the  purest 
powdered  myrrh  and  cas- 
sia,  and   other  perfumes 
(frankincense    excepted^ 
and  sew  up  the  wound. 
In  the  next  place  they  cover  the  body  witu 
natrum  (a  mixture  of  carbonate,   sulphate, 
and  muriate  of  soda),  and  burv  it  in  the 
same  material   for  seventy  day's,  a  longer 
period  not  being  allowe.l .    When  the  seventy 
days  are  passed,   they  wash  the  body  and 
envelop  it  all  in    bandages  of  fine'  linen 
covered  with  gum.     Those  who  would  avoid 
the  heavy  expense  of   this  method  of  em- 
balming, have  the  bodies   thus   prepared: 
'Ihey  fill  all  the  intestines  with  cedar  oil, 
without  either  cutting  into  the  abdomen  or 
removing  the  viscera ;  then  preventing  the 
egress  of  the  injected  fluid,  they  salt  the 
body  for  the  fixed  number  of  days,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  they  let  out  the  cedar 
oil,  the   power  of  which   is    such  that   it 
brings  out  macerated  in 
ic  both  the  intestines  and 
all   the  viscera ;    it   con- 
sumes the  flesh,  and  the 
skin  and  the  bones  only 
of  the  corpse  remain.   This 
being   done    they    return 
the  body.    The  third  mode 
of    preparation    is    that 
with  which  the  bodies  of 
the     poor     are    treated. 
They  wash    out   the    ab- 
domen with    a  cleansing 
liquid,  put  it  for  seventy 
days  in  natrum,  and  then 
return  it  to  the  relatives." 
The    bandaging,    to 
which    all    the   Egyptian 
mummies  were  subjected, 
was  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable   parts   of    the 
process.     Their  envelopes 
are  composed  of  numerous 
linen  bands,  each  several 
feet     long,    applied    one 
over  the  other  fifteen  or 
twenty    times,    and    sur- 
rounding first  each  limb, 


C3 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT     NATIONS, 


and  then  the  whole  body  They 
are  applied  and  interlaced  so 
accurately  that  one  might  sup- 
pose they  were  intended  to  restore 
to  the  dry,  shriveled  body  its 
orifjinal  form  and  size.  Tlie  only 
ilifference  in  the  bandages  of  the 
various  Iclnds  of  mummies  h  in 
their  greater  or  less  finenes3  of 
texture ;  they  are  applied  on  all 
i a  nearly  the  same  manner.  All 
the  bandages  and  v/rapping.^ 
which  have  beea  examined  with 
t'.ie  microscope  are  of  linen. 

The  body  was  tlien  placed  in  a 
wooden  case  or  casket,  in  which 
it  set  tightly.  This  was  then 
closed  hermetically,  and  the  pro- 
cess of  adornment  and  inscription 
l)Cgan.  This  was  an  important 
work,  and  ancient  paintings  show 
lasn  engaged  in  the  task.  The 
coats  of  paint  were  laid  on  very 
durably,  and  when  the  wood  v/as 
well  painted  with  the  ground, 
the  part  answering  in  shape  to 
the  head  was  painted  to  resemble 
a  human  countenance. 

Eut  the  rest  v/as  to  a  great  ex- 
tent filled  with  hieroglyphics, 
describing  the  nr.me,  country, 
parentage,  and  occupation  of  the 
deceased.  But  it  is  very  evident 
that  old  mummy-cases  were  stolen  from  time  to 
time  and  sold  to  the  poor. 

A  mummy-case  was  publicly  opened  a  few 
years  since  in  New  York,  and  the  best  Egyptol- 
ogist in  America  came  t  j  decipher  the  inscrip- 
tions. According  tj  them,  the  deceased  was  a 
priest,  a  young  man  ;  the  case  was  then  opened, 
and  the  unrolling  of  the  bandages  began.  At 
last,  the  body  was  reached.  It  hail  been  that 
of  a  poor  person,  embalmed  in  the  least  expen- 
sive way  apparently,  and  little  remained,  except 
the  bones.  These  showed,  however,  that  the 
body  was  that  of  an  old  woman. 


THK  TWO  PTKAMID3  Or  CUEOPS  AND    CEPHRENES,  AT  OIZEU,  EGYPT 


The  Pyramids  of  Egypt. 
Pre-eminent  among  the  wonders  of  the  world 
stand   the   Pyramids,  those  stupendous  archi- 
tectural piles  which  have  looked  down  upon 


1\Ien  look  at  the  faults  of  others  with  a  tel- 
escope—at their  own  with  the  same  instrument 
reversed,  or  not  at  all. 


/alllN 


THE  KING   OF  CUEOPS. 


the  ancient  dynasties  of  Ethiopian  and  Egypt- 
ian kings  :  upon  Greek  an<l  Reman,  upon  Arab 
and    Ottoman   coniiueruis ;    upon    Napoleon, 


dreaming  of  an  eastern  empire ; 
upon  battle  and  pestilence  ;  upon 
the  ceaseless  misery  of  tho 
Egyptian  race  ;  and  still  seeming 
almost  as  imperishable  as  ."the 
everlasting  hills." 

The  two  largest  cf  the  Pyra- 
mids of  Jizeh  are  the  most  stu- 
pendous masses  cf  building  in 
stone  that  human  labor  has  ever 
been  known  to  accomplish.  Iha 
Egyptian  Pyramids — cf  which, 
large  and  small,  and  in  different 
states  cf  preservation,  the  num- 
ber is  very  considerable — are  all 
situated  on  the  west  side  of  tl.e 
Nile,  and  they  extend,  in  an  ir- 
regular line,  F.nd  in  groups,  at 
some  distance,  from  each  ether, 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Jizeh, 
in  £8"  N.  lat.  as  far  south  as  29" 
N.  lat.,  a  length  between  sixty 
and  seventy  miles.  All  the  Pyra- 
mids have  square  bases,  and  their 
sides  face  the  cardinal  points. 

The  Pyramids  of  Egypt  arc 
nearly  opposite  to  Cairo.  Ihey 
stand  on  a  plateau  or  terrace  of 
lime  f tone,  which  is  a  projection, 
frcm  the  Libyan  mountain  chain. 
The  surface  cf  the  terrace  is  bar- 
ren and  irregular,  and  is  covered 
with  sand  and  small  fragments 
of  rock  ;  its  height,  measured  from  the  base  of 
the  great  Pyramid,  is  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  feet  above  the  Nile  in  its  low  state,  taken 
at  an  average  oi  the  years  1708  to  1801.  Iho 
northeast  angle  ci  the  Great  Pyramid  is  or.o 
thousmd  eight  hundred  yards  from'  the  canal 
which  runs'  between  the  terrace  and  the  Nile, 
and  about  five  miles  from  the  Nile  itself. 

Herodotus  was  informed  by  the  priests  of- 
Memphis  that  the  Great  l^ramid  was  budt  by 
Cheops,  King  of  Egypt,  about  "900  B.C.  or  about 
450  years  before  Henxlotus  visited  Egypt.  He 
says  that  100.000  mei  were  employed  twenty 
years  in  building  it,  and  that-^he  body  oi 
Cheops  was  placed  in  a  room  beneath  the  hot-, 
tom  of  the  Pyramid,  surroxmded  by  a  vault  to 
whidi  the  waters  of  the  Nile  were  conveyed 
through  a  subterranean  tunnel.     A  chamber 


.^^B9KX 


•BCnOK   OV  THE  OBEAT  PTBAMID   OP  CSSEH,  E«TPX. 


SECTION   OF   PYRAMID   OF   SAKEAEA,   EGYPT. 


EGYPT. 


BOTPTIAN  LADY  TATTOOED. 

under  the  centre  of  the  Pyramid  has  indeed 
l)ccn  discovered,  but  it  does  not  .appear  to  bo 
•i,he  tomb  of  Clieops.  It  is  about  fifty-six  feet 
above  the  low  water  level  of  the  Nile.  The 
Eecond  Pyramid  was  built  by  Cephren,  or 
Cepbrenes,  the  brother  and  Buccessor  of 
Cheops  ;  and  the  third  by  Jlycerinu?,  the  son 
of  Cheops. 

Tlie  vertical  height  of  the  Pyramid  of  Cheops 
is  four  hundred  and  seventy-six  feet,  and  its 


BUClAr.-CAXE   SEI.LEIl   ;iT   CAIRO 

base  covers  thirteen  acres;  lilie  all  its  neigh- 
bors, it  is  built  of  limestone,  and  contains  two  i 
principal  rooms,  called  the  King's  and  Queen's  ; 
Chambers. 

The  Queen's  Chamber,  as  it  is  called  by  those  i 
r.ho  fancy  that  the  wife  of  King  Cheops  was  | 
:interred  there,  is  situated  directly  beneath  the 
apex  of  the  PjTamid  ;  it  is  entirely  vacant. 

The  King's  chamber,  reached  through  an 
ascending  tunnel,  is  oblong  in  shape  and  Hat 
■toofcd,  and  is  comj)osed  cf  red  rjranite.    In  this 


apartment  stands  a  vast  empty  sarcophagus, 
without  any  inscription.  It  is  probable,  from 
the  mysterious  shape  of  the  tunnel  and  other 
obstacles,  that  the  royal  ashes  were  not  de- 
posited here ;  and  it  is  said  thut  the  mon- 
arch's body  lies  in  a  subterranean  chamber 
cut  in  the  rock,  deep  enough  to  admit  of  the 
tomb  being  surrounded  by  water  from  the  Nile. 
From  the  top  of  this  architectural  phenom- 
enon is  to  be  seen  one  of  the  grandest  views  in 
the  world,  and  thousands  of  Europeans  and 
Americans  have  scaled  its  sides,  explored  its 
interior,  and  pondered  on  this  mighty  mauso- 
leum of  the  Egyptian  Pharaohs. 


The  Eing  of  Cheops. 
One  of  the  most  remarkable  curiosities,  per- 
haps, in  tlie  world,  is  the  Eing  of  Cheops,  which 
we  engrave  the  exact  size  of  the  original,  and 
whrch,  it  is  with  no  small  degree  of  satisfaction 
we  can  say,  exists  in  an  American  collection, 
easily  accessible  to  all. 


AN  EGYPTIAN  ECIIOOL-BOY. 

Cheops  was  the  builder  of  a  pyramid  that 
bears  his  name,  and,  as  if  to  make  the  structure 
record  his  name  incffaceably  till  its  component 
parts  had  all  crumbled  into  dust,  the  very  stones 
and  bricks  are  stamped  with  his  name.  And 
yet  he  lived  2,450  years  ago,  and  his  colossal 
works  were  old  when  ancient  nations  flourished. 


"IS  AT  CArao. 

The  boy  Joseph,  led  a  slave  to  the  banks  of 
the  Nile,  looked  up  in  wonder  at  them ;  Moses 
and  the  Israelites  drew  a  breath  of  relief  as 
they  receded  from  their  gaze. 

Yet  here  we  possess  the  signet-ring  of  t!  ;.■. 
mighty  monarch.  It  was  the  crowning  prize  ot 
Dr.  Henry  Abbott's  life  of  research  in  Fgypt. 
The  style  of  the  hieroglyphics  is  in  perfect  ac- 
cordance with  those  in  the  tombs  about  tho 
Great  Pyramids,  and  those  within  the  oval  com- 


EGTPTIAN   GIULS   AT  A  RAIMOAD  STATIOW. 

prise  the  name  of  Cheops.  The  details  are  mi- 
nutely accurate,  and  beautifully  executed.  The 
ring  is  of  the  finest  gold,  and  weighs  nearly  an 
ounce.  This  remarkable  antique  was  found  at 
Ghizeh,  in  a  tomb,  and  now  lies  among  the 
treasures  of  the  Abbott  Collection  in  the  musem  i 
of  the  New  York  Historical  Society. 


AN   EOTPn.Ui    BOfTTKB. 


The  pious  man,  even  •when  he  is  persecuted, 
is  a  happy  man. 


70 


THE    WORLD'S    GEE  AT    NATIONS. 


Tattooed  Ornamenting  in  Egypt. 

OcR  readers  may  suppose  this  Egyptian  lady 
adorned  with  a  fine  glove,  \fith  figures  em- 
broidered on  it.  Not  at  all.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs  believe  that  the  best 
■glove  is  the  most  durable,  and  they  tattoo,  quite 
neatly,  handsome  figures  on  the  arm  and  hand, 
to  represent  a  glove  or  mitten.  The  effect,  in 
>a  picture,  is  about  the  same,  but  we  fear,  in  spite 
of  our  suggesting  a  trial,  American  ladies  will 
adhere  to  Jouvin.  The  tattooing  on  the  face 
we  cannot  recommend. 

This  marking  is  usually  grotesque;  here  it 
has  at  least  the  recommendation  of  some  grace 
of  delineation. 


Sugar-Oane  Seller  at  Cairo. 

'fHE  existence  of  the  sugar-cane  seller  is  not 
as  monotonous  as  might  appear,  for  she  talks 
incessantly  to  any  one  who  comes  within  ear- 
shot, whether  customer  or  not. 

Late  in  the  day,  when  sellers  are  making  up 
their  accounts,  and  a  few  sharp  bargainers  trying 
to  get  sugar-cane,  oranges,  &c.,  at  a  lower  rate 
than  before,  the  clatter  of  tongues  is  quite  as- 
tonishing ;  the  ringing  sound  of  slaps  upon 
some  one's  shoulders  was  added  to  the  cries  of 
"You dog!"  "You buffalo!"  "Youass!"  "You 
Jew !"  the  last  being  considered  the  worst  insult. 

They  are  a  meny  as  well  as  a  quarrelsome 
set,  however,  and  at  least  as  much  laughter  as 
scolding  went  on:  nor  are  the  men  graver  or 
more  silent  The  traveler  wonders  who  in- 
vented the  fable  of  Oriental  gravity,  or  whether 
some  Eastern  race  really  exists  which  is  habitu- 
ally grave,  rilent,  and  solemn. 


Egyptian  Schoolboy. 

The  boy  first  learns  the  letters  of  the  alpha- 
bet ;  next,  the  vowel-points  and  other  syllabic 
signs;  and  then  the  numerical  value  of  each 
letter  of  the  alphabet.  Previously  to  this  third 
stage  of  the  pupil's  progress,  it  is  customary  for 
the  master  to  ornament  the  tablet  with  black 
and  red  ink  and  green  paint,  and  to  write  upon 
it  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  in  the  order  of 
their  respective  numerical  values,  and  convey  it 
to  the  father,  who  returns  it  with  a  piaster  or 
two  placed  upon  it. 

The  like  is  also  done  at  several  subsequent 
«tagcs  of  the  boy's  progress,  as  when  he  beglos 


to  learn  the  Kur-iln,  and  six  or  seven  times  as 
he  proceeds  in  learning  the  sacred  book  ;  each 
time  the  next  lesson  being  written  on  the  tablet. 
When  he  has  become  acquainted  with  the  nu- 
merical values  of  the  letters  the  master  writes 
for  him  some  simple  words,  as  the  names  of 
men ;  then,  the  ninety-nine  names  or  epithets  of 
God:  next,  the  Fat'hah  (or  opening  chapter  of 
the  Kur-an)  is  written  upon  hi.-i  tablet,  and  he 
reads  it  repeatedly  until  he  has  perfectly  com- 
mitted it  to  memory.  He  then  proceeds  to  learn 
the  other  chapters  of  the  Kur-An:  after  the  first 
chapter  he  learns  the  last ;  then  the  last  but 
one ;  next  the  last  but  two,  and  so  on,  in  in- 
verted order,  ending  with  the  second ;  as  the 
chapters  decrease  in  length  from  the  second  to 
the  last  inclusiyely. 

Egyptian  G-irls  at  a  Eailroad  Station. 

The  march  of  improvement  makes  strange 
changes  in  the  Old  World.  Railroads  now  dash 
along  almost  beneath  the  shadow  of  Pharaonic 
structures,  and  modern  dash  and  hurry  bustles 
effete  Mohammedan  and  Coptism  in  the  Valley 
of  the  Nile.  The  sights  are  strange  and  con- 
fused at  a  railway-station — the  old  and  the  new 
seemed  jostling  strangely.  Women  are  not  al- 
lowed to  keep  shops,  but  can  sell  in  the  streets 
whatever  they  can  carry  on  their  heads.  This 
has  forced  the  selling  of  fruit,  sugar-cane  and 
water  at  the  depots  or  stations  into  the  hands 
of  what  we  would  call  girls,  although  the  bright- 
eyed  one  who  lets  down  her  water-pitcher  to 
give  you  a  drink,  as  Rebecca  did  to  Abraham's 
steward,  is,  witii  her  thirteen  years,  a  married 
woman  and  a  mother.  The  climate  allows  them 
to  live  comfortably  out  of  doors  ;  little  clothing 
is  needed,  and  were  cleanliness  but  cultivated 
they  would  be  an  attraction. 


An  Egyptian  Potter. 
The  East  still  affords  us  illustrations  of  the 
Bible.  The  picture  of  the  potter  here  given  will 
serve  to  explain  the  allusion  of  St.  Paul  in  his 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  (ix.),  as  he  is  handily 
and  rapidly  making,  in  his  rude,  open  shed,  the 
porous  water-jars,  here  called  gooleh,  or  more 
properly,  kulleh.  These  are  generally  of  grace- 
ful forms,  and  their  manufacture  comprise  no 
inconsiderable  branch  of  commerce.  The  town 
of  Keneh,  among  others,  is  celebrated  for  their 
manufacture.     It  is  the  staple  trade,  and  hence 


they  are  carried  to  all  the  others,  where  they 
are  sold.  The  clay  used  in  their  fabrication  i* 
obtained  from  the  bed  of  a  mountain-stream  in 
the  neighborhood  ;  it  is  mixed  with  the  ashes- 
of  the  halfeh,^r  coarse  reedy  grass  of  the  desert. 
These  jars  are  formed  on  a  potters' s  wheel  from, 
a  lump  of  clay  thus  prepared,  with  the  assist- 
ance only  of  a  small  piece  of  metal  to  trim  them, 
the  potter's  hand  and  eye  enabling  him  to  do  the. 
rest  with  such  rapidity  that  more  than  fifty 
may  be  made  by  a  clever  workman  in  an  hour. 
They  are  very  cheap,  but  very  fragile  ;  the  least 
collision  injures  or  destroys  them. 

These  gray  pitchers  cool  the  water  deliciously 
by  evaporation,  and  when  filled  are  placed  in  a 
copper  tray  lined  with  tin,  which  receives  the- 
water  that  exudes,  and  set  in  a  current  of  air. 
The  inside  is  sometimes  blackened  with  the- 
smcke  of  some  resinous  wood,  and  then  per- 
fumed. 


Arab  Boys  at  Cairo. 
Among  the  tribes  of  ragged,  vagrant  boys 
who  swarm  in  the  streets  of  Cairo,  none  are 
more  conspicuous  than  the  well-known  donkey 
boys,  for  they  are  quite  a  feature  of  the  city  , 
people  are  dependent  on  donkeys  in  a  country 
where  few  who  can  avoid  it  walk,  and  where- 
driving  is  not  only  very  expensive  but  imprac- 
ticable in  many  of  the  streets.  Every  traveler, 
even  the  Indian-bound,  who  lias  but  twenty- 
four  hours  in  which  to  "do  Cairo,"  knows  these 
boys  ;  and  we  he.ar  them  spoken  of  as  "  Unmiti- 
gated rascals!"  and  "The  Pests  of  Cairo!"  cr, 
"Smart,  clever  lads!"  and  "Bright  little  fel- 
lows!" according  to  the  disposition  of  the  Frank- 
ish  traveler,  or  the  luck  he  has  happened  to 
meet  with  among  the  species.  But  few  Euro- 
peans have  time  or  interest  for  them  beyond  a 
passing  remark,  and  (heir  life  seems  to  shut 
them  out  from  the  good  influences  of  the  very 
few  who  do  feel  interested  in  their  lot  ;  for 
if  a  kind  word  is  spoken  by  a  philanthropic- 
stranger  who  knows  a  little  Arabic,  or  that  the 
boy  thus  addressed  has  picked  up  English 
enough,  as  is  often  the  case,  to  intelligibly  un- 
derstand what  is  said  to  him  in  that  language, 
the  next  traveler,  perhaps,  teaches  him  to  swear  ; 
and  as  evil  finds  a  readier  entrance  into  the 
natural  heart  than  good,  the  consequence,  c£ 
course,  is,  that  Egyptian  donkey-boys  can  often 
say  many  bad  words  in  English,  and  rarely  any 
good  ones. 


EOYPTIAN  LOTUS. 


GREECE. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

MODHBN  ATHENS— Mount  Parnasscs— task— Vintaof,  in  Cyprus— tVine-makino—Pokt  of  Khasia— Greek  Peiest— CathedraIj  at  AtheSS- 
Grotto  pf  Antiparos— Costumes  ix  Corfu— Street  x::f  ATUExa — Banditti  Lying  ix  Wait  near  MAHATnox. 


/HE  country  called  Graeci.i  by  the  Ro- 
mans was  denominated  Hellas  by  the 
inhabitants,  in  the  historic  times,  and 
the  Greeks  (Gra;ci)  were  known  a:; 
Hellenes.  The  Greeks,  on  the  establishment  of 
their  independence,  and  the  organization  of  the 
new  kingdom  under  Otho,  in  1833,  reclaimed 
the  ancient  name  of  Hellas.  The  South  of  Eu- 
rope is  divided  into  three  largo  and  beautiful 
peninsulas,  the  most  Eastern  of  which  includes 
Greece.  It  takes  the  form  of  a  triangle,  the  base 
of  which  consists  of  the  moimtain  range  of 
Haemus.  Scomius,  and  the  Illyrian  Alps,  run- 
ning from  the  Euxine  to  the  Adriatic.     Greece 


proper,  however,  did  not  include  Illyria,  Mace- 
donia, and  Thrace. 

Greece  extends  southward  to  lat.  3G°.  Its 
greatest  lengtli  from  Mount  Olympus  to  Capo 
Tajnarus  is  250  miles  ;  its  greatest  breadth  from 
the  west  coast  of  Acaruauia  to  Marathon,  the 
most  easterly  point  of  Attica,  is  about  180  miles, 
and  its  surface  is  about  21,151  square  miles — 
viz.,  Tliessaly,  5,074;  the  central  provinces, 
0,288;   Euboea,   1,410;  Pcloponessus,  7,779. 

The  early  history  of  the  Greeks  is  covered 
with  the  vail  of  fable.  They  belong  to  the  great 
Indo-European  race,  who,  from  the  earliest 
times,  have  been  the  conquerors  and  civilizers 


of  the  world,  and  the  Greeks  proudly  trace 
their  origin  back  to  Hellen,  the  son  of  Deu- 
calion and  Pyrrha,  the  survivors  of  the  deluge. 

The  heroic  age  of  Greece  is  the  legendary 
period,  in  which  flourished  a  race  of  men  gen- 
erally supposed  to  be  descended  from  the 
gods,  and  called  by  the  name  of  heroes — a 
term  implying  the  possession  of  a  nature  su- 
perior to  that  of  common  mortals— as  Her- 
cules, Theseus  and  Minos. 

In  this  period  were  placed,  by  the  poets,  a 
series  of  expeditions  and  exploits  famous  in 
Greek  literature,  such  as  the  voyage  of  the  Ar- 
gonauts in  search  of  the  golden  fleece,  the  war 


f 


ATHENS  IN  MODERN  TIKES, 


72 


THE  VTORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONS. 


MOUNT    TiRNASSUS,  OBKECE. 


of  the  Epjgoni,  the  war  cf  tlie  seven  chiefe 
against  Thebes,  and  last,  and  most  famous 
of  all,  the  siege  and  capture  of  Troy,  and  the 
return  of  the  beroes,  which  events  farm  the 
conclusion  cf  the  heroic  ajre,  the  poems  cf 
Homer  telling,  as  we  all  know,  of  its  society 
and  manners. 

The  authentic  history  and  chronology  of 
Greece  commences  with  the  beginning  of  the 
Olympiads,  776  b.  c,  when  we  find  it  divided 
into  a  number  of  small  States,  under  separate 
governments,  united  into  confederacies  for 
permanent  or  occasional  objects,  but  with  no 
central  government  to  control  the  whole. 

In  the  religious  systems,  particular  deities 
wore  specially  worshiped  by  pirticular  tribes, 
r.nd  at  particular  places,  but  the  general 
principles  were  everywhere  the  same. 

The  establishment  of  oracles  enjoying  au- 
thority over  the  Hellenic  world  was  another 
bond  of  union.  The  oracle  of  Zeas,  at  Do- 
dona,  of  Apollo,  at  Delphi,  of  Amphianis,  at 
C>ropus,  of  Apollo,  at  Delos,  were  regarded 
with  general  reverence,  not  only  in  Greece, 
Lut  among  foreign  nations. 

Among  the  great  names  of  Greece  are  Ly- 

curguB,   Leonidas,  Homer,  Tyrtasus,   Aristo- 

menes,  Clisthenes,  Draco,  Pisistratus,  Croesus, 

Miltiades,  Themistocles,  Aristides,  etc.,  etc., 

and  the  world  still  Vi^onders  at  the  wondrous 

battle  of  Thermopylae,  where  Leonidas  and 

his  three  hundred  heroes  made  themselves 

immortal.    Byron,  in  his  Ode  to  Greece,  says : 

"  Of  the  three  hnnrtred,  grant  hut  three 
To  make  a  new  Thermoiijlic." 


IFtit 


A  GUKCK   VASK. 


Athens  in  Modem  Times. 

"A  DAT  or  two  afterward,"  says  a  letter 
from  Greece,  ' '  having  looked  into  Port  Eaf  ti , 
the  ancient  PrasiiE,  we  doubled  Cape  Sunium 
or  Colonna,  and  the  same  evening  were  moored 
into  Leone,  or  the  Pirajus. 

"The  sun  setting  behind  Salamis  was 
throwing  its  last  rays  over  the  plain,  at>d 
lighting  up  the  mellow  ruins  cf  the  Acropolis, 
to  which;  as  seen  from  a  distance,  ages  and 
weather  have  given  the  warm,  ochre-like  tint 
of  the  surrounding  soil.  The  view  of  the 
Acropolis  from  the  sea  is  always  attractive, 
whether  seen  with  the  rising  or  the  setting 
sun,  when  the  hills  which  form  the  hack- 
ground  are  bathed  in  hues  from  the  faintest 
yellow  to  the  deepest  purple,  or  in  the  calm 
repose  of  noonday,  or  when,  as  I  have  some- 
times seen  it,  the  columns  of  the  Parthenon 
Btand  out  from  the  red  disk  of  the  rising 
moon,  which  they  half  obscure. 

"  The  temple  of  Tlieseus  opens  first  to  view 
on  entering  Athens.  On  one  side  is  an  Eng- 
lish garden,  on  the  other  a  parade-ground, 
where  the  modern  soldier  still  exercises,  as 
did  the  old  Athenian  Hoplite.  Here,  too,  on 
Tuesday  in  Easter  week,  the  young  Athenians 
meet  to  perform  the  Labyrinth  dance,  which 
Theseus  and  the  youths  of  Delos  danced  in 
commemoration  of  the  Cretan  expedition. 
Here,  too,  on  the  same  day,  nearly  the  whole 
population  assembles  to  start  on  the  one  ac- 
customed pilgrimage  to  the  Acropolis,  the 
Areopagus,  the  Pnyx,  and  other  memorable 
spots;   but  except  on  that  day,  hardly  a 


GREECE. 


73 


74 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


TUB   VINTAGE,  ISLE  OF   CYPRDS. 


Greek,  I  believe,  ever  pays  them  a  visit. 
Hounding  the  Acropolis  to  the  lately  uncov- 
ered Theatre  of  Dyonisus  (or  Bacchus),  and 
passing  under  the  arch  of  Hadrian,  the  pilGrvim 
stands  beneath  the  gigantic  columns  of  the  Tem- 
ple of  the  Olympian  Jupiter.  Passing  the  street 
of  the  Tripods,  and  skirting  the  nortli  walls  of 
the  Acropolis,  he  enters  the  Propyliioa,  passing 
through  which,  he  may  survey  all  that  Athens 
has  still  to  show  of  the  temples  of  her  tutelary 
goddess." 


Mount  Pamasscs, 

Pabnassus  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
mountains  in  ancient  Greece,  sacred  to  the 
Muses  and  Apollo,  and  from  the  numerous 
objects  of  classical  interest  of  which  it  formed 
the  theatre,  considered  "holy"  by  the  Greeks. 
On  its  side  stood  the  city  of  Delphi,  near  which 
flowed  tlie  Castalian  spring,  the  grand  source  of 
ancient  inspiration,  and  from  this  circumstance, 
in  metaphorical  language,  the  word  Parnassus 
is  used  to  signify  poetry  itself.  On  the  southern 
declivity  of  the  mountain  is  the  Corycian  cave, 
a  stalactite  grotto  three  hundred  and  thirty  feet 
in  length,  and  nearly  two  hundred  in  width. 
From  the  summit  of  Parnassus  can  be  seen  a 
most  magnificent  view,  commanding,  as  it  does, 
nearly  all  Hellas,  the  Corinthian  gulf,  and  the 
northern  part  of  tlie  llorea. 

A  modem,  more  particularly  an  American, 
traveling  in  Greece,  cannot  comiirehend  the  vast 
importance  which  was  given  to  certain  objects 
by  the  ancients,  which  have  invested  them  with 
an  immortal  mental  interest,  that  far  surpasses 
the  grandeur  of  vastly  superior  natural  objects. 
Mount  Parnassus,  but  for  the  association  of  clas- 
sic poetry,  would  attract  but  little  notice  of  the 
modem  traveler,  and  the  Castalian  foimtain  or 
the  Corycian  cave  would  be  passed  by  altogether, 
not  making  even  a  momentary  impression  on 
his  mind. 

A  visit  to  Mount  Parnassus,  however,  is  viv- 
idly recalled  by  all  who  have  the  opportunity 
of  treading  its  "sacred  sides,"  and  a  memento 


from  its  now  sterile  surface  is  treasured  with 
care.  Peculiar  to  the  mountain  is  a  beautiful 
wild  flower,  or  "grass  of  Parnassus,"  as  it  is 
poetically  called,  which,  from  its  peculiarity, 
and  the  fact  that  it  is  seldom  met  with  else- 
where than  in  Greece,  is  considered  particularly 
valuable  ;  and  when  pressed  within  the  leaves 
of  a  herbarum  and  well  preserved,  is  shown  with 
greater  pride  than  perliaps  any  other  botanical 
treasure,  although  more  pretentious,  and  on 
suparficial  examination  more  likely  to  attract 
the  eye. 


A  Greek  Vase, 

From  the  tombs  of  Etruria  have  been  brought 
to  the  light  of  day  some  of  the  most  exquisite 
specimens  of  the  ancient  vase.  The  earliest  of 
these  styles  can  almost  be  identified  with  the 
Egyptian  and  Phcenician,  evidencing  clearly  the 
source  from  which  the  Greeks  obtained  their 
knowledge  of  vase-making. 

The  paintings  on  the  vases  afford  the  greatest 
amount  of  interest.  The  earliest  decorations 
were  extremely  simple,  consisting  mainly  of 
double  bands,  the  more  prominent  parts  being 
ornamented  with  lines  variously  drawn,  lines 
embattled,  indented,  waved,  and  so  on,  the  in- 
tervening spaces  being  filled  up  with  circles, 
lozenges,  stars,  leafy  and  floral  patterns,  and 
other  simple  devices.  Then  animals  were  at- 
tempted, and  next  representations  of  the  human 
form,  in  which  a  gradual  advance  is  perceptible. 
With  the  progress  of  art  we  see  the  dispropcr- 
tionate  shape  of  the  limbs  disappear,  and  the 
countenance  assumes  its  natural  form  anci 
expression. 

The  vase  productions  have  been  divided  into 
three  main  periods :  the  Archaic,  extending  to 
B.C.  440;  the  second,  from  b.c.  440  to  b.c.  330; 
and  the  third,  from  the  period  380  to  the  Birth 
of  Christ. 

The  subjects  were  generally  taken  from  the 
Theogony,  and  represent  the  adventures  ami 
amours  of.  the  gods,  sacrifices,  libations,  and 
various  other  themes  illustrating  the  heroic 
events  of  the  ancients.  Many  deal  with  domes- 
tic life,  and  represent  festivities,  scenes  from 
comedies,  processions,  and  other  scenes  taken 
from  the  events  of  every  day.  The  delicacy  of 
the  carving,  and  the  beauty  of  the  form,  remain 
to  this  day  models  for  all  ages. 


WINE-MAKINQ   IN   QREIXIB. 


GREECE. 


75 


Vintage  in  the  Isle  of  Cyprus, 
The  wine  of  Cyprus,  like  the  Falernian  wine, 
has  passed  to  the  classical  coniiition,  and 
poets  write  of  it  more  than  epicures  drink  of 
it.  Still  it  is  of  good  quality.  Our  engraving 
represents  a  Cyprian  vintage,  and  shows  that 
the  wine-growers  of  that  classic  land  retain  a 
Homeric  simplicity,  and  probably  gather  their 
grapes  and  make  their  wine  very  much  in  the 
same  manner  as  did  their  ancestors  of  two 
thousand  years  ago. 


Wine-making  in  Greece. 

In  each  vineyard  there  is  an  oblong  receiv- 
er, six  feet  by  nine  in  length,  and  three  feet  by 
six  in  breadth,  a  couple  of  feet  deep,  and  lined 
with  cement  to  make  it  waterpoof ;  on  one  of 
the  narrow  sides  the  floor  is  inclined,  that  the 
expressed  juice  may  flow  though  an  opening 
into  another  receiver,  generally  circular,  which 
is  a  few  feet  broad,  and  also  made  waterproof 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  upper  one.  At  the 
time  of  vintage  the  ripe  bunches  are  cut  off 
and  thrown  into  the  upper  and  larger  receiver, 
where  they  are  trodden  by  the  naked  feet  of 
men  and  the  oldest  women.  The  juice  runs 
off  into  the  lower  cistern,  whence  it  is  drawn 
off  into  aski.  These  are  rough  goat-skins, 
turned  with  the  hairy  side  inward,  and  bound 
tightly  together  at  the  feet ;  the  liquor  is  pour- 
ed in  at  the  neck,  which  is  then  tightly  tied. 
One  of  these  skins  being  tied  on  each  side  of 
the  pack-saddle,  it  is  thus  carried  home.  Be- 
ing then  thrown  into  the  owner's  cask — per- 
haps he  possesses  but  one — fermentation  com- 
mences. The  better  kind  of  wine  is  some- 
times put  into  large  jugs.  Already  in  the  vine- 
yard, when,  with  the  husks,  fermentation  has 
commenced,  some  of  the  husks  pass  into  thq 
lower  receiver ;  but  when  at  home,  to  assist 
its  progress,  a  quarter  part  of  water  is  added, 
and  as  no  one  knows  how  long  the  whole  ought 
to  ferment,  they  wait  until  no  more  bub- 
bles appear,  and  the  small  vinegar-flies  are 


found ;  the  cask  is  then  closed,  soon  after 
tapped,  and  the  wine  gradually  drawn  oif,  the 
dregs  remaining.  In  order  that  the  new  wine 
may  keep,  a  number  of  green  pine  cones,  or  else 
half  fluid  or  grated  resin,  is  thrown  in.  This 
is  the  resinate,  or  krassik,  a  word  generally 
omitted.  When  no  resin  is  put  to  the  wine 
they  generally  add,  as  soon  as  it  commences  to 
turn  sour,  a  considerable  quantity  of  burnt  gyp- 
sum, which  unites  with  the  acid,  forming  an 
acetate  of  lime,  that  is  mixed  with  the  wine  and 
makes  it  sweeter,  but  causes  headache  and  ill- 
ness. The  resinous  wine  also  at  first  induces 
headache,  but  the  action  of  the  turpentine 
causes  it  soon  to  pass  away,  llie  new  wine  is 
very  tliick ;  it  induces  colic  and  disordered 
stomacli. 

Port  of  Khania,  Isle  of  Crete. 
Khania  is  a  fortified  town  and  the  cliief  sea- 
port in  Crete.  The  island  of  Crete  was,  during 
the  times  of  antiquity,  a  most  flourishing  and 
rich  island  Under  the  Moslem  rule  it  has, 
however,  diminished  greatly  in  importance, 
though  it  will  always  bo  a  spot  of  the  greatest 
interest  to  classical  scholars. 


A  Greek  Priest  Blessing  His  Garden. 

Staktisq  for  an  inland  ramble  one  lovely 
morning,  we  soon  lost  sight  of  the  sea  (says  a 
traveler  in  llhodes),  and  got  into  a  wild  and 
lonely  part  of  the  country.  On  wc  wandered 
by  ghostly  houses  where  the  owl  and  the  raven 
might  hold  council  together,  by  clumps  of  pine- 
trees,  by  forgotten  tombs,  by  deserted  draw- 
wells,  by  desolate  fountains,  by  pools  of  water 
over  whose  still  depths  the  cedar  and  cypress 
cast  their  dark  shadows  ;  over  weird-like  rocks, 
where  grew  the  red-fruited  arbutus,  down  into 
a  lonely  glen  where  the  forsaken  homestead  and 
broken  water-wheel  told  of  the  life  that  had  once 
been  there  Beside  that  forsaken  homestead 
blossomed  an  almond-tree,  the  "  avrakener"  of 
the  Hebrews.  It  spoke  of  Spring  and  hope, 
where  all  around  was  sad  and  droar  as  Autumn. 


VIEW  OF  THE  PORT   OK   KHANIA,   ISLK   OF  CRETE 


GREEK   PRIEST   BI.HSSINO   HIS  GARDEN  WU'U 
HOLY  WATER. 

Preseiitly  the  welcomed  sound  of  a  running' 

stream  brought  us  to  the  bank  of  a  little  brook, 
where,  beneath  a  perfumed  myrtle,  we  had  our 
luncheon,  and  with  our  quaich  quenched  our 
thirst  from  the  clear  sparkling  water. 

On  our  way  homeward,  by  another  road,, 
the  Greek  villagers  nodded  and  saluted  us  with- 
Call  Emera — "  May  this  day  be  happy  to  you.  '*■ 

We  met  a  Greek  lad,  with  flowers  in  his 
hair,  riding  sideways,  and  drumming  with  his 
feet  against  the  side  of  his  mule — a  common 
practice  here,  instead  of  using  the  whip  or 
spur.  Next  came  on  mule-back  a  silver-haired 
Greek  priest  of  our  acquaintance,  with  his 
pretty  arch-eyed  niece  seated  beside  him. 

Turkish  women  shuflled  along  with  their 
bright  children.  Further  on  were  herds  of  fine 
goats,  accompanied  by  a  wild-looking  goatherd , 
a  bell  suspended  to  the  neck  of  the  handsomest 
goat  of  the  flook ;  broad-tailed  sheep  dragging: 
their  unwieldy  appendages  over  the  neglected 
graves  of  a  Turkish  cemetery,  and  searching 
for  food  among  the  broken  headstones.  Men 
were  at  work  in  the  .fields  with  oxen  and  the 
primitive  wooden  plows ;  near  the  town  were 
mules  carrying  burdens  of  stone  or  grain. 

Time  would  fail  to  describe  the  pretty  birds, 
brilliant  butterflies,  beetles,  and  other  insects 
of  this  sunny  clime.  A  mason-bee  made  its 
nest  in  the  corner  of  the  ceiling  of  our  sitting- 
room.  Locusts  sometimes  fly  in  at  the  opeik 
iwindows ;  green  frogs  and  spiders  are  not  un- 
common. Snakes  and  scorpions  are  found  in 
different  places.    Cockroaches   are   plentiful. 

Early  in  April  the  gardens  were  charming — • 
oranges, apricot  and  mulberry  trees  in  blossom ; 
wallflowers,  gilliflowers,  roses,  geraniums,  rose- 
mary and  many  other  flowers  in  bloom. 

One  Sunday  morning  a  Greek  priest,  in  gor- 
geous robes,  blessed  and  sprinkled  holy  water 
I  over  the  well  and  produce  of  his  garden  oppo- 
site our  house.  Very  picturesque  he  looked 
as  he  moved  from  plant  to  plant,  and  lingered 
lovingly  by  the  well,  evidently  giving  it  a 
double  blessing. 


75 


THE    WOELD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


The  Cathedral  of  Athena. 

The  cathedral  of  Athens  is  not  more  than  fivc- 
wnd-twenty  years  old.  The  architecture  is  mean 
15y2Kintinc,  the  doorways  of  marble,  the  window- 
frames  of  terra  cotta,  and  the  plastered  outer- 
walls  of  the  church 
are  colored  with  al- 
ternate  bands  of 
palc-rcd  and  yel- 
low, which  has  a 
highly  curious  ef- 
fect. The  decora- 
tions of  the  inte- 
rior, which  is  also 
.generally  jilaster- 
ed,  are  rich  in 
color,  and  the 
Archbishop's 
tlirone  is  tlie  queer- 
est, most  uncom- 
fortable high- 
backed  chair 
imaginable.  Econ- 
cmically  speaking, 
Theophilus,  Arch- 
bishop and  Metro- 
politan of  Atlicns, 
sets  a  good  exam- 
ple to  the  digni- 
taries of  other 
churches,  for  hi; 
annual  archiepisco- 
pal  income  is  no 
more  than  six 
thousand  drachmas 
(S1,08C). 

In  marriage,  ac- 
cording to  the  rites 
of  the  Greek 
Church,  tliere  are 
tw  o  ceremonies, 
the  betrothal  and 
the  marriage. 
Sometimes,  but  not 
.olways,  the  one 
immediately  pre- 
■cedes  tlie  other. 
In  the  marri-.ge, 
the  most  import.ant 
■ceremony  is  the 
' '  cro^vning, ' '  cm- 
"blematically  signi- 
fying that  th3 
event  is  the  crown 
of  life.  Rich  and 
poor  have  wreaths 
or  crowns,  which 
are  held  over  the 
heads  of  the  afBan- 
•ced  pair  by  the 
groomsman  and 
bridesmaid,  v.lio 
■cross  and  recross 
them  in  a  mystical 
manner.  The 
crowns  are  gene- 
rally made  ofgilded 

leaves ;  in  the  recent  marriages  at  the  Russian 
Court,  they  wore  richly  gemmed  coronets.  After 
the  "crowning"  is  concluded,  the  priest  offers 
a  cup  of  wine  to  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  wlio 
both  taste  of  it,  this  ceremony  Bigni'"ying  their 
common  lot  in  after-life. 


The  Grotto  of  Antiparos. 

Few  caves  have  been  longer  or  more  justly 
famous  than  the  Grotto  in  the  island  of  Anti 
paros,  one  of  the  Cyclades,  in  an  island  so 
insignificant  ia  itself  that  its  very  name  makes 


THE  CtTHEmiAt   AT  ATITEXS,  HRrErE. 

it  a  mere  appendage  to  the  neighboring  island 
of  Pares. 

An  old  tradition  affirms  that  some  conspira- 
tors, who  failed  in  an  attempt  on  the  life  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  took  refuge  in  this  grott.'i, 
and  a  tablet  still  exists,  with  traces  of  an  in- 


scription, iiaid  to  have  been  the  names  of  these 
men. 

In  modem  times  we  find  the  island  long  ruled 
by  Venice,  from  whom  it  was  wrested  by  the 
lurlvS  in  1774  ;  but  when  the  new  kingdom  of 
Greece  arose,  Antiparos  became  its  great  natural 
curiosity.  A  curi- 
ous stalagmite 
near  the  entranccj 
and  which  in  form 
somewhat  resem- 
bled a  colossal 
linraan  figure,  long 
prevented  the  su- 
perstitious from 
entering  or  explor- 
ing. This  entrance 
is  on  the  side  of  a 
hill,  a  sort  of  natu- 
ral pillar  dividing 
it,  and  similar  pil- 
asters making  asort 
of  rude  colonnade, 
all  crowned  with 
creeping  plants. 

As  the  cave 
yawns  below  you, 
tlie  pillar  forms  the 
support  for  a  rope 
ta  enable  you  to 
descend.  You  thus 
reach  a  platform 
with  a  deep  chasm 
on  eitlicr  side. 
Jlountin','  an  al- 
most perpendicular 
rock  on  the  riglit, 
the  traveler  begins 
a  longer  and  much 
more  perilous  do- 
scent  ,  practicable 
onlv  bv  a  ropo 
ladder,  and  bring- 
ing tne  lover  of  the 
picturcsaue  to  a 
massy  rock,  whose 
treacherous  surface 
slopes  to  caverns 
deep.  A  long,  low, 
narrow  winding 
passage  to  the  left 
leads  to  the  raai;i 
chamber  of  the 
grotto. 

Monsieur  Olier 
dc  Nointel,  French 
Ambassador  to 
Turkey,  visited  it 
during  the  Clirist- 
mas  holidays  in 
1G73,  and  one  of 
his  party  thus  de- 
scribes the  scene : 

'•Our  candles 
being  now  all 
liglited  up,  and  tl;c 
whole  place  com- 
pletelyilluminated, 
never  could  the  eye  be  charmed  with  a 
more  glittering,  or  a  more  magnificent  scene. 
The  whole  roof  hung  with  solid  icicles,  trans- 
parent as  glass,  yet  solid  as  marble.  Ti:e  eye 
could  scarcely  reach  tlie  lofty  ceiling;  the 
sides  were  regularly  formed  with  spars ;  and 


GEEEOE, 


IT 


THE  OUOTTO    OF  ANTIPAKOS— EXTEKIOR. 


THE  GROTTO   OF  ANTK'AROS. 


■78 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


« 

o 
o 


5        H 
o  CO 

g       o 


';i!!V;?7^^l,i\^  V  '''i"l'i 


'.'iill:l;lM 


GEEECE. 


79 


S 
H 


80 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NAUOMS. 


tho  whole  presented  the  idea  of  a  magnificent 
theatre,  illuminated  with  an  immense  profusion 
of  lights.  The  floor  consisted  of  solid  marble  ; 
and,  in  several  places,  magnificent  columns, 
thrones,  altars,  and  other  objects,  appeared,  as 
if  nature  had  designed  to  mock  the  curiosities 
cfart.  Our  voices,  upon  speaking,  or  singing, 
were  redouhled  to  an  astonishing  loudness ;  and 
upon  the  firing  of  a  gun,  the  noise  and  rever- 
berations were  almost  deafening.  In  tho  midst 
of  this  grand  amphitheatre  rose  a  concretion  of 
about  fifteen  feet  high,  that,  in  some  measure, 
resembled  an  altar  ;  from  which,  taking  the 
hint,  we  caused  Mass  to  be  celebrated  there. 
The  beautiful  columns  that  shot  up  round  the 
altar  appeared  like  c.indlesticks ;  and  many 
other  natural  oljjects  represented  the  customary 
ornaments  of  this  lite." 

To  give  brilliancy  to  the  scene,  five  hvmdred 
tapers  and  lamps  were  lighted  up. 

The  altar  will  he  noticed  in  the  centre  of  our 

illustration,  and,  like  all  the  concretions  that 

adom  this  wonderful   cave,   is  of   inimitable 

heauty  in  form  and  in  purity  of  its  snowy 

material. 

^ — ■ — )  I  ♦  >  I 

Costumes  in  Corfu. 
The  females  of  eacli  village  in  Corfu  have  a 
distinguishing  costume,  which  they  wear  on 
holidays  ;  and  on  these  occasions  the  men  also 
put  on  their  best  attire,  usually  adding  an 
Albanian  or  other  scarf,  with  a  jacket  suitable 
to  tho  season.  But  the  universal  dress  for  the 
men  U  the  loose  breeches  and  capote— a  pipe 
.  being  the  indispensable  companion. 


Street  in  Athens. 
Thebe  is  a  strangeness  and  incongruity  about 
a  street-scene  in  Athens  which  appeal  to  the 
recollection  of  every  weli-read  person.  Here, 
beneath  the  shadow  of  the  Parthenon  and  the 
monuments  of  old,  we  come  to  modern  housos, 
some  of  them  built  with  the  stones  of  the 
temple  of  Jupiter  Olympus,  and  other  relics  of 
antiquity  ;  while  strolling  about  tlie  streets  are 
men  in  their  picturesque  costumes,  and  women 
in  their  semi-European  dress,  a  few  soldiers  in 
their  hussar  uniforms  completing  the  picture. 

Mr,  R.  Arthur  Arnold,  in  his  work  entitled 
"From  the  Levant,"  thus  sketches  the  present 
condition  of  modern  Athens: 

"  When  King  Otho  landed  at  the  Pirseus,  in 
1834,  a  few  wretched  hovels  were  the  only 
habitations  round  the  port.  Now  the  town  has 
a  popvdation  exceeding  5,000,  and  there  are 
very  many  well-built  houses.  The  plan  is 
evidently  designed  for  a  much  larger  population, 
and  every  month  new  houses  and  pavements  are 
showing  straight  streets  and  handsome  boule- 
vards, long  since  marked  out.  Most  of  the  shops 
and  all  the  cafes  are  provided  with  verandas 
for  shelter  from  the  sun,  which,  even  in  the 


month  of  March,  was  Buf&ciently  powerful  to 
make  me  gladly  seek  their  refuge.  Olives, 
tobacco,  fruit,  caviare,  dried  fish,  and  ship 
chandlery,  seem  to  be  the  principal  articles  of 
commerce.  The  flags  of  tho  protecting  powers 
are  rarely,  if  ever,  absent  from  the  port.  Now 
as  I  look  upon  its  waters,  there,  nearest  the 
mouth,  lies  the  "Alexander  Newsky,"  with  the 
Russian  Admiral  Boutakoft'  on  board,  concern- 
ing whose  recent  deportation  of  Cretans  there 
has  been  so  much  diplomatic  correspondence 
between  the  Courts  of  Constantinople  and  St. 
Petersburg.  Close  behind  her,  with  new  copper 
shining  brightly,  is  moored  the  English  "  Lord 
Warden,"  her  iron  bosom  broadly  settled,  far 
more  like  a  swan's  breast,  in  proportions,  than 
the  lighter  prows  of  wooden  frigates.  From 
two  large  ships  of  war  the  French  tricolor  is 
flying,  and  between  these  vessels  and  the  quays 
well-manned  boats  are  constantly  flitting. 

"If  the  presence  of  these  great  patrons  is 
almost  a  menace  to  Greek  independence,  cer- 
tainly the  people  of  Piroeus  do  not  object  to 
have  such  good  customers.  They  are  quite  used 
to  the  presence  of  strangers.  In  a  small  garden, 
prettily  planted  and  provided  with  seats,  called 
the  Queen's  Garden,  I  found  the  band  of  the 
"  Lord  Warden' '  in  occupation  of  the  orchestra. 
Their  audience  was  the  most  mixod  I  ever  re- 
member to  have  noted.  Round  a  table  near-  the 
music,  drinking  Santorin,  sat  a  party  of  English 
officers,  smart  and  clean-shaved,  with  a  happy 
air  of  patronage  upon  them,  perhaps  in  right  of 
their  own  ship's  band.  Near  at  hand  was  a 
bench  crowded  with  Russian  officers,  several 
almost  English  in  feature,  but  their  mustache, 
tlieir  loose-fitting,  short  frock-coats,  and,  more 
than  all,  the  flat  Russian  cap,  proclaimed  their 
nationality.  The  Frenchmen  walked*  about, 
whether  better  to  display  themselves  or  to  sec 
the  one  or  two  well-dressed  ladies  in  the  garden, 
I  could  not  decide.  A  party  of  Italian  sailors 
disturbed  the  music  by  loud  chatter  with  a 
cheap  clothes  man,  who  in  vain  tried  to  sell  one 
of  them  a  pea-jacket,  Greeks  were  numerous, 
some  in  European  costume,  others  in  thejiretty 
Albanian  dress,  which  is  so  common  in  all  Greek 
towns.  The  head-dress  is  a  tall  fez — not  a  skull- 
cap like  the  Turkish  fez,  .but  standing  high 
aljove  the  head  or  bagged  down  at  the  side,  and 
always  with  a  long  tassel  of  blue  silk.  The 
jacket,  which  barely  reaches  the  waist  and  does 
not  meet  in  front,  has  long  loose  sleeves,  show- 
ing the  arms  covered  with  a  white  shirt,  and  is 
plain  or  braided  with  worsted  or  golden  thread, 
according  to  the  taste  and  the  means  of  the 
wearer.  Beneath  this,  a  vest,  also  braided, 
closes  to  the  throat  with  a  long  line  of  tiny  but- 
tons, many  of  which  are  unfastened,  showing 
the  white  garment  beneath.  From  the  waist, 
which  is  encircled  with  a  many-folded  scarf  of 
bright  color,  descends  to  just  below  the  knee 
the  fustanella ,  or  petticoat,  longer  and  very  much 
fuller  than  the  kilt  of  a  Highlander,  made  of 


white  cotton,  fold  upon  fold  in  what  milliners 
call  "  gores, ' '  This  petticoat  generally  contains 
about  forty  yards  of  cotton  cloth,  and  the  whole 
is  divided  into  halves  cr  quarters,  to  render 
washing  more  oafy.  I  have  forgotten  a  leather 
pouch  usually  buckled  round  the  waist,  in  which 
I  have  seen  many  carry  silver-biltod  daggers, 
pistols,  and  tobacco-bags.  Red  drawers  seem  to 
be  favorite  wear,  and  tho  legs,  from  above  the 
knee,  are  always  cased  in  cloth  gaiters,  often 
bright  red,  richly  braided  with  silk,  and  deco- 
rated with  bunches  of  silk  broidery.  Tliese 
leggings  are  strongly  buttoned  round  the  calf, 
and  extend  almost  to  tho  toe  of  the  leathern 
slippers.  The  Greek  women  of  the  middle-class 
in  the  garden  at  Pirteus  were,  according  to  last 
year's  fasluon,  dressed  in  Parisian  costume,  and 
they  are  never  to  be  seen  in  any  other ;  but 
veiy  many  wear  the  fez,  which  has  a  curious 
and  not  pleasing  appearance  when  it  is  seen  sur- 
mounting swelling  crinolines  and  shawls  of 
Manchester.  The  fez  of  the  Greek  women  gen- 
erally differs  cnly  from  that  worn  by  the  men 
in  having  the  cord  to  which  the  tassel  is  attached 
bound  with  gold  tlircad. 

"Among  the  groups  listening  to  the  English 
music  was  a  picturesque  crowd  of  distressed- 
Cretans.  They  are  refugees  from  the  scat  ot 
war  in  Candia,  and  have  recently  followed  the 
example  of  some  40,000  of  their  rountrymen  ia 
accepting  the  hospitable  invitation  of  their  co- 
religionists. Ko  one  would  suppose  from  their 
aspect  thiit  these  people  are  the  helpless  depend- 
ents upon  a  very  precarious  pittance.  Certainly 
the  Cretans  are  distingiushed  by  the  fineness 
and  intelligence  of  their  features,  and  a  softness 
of  manner  quite  unusual  among  an  agricultural 
population.  In  the  group  before  me  all  had 
bright,  dark  eyes  antl  features,  such  as  in  north 
em  countries  would  be  taken  to  indicate  mental 
capacities  of  more  than  customary  activity.  In 
the  dress  of  tho  women  there  is  nothing  strik- 
ingly peculiar.  Their  hair  was  bound  and  cov- 
ered with  a  white  or  colored  handkerchief,  and 
their  most  valuable  garment  appeared  to  be  a 
long  white  jacket  of  thick  woolen  material, 
sometimes  ornamented  with  patterns  worked  in 
colored  worsted.  Beneath  this  jacket,  white 
drapery  hunjr  to  their  stockingless  heels,  which, 
however,  peimitted  me  to  see  that  they  wore 
Turkish  trowsers,  fastened,  in  Oriental  fashion, 
round  the  ankle.  The  men  of  Crete  and  many 
of  tbe  peasants  of  Greece  wear  brown  woolen 
jackets,  ornamented  with  worsted  work,  a  red 
waistband,  baggy  trowsers  of  blue  cotton  fast- 
ened just  below  the  knee,  .and,  while  the  cos- 
tume of  tbe  Cretans  is  generally  completed  with 
boots  of  Wellington  pattern,  made  of  soft,  brown 
goatskin,  the  Greeks  wear  white  or  blue  gaiters. 
Indeed,  their  poft,  brown  boots,  exposed  to  the 
knee,  are  generally  accepted  as  the  distinguish- 
ing mark  of  the  Cretans,  and  on  asking  several 
thus  booted  if  they  came  from  Candia,  1-  have 
always  found  the  test  correct." 


HINDOOSTAN,  SIAM,  ETC. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

Prikces  or  OuDE — Burmese  Costumes— Official  Types— Burmese  People— The  Rana  of  Oudipoor— Laotian  Women— Hindoo  Fakir- Carpenthrs- 
lIoKSKS  Bathing— Social  Life— Sunrise— Dancing  Girl  -Burmese  Women— Human  Victims-Knife-grinder— Tambourines— Bombay  Stkbets- 
Nautcu  Girl- Family  Boat— Bkaumin— Hubble-bubble— Ewer  and  Basin— School. 


IJHIS  wonderful  land,  for  so  many  ages 
covered  with  a  mysterious  romauce, 
more  exciting  than  even  that  of  the 
chivalrio  ages,  and  whose  very  name 
is  resonant  of  glittering  gems  and  massive  gold, 
forma  the  southernmost  portion  of  Central  Asia. 

Situated  midway  between  Africa  and  the 
more  eastern  parts  of  Asia,  it  seemed  to  be  the 
centre  of  the  Eastern  World,  and  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  a*  one  time  it  was  distin- 
guished for  the  extent  of  its  commerce  and  the 
enterprise  of  its  inhaMlants.  Next  to  China,  it 
is  the  most  numerous  and  densely  populated 
portion  of  the  globe,  being  estimated  as  con- 
taining over  two  hundred  millions  of  human 
beings.  In  extent  it  equals  about  one-third  of 
Europe. 

The  northern  part  is  a  vast  plain,  the  cen- 
tral and  southern  portions  consisting  of  high 
plateaus,  bordered  by  mountains.  The  soil  is 
Tcry  fertile,  although  there  are  some  barren 
tracts  in  the  interior  valley  lands ;  but  the  val- 
leys of  the  Ganges  and  Indus  are  very  fertile. 
In  the  central  and  southern  parts  the  heat  is 
very  great,  and  the  year  is  divided  into  two 
seasons — the  wet  and  the  dry.  The  woods  and 
the  jungles  abound  in  ferocious  animals,  such 
as  the  lion,  tiger  and  panther.  The  birds  are 
famous  for  the  beauty  of  their  plumage. 

The  vegetable  and  mineral  productions  are 
rich  and  varied.  Cocoanuts,  pomegranates, 
citrons,  dates,  figs,  tamarinds,  and  every  de- 
scription of  tropical  fruits,  grow  there  in  great 
profusion. 

Indigo,  opium,  and  rice,  are  extensively  cul- 
tivated ;  and  diamonds  and  other  precious 
stones  are  frequently  found  there — ' '  the  gems 
of  Golconda"  being  a  well-known  phrase. 
»  One  of  the  most  remarkable  productions  of 
this  wonderfal  country  is  the  banyan,  or  Indian 
fig-tree,  whose  branches  extend  to  the  earth, 
take  root,  and  form  new  trunks.  A  banyan- 
tree  has  been  known  to  have  more  than  three 
thousand  trunks,  and  to  cover  eight  acres  of 
ground  ;  thus  forming,  in  point  of  fact,  an  en- 
tire forest.  About  six-sevenths  of  the  inhabit- 
ants are  included  under  the  general  name  of 
Hindoos.  Among  the  native  tribes,  Brahmin- 
ism  and  Mohammedanism  prevail.  Agriculture 
is  the  leading  pursuit,  and  its  manufactures 
consist  of  carpets,  shawls,  and  silk  fabrics. 

Till  within  the  last  few  years  the  roads  were 


mere  tracks,  and  locomotion  was  conducted  in 
the  rudest  state.  But  under  the  fostering  care 
of  the  British  Government,  railroads  run 
through  the  land,  where,  even  now,  as  Punch 
humorously  illustrated  it,  the  Bengal  tiger 
stands  gazing  with  a  savage  stupor  upon  the 
notice,  "Beware  of  the  Locomotive,"  and  that 
' '  Trespassers  will  be  punished  with  the  utmost 
rigor  of  the  law."  It  almost  staggers  belief, 
that  the  whiz  and  the  snort  of  the  steam -car- 
riage should  disturb  the  sacred  quiet  of  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  and  that  a  long  train  of  cars 
should  pass  over  the  bridges  of  the  Euphrates. 

About  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  the 
British  gained  a  foothold  in  India,  and  now  it 
is  entirely  under  their  rule,  either  as  British 
possessions,  tributaries,  or  protected  States. 
Calcutta  is  the  capital  of  British  rule.  Al- 
though Bombay  and  Madras  have  governors, 
yet  they  are  under  the  control  of  the  Governor- 
General  of  India,  the  most  important  and  lu- 
crative position  in  the  gift  of  the  British  Min- 
istry. Calcutta  is  a  magnificent  city,  and  boasts 
in  the  possession  of  the  largest  market  on  the 
face  of  the  globe.  Benares,  the  holy  city  of  the 
Hindoos,  is  situated  on  the  Ganges,  and  is  the 
noted  resort  of  pilgrims  from  all  parts  of  India. 
It  is  also  famous  for  its  trade  in  diamonds. 

The  history  of  India,  as  given  by  the  Sanscrit 
writers,  is  lost  in  a  fabulous  antiquity  more 
remote  than  even  the  pedigree  of  a  "Welsh 
family.  Their  chronology  mentions  a  race  of 
kings  as  reigning  more  than  two  thousand 
years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  Buddhism 
is  said  to  be  more  than  a  thousand  years  older 
than  Christianity.  Many  ancient  nations,  par- 
ticularly the  Tyriansand  Egyptians,  carried  on 
considerable  commerce  with  the  Indians.  Five 
hundred  and  twelve  years  before  Christ,  it  was 
conquered  by  Darius  Hystaspes,  who  formed  an 
Indian  satrapy.  It  remained  under  the  rule  of 
the  Persians  for  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
years,  when,  Alexander  having  overthrown  the 
Persian  Empire,  it  fell  momentarily  under  the 
power  of  that  human  tornado  of  conquest.  On 
the  death  of  Alexander,  it  seems  to  have  recov- 
ered its  self-rule,  and  under  the  Eoman  regime  it 
carried  on  a  widely  extending  commerce  with 
surrounding  nations. 

The  authentic  history  of  Hindoostan  com- 
mences in  1004  A.  D.,  when  Mahmoud  Ghazni 
conquered  it.     This  was  the  first  inroad  of  the 


Mohammedans,  and  the  rule  of  the  house  of 
Ghazni  lasted  till  1186,  when  another  race 
arose,  which,  under  the  name  of  the  Slave 
Kings  of  Delhi,  became  the  masters  of  India, 
till  1288,  when  the  Khilgis  ruled  till  1412. 
The  Afghan  Empire  was  founded  in  1205,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  called  Patnese,  under 
which  name  Marco  Polo  mentions  them,  but 
places  their  kingdom  about  five  hundred  miles 
away. 

India  has  had  much  to  endure — its  ordeal  has 
been  something  terrible,  and  only  paralleled 
by  the  Jewish  race.  The  wealth  of  a  nation, 
like  the  beauty  of  a  woman,  tempts  surround- 
ers,  and  it  is  as  perilous  for  a  nation  as  for  a 
woman  to  have  too  many  attractions — more 
especially  of  riches.  Heiresses  and  Indias  are 
always  the  Terrible  Temptations,  and  the  vic- 
tims of  the  world. 

In  1222,  Genghis  Khan,  the  most  sanguinary 
monster  that  the  Deity  created  in  human  form, 
invaded  India,  to  establish  the  worship  of  his 
god ;  and  the  enforcement  of  the  creed  cost 
fourteen  millions  of  lives.  This  human  atro- 
city died  in  1237,  when,  in  1398,  the  Mogul 
Tartars,  led  by  Tamerlane,  took  Delhi,  and 
remained  masters  of  Hindoostan. 

In  1407  a  new  era  dawned  upon  India.  Five 
years  after  Columbus  had  discovered  the  out- 
posts of  the  American  continent,  Vasco  de 
Gamo  had  solved  another  geographical  diflBculty 
or  mystery ;  he  doubled  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hoi)e,  and  the  Ultima  Thule  of  the  Southern 
World  became  the  point  d  'appui  for  mariners 
to  rest  and  start  from  again  on  their  Indian 
travels.  Five  years  afterward  the  Portuguese 
established  a  trading  station  at  Cochin,  just 
about  the  time  that  Baber,  the  founder  of  the 
Mogul  Empire,  took  Delhi,  and  established  his 
power. 

In  1556  was  born  Akbar,  the  beau  ideal  of  all 
Hindoo  history,  and  his  early  death,  in  1605, 
was  as  great  an  affliction  to  the  nation  as  the 
death  of  any  man  can  be  to  a  community.  In 
1589,  twenty-seven  years  before  the  death  of 
Shakespeare,  the  English  arrived  in  India,  and 
since  then  the  history  of  this  country  has  been, 
more  or  less,  dependent  upon  that  of  British 
progress. 

It  must  in  justice  be  said  of  British  rule, 
which  has  been  so  much,  and,  we  doubt  not, 
so  justly  assailed,  that  while  it  has  taken  from 


82 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


Bearly  one-fifth  of  the  human  race  its  self-na- 
tionality, it  has  carried  on,  in  its  capacity  of  a 
Wind  agent  in  the  hands  of  Divine  Providence, 
human  progression.  For  the  national  inde- 
dendence  of  India  —  with  its  wholesale  infanti- 
cides, widow-burnings,  wide-spread  epidemics, 
sanguinary  conspiracies,  and  native-lwrn  Mo- 
J^ochs,  wiUl  their  attendant  rava:;es  and  confls- 


Princes  of  Oude, 

Tin!  magnificently-dressed  figures  which  we 
give  in  our  engravin;?  represent  the  Princes  of 
Oude  in  their  full  court  costumes,  blazing  with 
diamonds,  such  as  arc  only  worn  on  state  occa- 
sions. They  each  wear  the  s.amo  sort  of  hijh 
coronet  cap  of  gold  and  jewels,  but  ornamented 


spread  terror  through  the  world.  Beside  this,  ft 
dethroned  monarch  is  always  an  object  of  com* 
miseration,  even  when  his  conduct  has  mental 
animadversion.  When  Charles  X.  quitted  St. 
Cloud  for  Holyrood,  never  to  return,  the  lat» 
Sir  Walter  Scott  prepared  the  public  of  th» 
northern  mctropolia  for  his  reception  by  aa 
article  cf  a  poetical  and  sympathetic  character 


cations — it  has  given  them  a  steady,  benevolent 
government,  enligntened  education,  railroads, 
personal  security,  aa  enlarged  commerce,  and 
the  gentle  doctrines  of  Christianity. 

1  »  I 

In  society  wo  loam  to  know  others,  but  )a 
loHtude  we  acquire  a  knowledge  of  ourBell 


PEINOES  OF  OUDE. 

with  a  few  small  feathers.  The  young  prince's 
dress  is  most  elaboratelv  decorated  with  jewels, 
the  material  on  which  thev  are  wrought  Deing 
composed  cf  the  velvet  clotli  of  gold. 

The  Princes  of  Uude  are  among  the  fe»  living 
representatives  of  those  mighty  Eastern  sovc- 
icigns  that  once  reigned  over  the  Indies,  ana 


in  which  he  spoke  of  his  "  gray  and  discrowned 
head."  Itinerant  sovereigns  of  all  times,  from 
Mithridates  dowii  to  the  late  Gustavus  of 
Sweden,  have  met  with  sympathy  when  th» 
sceptre  had  passed  from  their  hands. 

Looking  to  laiglish  authority,  we  leara  tha4 
the  Hindoo  settlement  of  Oude  is  of  great  an« 


_TINDOOSTAi«,    3IAM,    ETC. 


88 


SYF£S  Of  GKEAT  BDBUAN   LOBSS   AND  iUQU   OFflCIU/S. 


«4 


THE    WOELD'S    GEF\T    NATIONa 


JiqTiity  and  obdcnrity ;  but  we  find  that  at  the 
close  of  the  twelfth  century  the  Moslem  con- 
quest took  place,  and  thenceforward  it  became 
an  integral  part  of  the  Mogul  empire.  The  cx- 
Toyal  family  were  the  vizers  or  ministers  of  the 
^eat  Mc^ul  during  that  interesting  period  of 
iistoiy  when  the  Clives  in  camp  and  the  Hast- 
ings in  council  added  so  unscrupulously  to  the 
territories  of  the  East  India  Company.  But  out 
of  the  ruins  of  the  Mogul  Empire  they  rose  to 
royalty,  under  llie  p.itronage  of  the  Company. 


of  administration  as  should  be  conducive  to  the 
prosperity  of  his  subjects,  and  be  calculated  to 
secure  the  lives  and  property  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  king,  moreover,  undertook  alwayj  to  advise 
with,  and  act  iu  conformity  to,  the  counsel  of 
the  officers  of  the  Company. 

The  treaty,  however,  proved  to  be  a  piece  of 
waste  paper.  No  attention  was  paid  either  to 
its  provisions  or  to  the  counsels  of  the  British 
agents.  In  1842,  Mahommed  All  Shah  died, 
and  his  son  ascended  the  throne,  under  the  title 


Band  ponudo.  The  ex-royal  family  of  Oude  is 
not  of  the  Hindoo  faith,  but  Moslem  of  the  sect 
of  Shea,  that  is  to  say,  those  who  acknowledge 
the  Imanati  in  the  reputed  descendants  of  AIL 
To  this  sect  belong  the  Persians,  and  many  tribea 
ia  Syri:i,  and  other  parts  of  the  Eaat. 


The  nerve  which  never  relaxes,  the  eye  which 
never  blanches,  the  thought  which  never  waa- 
de:s— the93  are  t^ie  masters  of  victory. 


THE  OKEATEST  OF  HINDOO   PRINCES,  RANA  OF  OODIPOOE. 


They  could  not,  therefore,  like  many  princes, 
claim  antecedent  vested  interests  ;  their  royalty 
"W.is  of  English  creation  for  Indian  purposes, 
And  the  dynasty  has  had  ah  initio  no  locus  standi, 
«xcept  that  of  stewardship  for  the  suzerain 
j)Ower.  The  frightful  raisgovernmcnt  of  Oude 
had  for  many  years  attracted  the  attention  of 
many  humanely-disposed  persons  in  the  councils 
•of  India  ;  and  over  thirty  years  ago  the  father 
of  the  ex-king  came  under  the  most  solemn  en- 
gagement, by  treaty,  to  establish  such  a  system 


of  Aboonzuffer  Muslah-ood-deen,  to  whom  a 
term  was  given  for  carrying  out  the  requisite 
changes.  The  ex-King  of  Oude  was  bound  by 
solemn  treaty  to  particular  administrative  re- 
forms ;  but  years  of  misgovemment  having 
passed  over  his  head  without  adequate  attention 
being  paid  to  the  representations  of  the  British 
agents,  it  was  found  requisite  to  resort  to  the 
extreme  measure  of  raediatization.  The  family 
Wiis  dethroned,  but  the  fall  was  softened  by  an 
annual  pension  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 


Burmali  and  its  People. 

The  recent  war  made  by  England  upon  •  the 
Burmese  Empire,  in  that  insatiate  greed  of  ter- 
ritory which  is  such  a  disease  with  English 
statesmen,  has  drawn  more  attention  to  Bur- 
mah  and  its  people.  That  our  readers  may 
know  what  manner  of  people  they  are,  we  give 
tyixa  of  the  upper  classes,  a  group  of  great 
lords  and  high  functionaries  o£  the  court,  and 
two  Burmese  ladies. 


HINDOOSTAN.    &IAM.    ETC, 


85 


LAOTIAN    WOMEN,    NEAE    PETCHABDEY. 


B6 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT     NATIONS 


once.  To  personal  charm  she  generally  niiH«s 
great  energy  of  will ;  and  woman,  in  fact,  RivfcS 
the  manners  of  the  country  their  moat  distino- 
tive  character. 

+<.e>»» 

The  Eana  cf  Oodipoor. 
OcR  illustration  is  from  li  sketch  of  ihl 
present  Kana,  Maharaji  Uehraj  Maharanaji  Sri 
Scroop  Sing  Ji  Bahadur.  The  Hindoo  trihes 
yield  unanimous  suffrage  to  the  Prince  of  Mewar 
as  the  legitimate  heir  to  the  tlironc  of  Ramn, 
and  style  him  Hindua  Sooraj,  or  Sun  of  the 
Hindoos,  and  in  their  pictures  he  is  always 
represented  with  that  luminary  forming  a  halo 
round  his  head.  He  is  universally  allowed  to 
be  the  first  of  the  "thirty-six  royal  tribes,"  ncT 
has  a  doubt  ever  been  raised  of  the  purity  of  hij 
descent.  The  solemnity  of  being  seated  on  tht> 
throne  of  Mewar  is  so  expensive  that  many  ci 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  have  fallen  into  disuse 
Juggat  Sing  was  the  last  prince  %¥hose  corona- 
tion  was  conducted  with  the  ancient  splendor  of 
this  princely  house.  It  cost  the  sum  of  ninety 
lacs  of  rupees  (six  millions  cf  dollars),  nearly 
one  entire  year's  revenue  of  the  State  in  the 
days  of  its  prosperity,  and  which,  taken  into 
consideration  the  comparative  value  of  money, 
would  amount  to  upwards  of  twenty  millions  ot 
dollars.  Now,  the  whole  revenue  of  Kana  does 
not  exceed  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  a. 
year.  The  annals  of  this  ancient  race,  and  their 
heroic  struggles  with  the  Mohammedans,  form 
ft  most  interesting  chapter  in  the  history  of 
India.  The  three  Giegcsof  Chectore,  the  ancient 
capital  of  We  war,  hy  Alia  u  deen,  Bahadur  r.nd 
Akhbar,  are  full  of  romantic  incident.  Tlie  first 
took  place  in  1290,  and  lasted  four  years.  Wbcn 
all  hope  was  lost,  the  women,  headed  by  the 
([ueen,  rctirel  to  a  cave  and  were  Braothered  in 
the  flames  kindled  at  its  mouth  ;  t'.ie  Eajah  and 
all  hissons killed  tlieraselves,  witli  the  exceptica 
of  one,  who  was  preserved  to  continue  his  race, 
and  escaped  protected  by  a  chosen  band.  A-- 
the  second  siege,  bj  Bahadr.r.  Kins  cf  JIandoo 


PilIXCU  01"   CUBE. 


He  country  is  rich  and  populous,  the  peo- 
ple indnstrious,  intelligent,  and  needing  only 
Christianity  to  give  their  civilization  its  full 
development,  by  l>anishing  barbarous  supersti- 
tions and  giving  human  reason  its  iiighest 
sphere. 

A  traveler  thug  describes  Nanmadauwoon, 
CloTemor  of  the  Queen's  palace:  He  wore  an 
organdy  robe,  and  on  his  shoulder  a  (^al-wi,  a 
gcild  chain  oi  several  stran  is,  the  insignia  of 
Bnrmese  nobles.  It  is  fistened  on  the  left 
shoulder  and  crosses  the  breast,  ending  on  the 
hack,  behind  the  right  arm.  It  is  generally 
regarded  as  a  modification  of  the  sacred  Brah- 
minical  cord  of  the  Hindoos.  The  apartments 
to  which  the  party  were  conducted  was  an  im- 
taense  hall,  seventy-five  feet  long.  It  was  a 
dining-room,  and  adorned  with  large  china 
Taset,  containing  artificial  trees,  covered  with 
Aowers  and  fruit.  The  fruit  can  scarcely  he 
called  artificial,  for  though  they  imitated  pine- 
•giples,  peaches,  and  other  native  productions, 
Ciey  were  really  eatable,  being  of  sugar  or  can- 
died fruit,  hung  there  on  wirea,  and  renewed 
QBily  as  they  were  eaten . 

Tit-  floor  waa  covered  with  Chineoe  matting  ; 


tables,  chairs,  and  a  pmtknh,  with  great  Chinese 
lanterns,  v/ere  the  furniture  of  the  agreeahie 
room. 

On  state  occasions  the  high  dignitaries  wear 
a  lar_e  scarlet  velvet  mitre,  with  a  tinsel  crown 
around  the  base,  and  folding  back.  The  robe 
was  of  the  same  material,  with  wide  sleeves, 
trimmed  with  brocade,  and  TesemblinT;  the 
capes  worn  by  the  Catholic  clergy  Eiich  cne 
carries  an  ivory  instrument,  like  a  paper-folder, 
to  keep  his  mitre  on,  and  shows  his  rank  by 
the  number  of  strands  of  his  iaal-wi. 

The  costume  of  Burmese  ladies  may  be  seen 
in  tliat  of  the  queen,  v/ho  wore  a  cap  fitting 
closely  to  the  head,  covering  tlie  hair  and  ears, 
and  rising  in  a  spiral  foim,  curving  over  in 
front  like  a  horn.  The  sleeves  and  waist  were 
slashed  like  the  dresses  of  the  days  of  Queen 
Bess,  and  a  similarly-slashed  collar  encircled 
the  neck  and  descended  to  the  belt.  Her  cor- 
sagfe  was  adorned  with  precious  stones,  and 
head-dress  and  robe  were  alike  stiff  with  dia- 
monds. The  ladies  attending  lier  wore  nearly 
similar  dresses. 

The  Burman  woman  is  not  a  creature  shut  up 
in  harem  or  zenana.     She  exorcises  greet  inllu- 


A   BrNDOO  VAKIB 


HIND003TAN.    SIAM.    ETa 


87 


the  gamr  immolation  took  pliwe,  and  thtrtoen 
thousand  femaleg  nre  said  to  have  perislied  ; 
and  the  young  prince,  Oody  Bins,  then  an 
Infant,  was  only  preserved  by  his  nuree  substi- 
tuting her  ovra  infant,  and  seeing  him  killeJ 
tefore  her  eyes. 

It  was  this  child,  who  subsequently  became 
Hana,  that  removed  the  capital  from  Chectore 
to  Oodipoor  after  its  third  siege  and  sack  by 
Ahkbar.  On  this  occasion  many  of  the  women 
died  fighting  in  the  field,  and  the  rest,  among 
them  nine  queens  and  five  princesses,  perished 
in  the  flames.  All  the  heads  of  clans,  both 
home  and  foreign,  fall,  and  one  thousand  sev«x 
hundred  of  the  immediate  kin  of  the  prince 
sealed  their  duty  to  their  country  with  their 
lives.  

Laotian  Women. 

The  peninsula  between  India  and  China,  with 
its  population  partaking  of  the  characteristics 
of  both,  has  been  known  and  unknown  for 
ages.  India  beyond  the  Ganges  figures  on  the 
earliest  maps,  and  was  so  populirly  known 
that  the  lands  discovered  by  Columbus  were 
described  in  early  publications  as  being  in  this 
convenient  district,  "  India  beyond  thcGanges." 
But  although  Laos  and  its  neighboring  coun- 
iries  were  thus  brought  into  close  connection 
■with  America,  we  know  very  little  of  our  Lao- 
tian neighbors,  and  our  readers  will  view  with 
interest  the  sketch  cf  same  Laotian  women 
iaken   near  Petchabury  by  Jlonoth,   a  French 


IHE  horses'   morning   BATH   AT   CALCUTfA. 


naturalist,  whose  travels  in  these  parts  would 
have  thrown  great  light  on  all  concerning  them, 
had  not  his  premature  death  arrested  his  labors. 


In  the  vicinity  of  Petchabury,  about  ten  miles 
apart,  there  are  several  villages  occupied  by 
Laotians,  settled  there  for  two  or  three  genera- 
tions, preserving  their  own  language,  and  keep- 
ing aloof  from  the  Siamese.  They  came  from, 
the  north-east  cf  the  great  lake  Sap,  and  the 
banks  of  the  Mekong. 

Their  costume  consist.?  of  a  long  shirt  and 
lilack  trowsers  of  the  same  cut  as  those  of  the 
Cochin  Chinese.  The  head-dress,  of  the  women, 
at  least,  resembles  that  of  llic  people  of  the 
country.  The  men  wear  the  Siamese  tuft. 
Their  chants  and  mode  of  drinking,  through 
bamboos  from  large  jars,  a  fermented  liquor 
made  of  rice  and  herbs,  reminded  me  of  tho 
wild  Stieng's,  among  whom  may  be  seen  tha 
same,  and  also  other,  points  of  resemblance. 
The  young  girls  have  a  whiter  skin  than  those 
cf  Siam,  and  very  pleasing  features,  but  these 
soon  grow  coarse  and  lose  their  charm. 

The  Laotians  seem  to  be  the  original  stock  of 
a  nation  which  is  widely  spread  from  the 
Ganges  to  the  Salven.  Though  inferior  to  the 
Siamese,  they  have  made  some  progress  in  ci  ri- 
lization,  and  in  religion  are  Buddhists.  Their 
country  is  entirely  inland,  being  bounded  on 
the  south  by  Siam  and  Cochin  China,  whil« 
China  shuts  it  in  on  the  north,  and  tlie  Burman 
Empire  on  the  other  sides.  The  country  is  said 
to  be  fertile,  and  rich  in  mineral  wealth. 


BAST   INDIAN    CAEPEMTKK8   AT  WORK. 


The  Prince  of  Oude. 
This  young  prince,  who  succeeded  to  the 
throne  of  his  uncle  in  1807,  but  who  has  sincS 
been  pensioned  off  by  the  British  Government, 
is  now  in  his  thirty-third  year.  The  chiei 
interest  attached  to  liim  comes  from  his  mothcx, 
the  Queen  of  Oude,  who,  on  the  breaking  otf 
in  1858  of  the  SciMV  rebellion,  went  to  England 
to  demonstrate  the  innocence  of  herself  and  bob 
in  tiie  atrocities  of  Nana  Sahib.  The  ujihappj 
princess  died  in  Paiis  coon  jift«r. 


88 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


A  Hindoo  Fakir. 

Tms  is  one  of  the  so-called  holy  men  of  India. 
According  to  the  belief  of  tho  Hindoos,  these 
are  the  very  holiest  characters,  who  cannot  do 
anything  wrong,  and  are  therefore  worshiped 
by  the  people.  Tliey  spend  their  time  traveling 
from  city  to  city,  and,  in  the  guise  of  sanctity, 
really  do  great  harm  wherever  they  go.  They 
carry  a  bag,  in  which  they  place  the  money  and 
food  collected  from  their  deluded  admirers. 
They  are  really  great  knaves,  and  would  not  be 
tolerated  in  any  country  where  superstition  did 
not  sway  the  multitudes. 

As  their  influence  and  existence  depended 
upon  keeping  the  masses  in  ignorance,  the 
Fakirs  have  been  found  the  most  bitter  op- 
ponents to  the  progress  of  civilization  and 
Christianity.  Our  illustration  shows  the  fan- 
tastic dress  and  appearance  of  one  of  these  im- 
posters,  and  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  conceive  how 
Buch  repulsive  barbarians  can  secure  the  regard 
and  confidence  which  are  so  universally  accorded 
to  them. 


SOCIAL   LIFE. INTEKIOR   OF    A    HINDOO    HOUSE. 

East  Indian  Carpenters. 

An  American  carpenter  would  smile  if  he  saw 
the  tools  used  by  one  of  his  own  craft,  a  native 
of  India,  and  still  more  so  if  he  saw  the  native 
carpenter  at  work,  performing  the  operations 
of  planing,  sawing,  drilling,  hammering,  etc., 
seated  on  his  haunches,  as  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration. 

His  tools,  which  are  always  few  in  number, 
are  of  the  rudest  description,  and  appear  quite 
past  work,  through  age ;  indeed,  they  have 
probably  descended  from  father  to  son  for  many 
generations,  and  are  regarded  with  superstitious 
reverence.  Their  work  is,  however,  performed 
with  wonderful  neatness,  and,  though  not  so 
durable  as  that  done  by  an  American  carpenter 
or  upholsterer,  is  quite  equal  in  the  matter  of 
finish. 

A  person,  who  had  a  large  number  of  Hindoo 
carpenters  at  work,  was  desirous  of  having  it 
done  in  the  best  possible  way  and  with  this 
view,  wrote  to  Kngland  for  several  complete 
Bets  of  carpenter's  tools  of  the  first  quaUty, 


'  naturally  thinking  that  his  work,  already  done 
well,  would  be  so  much  better  done  with  better 
instruments.  He  thought  to  give  the  men  .an 
agreeable  surprise,  and  so  kept  the  matter  a 
secret  until  the  arrival  of  his  instruments.  The 
surprise  was  on  his  side,  however,  when  h& 
found  that  the  carpenters  would  not  use  one  of 
the  English  tools,  asserting  most  positively  that 
they  could  not  work  with  them. 

The  reverence  with  which  a  Hindoo  professes 
to  regard  the  instruments  he  works  with,  very 
naturally  assumes  the  color  of  his  idolatrous- 
religion,  and,  consequently,  not  only  does  he 
make  offerings  of  rice,  fruit  and  flowers  to- 
them,  which  seems  almost  too  absuril  for  belief, 
acd  would  be  very  laughable,  if  it  were  not  for 
the  pity  we  ought  to  feel  for  this  blind  supersti- 
tion and  ignorance  of  the  true  object  of  wor- 
ship. 


Tub  easiest  and  best  way  to  expand  the  chest 
is  to  have  a  good  heart  in  it ;  it  saves  the  cog* 
of  gymnastics 


HINDOOSTAN.    SIAM.    ETU 


89 


Horses  Bathing  at  Oalcntta. 
OlTR  illustration  represents  horses  bathing  in 
the  Ganges,  at  Calcutta,  in  charge  of  the  native 
grooms.  The  animals  appear  to  be  enjoying 
hugely  their  dip  in  the  sacred  river,  and  the 
picture  throughout  has  more  life  than  is  usual 
in  Oriental  subjects. 


Social  Life  iu  India. 
The  engraving  delineates  tlie  interior  of  the 
usual  Hindoo  houses  on  the  banks  of  a  stream 
running  into  the  Ganges,  a  few  miles  above 
Calcutta,  which,  some  fifty  years  ago,  was  said 
to  be  not  only  the  grandest  city  in  Asia,  but 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  world  ;  even  now  it  is 
popularly  known  as  the  City  of  Palaces — a  title 
which  the  European  portion  is  not  unworthy  of. 
The  villages  around  Calcutta  remain,  notwith- 
standing tlieir  proximity  to  civilization,  in 
their  primitive  condition.  The  cottages  of  the 
poorer  Hindoos  are,  witli  few  exceptions,  built 
of  mud  and  bamboo,  thatclied  with  the  leaves 
of  the  graceful  palm-tree.  These  huts  have 
only  two  chambers — one  for  the  male,  and  the 
other  for  the  female  members  of  the  family. 


Sunrise  in  Oalcuttft. 
CALcmTA  at  early  dawn  presents  a  strange 
spectacle,  especially  in  the  suburbs,  such  as  our 
illustration  shows,  where  the  old  narrow  streets 
prevail,  and  the  tall  structures  of  brick  and 
stone  are  mingled  with  hovels  of  mud  and 
biimboo.  The  rich  native  merchant  does  not, 
like  the  Englishman,  take  a  fine,  airy,  salu- 
brious site  for  his  dwelling.  The  surroundings 
are  to  him  a  matter  of  indifference.  He  escapes 
the  din  of  the  thoroughfare,  howevjr,  for  great 
men's  houses  in  Eastern  cities  usually  turn  their 
baclis  upon  the  public  thoroughfare,  that  home 
of  the  many.  Where  stores  line  the  streets, 
the  shopkeepers,  generally  fruiterers,  confec- 
tioners, druggists,  and  cloth-dealers,  close  their 
shops  at  nightfall  and  go  elsewhere,  making  the 
ground-floor  perfectly  dark.  At  niglit  these 
streets  are  lighted  by  floating  lights  set  in  large 
pans  of  oil  by  the  roadside  and  by  colored, 
Chinese-like  lamps.  The  smell  is  terilble,  and 
is  increased  by  the  odor  of  the  peoole,  who 
might  well  assume  the  name  giver  by  our 
people  to  the  lower  classes  in  Central .  America, 
"Greasers,"  for  they  really  grease  th  imselves 
with  this  oil. 


The  «treet  is,  to  sutny  persons,  a  home,  yjho,  A 
night  advances,  stretch  themselves  on  the  pa7e» 
ment  to  get  a  scanty  repose,  or,  what  is  worse, 
sit  up  all  night  singing  "La!  la!  la!  "  at  the 
top  of  their  voices.  As  morning  comes  the 
lamps  and  cries  die  out,  the  dull,  smoky  smell 
becomes  more  intense  as  the  sun  approaches  the 
horizon,  and  when  at  last  he  lifts  his  head 
above  it  for  the  adoration  of  the  Parsee,  the 
street  population  of  Calcutta  rouse  them  from 
their  lairs,  a  ragged,  squalid  crowd,  such  as 
only  Eastern  cities  possess.  It  is  less  ragged, 
perhaps,  than  it  would  be  had  its  members  more 
clothes  ;  in  the  majority  of  cases,  the  garment 
is  confined  to  tlie  neighborhood  of  the  waist : 
where  more  is  worn,  it  is  generally  in  rags,  and, 
in  fact,  still  less  a  covering  for  decency. 

As  the  traffic  of  the  day  will  require  theil 
bed-chamber,  this  crowd  gradually  rises  and 
disperses  to  its  various  paths  of  mendicity  and 
villainy. 

Then  the  shopkeepers  appear  and  open  the 
booths  or  verandas,  which  constitute  their 
shops,  resembling  our  news-stands,  and,  creep- 
ing in  here,  they  stand  ready  to  deal  with  theix 
customers  on  the  sidewalk. 


STKBISE   IN   CALODTTA. 


90 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATlONa 


A  Tola  Dancing-girl  at  Senegal. 
The  curioug  attire  of  the  dancing-girls  at 
Senegal  will  not  fail  to  strike  the  reader.  The 
lair  is  hraided  into  a  sort  of  Marie  Stuart 
jonne  ,  the  tress  on  tress  giving  the  hair  the 
appearance  of  a  cloise  bonnet  laid  on  the  head. 
Vhile  the  old  lady  in  the  nursery-rhyme  had 
rings  n  her  fingers  and  hells  on  her  toes,  this 
one  ij  profusely  adorned  with  bells  around  her 
waist  ;'.nd  skirt.  She  wears,  of  course,  earrings, 
armlets,  \vTistlets,  and  anklets  ;  but  her  horse- 
tail f.m  and  the  wealth  of  cowries  which  stud 
the  front  of  her  skirt,  distinguish  her  from  the 
somewhat  similar  danseuaes  of  other  tribes  on 
the  African  coast.  With  them  the  d  ince  to  rude 
music  is  everything.  A  dance  will  celebrate 
the  return  of  a  friend,  a  victory  or  a  wedding. 


Burmese  Women. 

KowHERE,  perhaps,  in  Asia  is  woman  more 
free  than  in  Biirraah  ;  far  from  beinj  a  prisoner, 
as  in  Mohammedan  lands,  or  a  slave,  as  in 
others,  she  is  sovereign  rather  than  subject. 
The  women  frequent  all  popular  gatherings, 
and  give  tone  eveiywhere.  Full  of  ease  and 
grace,  polished,  active,  and  very  shrewd,  they 
exercise  an  almost  irresistible  fascination.  At 
bull-fights,  regattas,  the  gaming-table,  evon, 
women  hold  the  first  place.  She  manages 
business,  builds  houses  or  directs  the  operations, 
and  conducts  commerce.  They  are  endowed 
with  .sreat  energy  of  will,  and  this,  with  their 
real  charms,  makes  then  all-powerful.  More 
than  one  revolution  has  been  their  work.  They 
are,  too,  the  main  supports  of  the  native  idola- 
try, and  opponents  of  Christianity. 

In  costume,  En  jlish  ideas  are  making  some 
progress.     The  native  dress,  though,  not  unbe- 


coming, is  much  less  so  than  the  flowing  and 
graceful  garments  of  the  western  nations  of 
India.  The  fabrics  worn  are  comparatively 
coarse  and  homely.  Umbrellas,  which  are  in 
general  use  among  all  classes,  are  among  the 
principal  insignia  of  rank  and  office,  llie 
figure  leading  a  child  is  Anglo-Burmese  ;  next  is 
an  unmarried  Burmese  girl,  showing  the  native 
dress  with  the  open  skirt,  betraying  the  shapely 
lej ;  the  figure  carrying  a  tray  is  a  Burmese 
woman  of  the  lower  class ;  and  the  sitting 
figure  is  a  market-woman,  selling  cheroots. 


A  Human  Victim  offered  to  the  Gods. 

HuM.\N  sacrifice  has  prevailed  in  most  part4 
of  tlie  world,  and  seems  to  have  sprung  from  ( 
distorted  tradition  of  the  promise  of  redemption 
by  the  blood  of  one  of  Adam's  race.  The  last 
place  within  the  reach  of  Europeari  civilization 
where  it  was  practiced  was  among  the  Khoonds, 
in  Hindoostan.  The  English  Government 
experienced  great  difficulty  in  suppressing  the 
barbarous  custom,  and  deserves  honor  therefor. 

Neither  age  nor  sex  nor  religion  were  of 
importance,  yet  they  preferred  adults  to  chil- 
dren or  the  aged,  as  bringing  a  higher  price, 
and  being  more  acceptable  to  the  divinity  to 
whom  they  were  offered  ;  the  preference  was 
also  given  to  a  certain  degree  of  corpulence. 
They  had  professional  agents  for  this  odious 
traffic  generally  belonging  to  the  caste  Panoo. 
Without  the  excuse  of  superstition  or  igno- 
rance, instigated  by  a  mean  spirit  of  gain, 
these  wretched  purveyors,  or  these  Asiatic 
•'runners,"  a  hundred  times  more  deserving  of 
punishment  than  the  Khoonds  themselves, 
took  advantage  of  times  of  famine  to  visit  the 
villages  of  the  plain  and  purchase  the  children 
from    the    parents,   who,    overwhelmed    with. 


BDBUESE  WOMSN. 


HINDOOSTAN,    SIAM,    ETC. 


91 


'92 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


misarj,  Bold  them  for  the  mer- 
est pittance.  The  seizing  and 
carrying  off  is  a  familiar  usage, 
for,  with  the  pretext  of  giving 
them  a  lucrative  employment, 
they  entice  young  girls  and 
boys  to  follow  them  into  the 
mountains  ;  when,  once  taken 
captive,  and  treated  with  pe- 
culiar attention,  these  unfortu- 
nate creatures,  sometimes  for 
many  consecutive  years,  with 
true  Oriental  fatalism,  await 
the  moment  of  the  fulfillment 
of  their  destiny.  In  the  mean- 
while, these  young  people  cul 
tivate  the  soil  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Sirdar  who  has  pur- 
chased them. 

The  young  girls,  if  the  chief 
of  the  village  does  not  usurp  I 
over  them  all  the  rights  of  a 
master  over  his  slave,  contract 
marriages  either  with  some  of 
the  young  Khoond  mountain- 
eers,  or  with    some  of   their 
companions  in  captivity,  Meri- 
aha,  like  themselves,  while  over 
all,  both  parents  and  children 
is  suspended  the  terrible  doom 
The    purchase-money,  varjm.. 
from  sixty  to  a  hundred  rupc  l  ^ 
■was  seldom  paid  in  coin. 

They  preferred  to  give  m 
exchange  some  head  of  cattle, 
pigs,  goafs,  vases,  bronze  oma 
ments,  etc. 

For  a  month  beforehand  they 
have  innumerable  festivals , 
they  become  intoxicated,  and 
dance  around  the  Meriah,  who 
is  dressed  in  her  best  attire, 
and  crowned  with  flowers. 

The  evening  before  the  sacri- 
fice she  is   conducted,   having 
been  previously  stupefied  with 
liquor,  to  the  foot  of  a  stake, 
which  is   surmounted  by  the 
effigy  of  the  divinity — a  pea- 
cock,  an   elephant,   etc.     The 
multitude  begin  to  dance  to  the  sound  of  music, 
and  the  words  of  their  barbaric  hymns,   ad- 
dressed to  the  earth,  are  somewhat  in  this  wise  : 
"  We  offer  you,  0  god,  this  sacrifice ;  give  us 
favorable    seasons,    rich    harvests,    and    good 
health."      Speaking 
to  the  victim,  they 
continue  :  "We have 
obtained  you  by  pur- 
chase   and    not    by 
violence  ;  we  are  now 
about  to  sacrifice  you 
according  to  our  cus- 
toms,    consequently 
no  blame  can  be  im- 
puted to  us." 

The  next  day  they 
bring  her  again,  in  a 
state  of  fresh  intoxi- 
cation, after  having 
rubbed  with  oil  cer- 
tain parts  of  her 
body,  which  every 
<me  present  touches. 


officiating  priest,  or  Zcmi,  who 
may  belong  to  any  caste  what- 
ever, brings  back  the  procession 
to  the  stake,  which  is  always 
placed  near  the  idol  of  the 
locality,  Zacari-Penoo,  repre- 
sented by  three  large  stones. 
He  then  performs  the  ceremony 
called  pooga,  which  consists  in 
offerintc  flowers  and  incense  to 
the  idol  through  the  mediation 
of  a  child  under  seven  years, 
nourished  and  dressed  at  tho 
expense  of  the  community. 
This  child  always  eats  alone, 
and,  in  every  respect,  is  con- 
sidered sacred.  It  is  called  the 
Zoomba.  In  the  meanwhile  a 
kind  of  ditch  is  dug  at  the  foot 
of  the  stake.  Then  follows  the 
scene  shown  in  our  illustration. 
While  the  priest  raises  his 
hands  for  the  last  time  in 
adoration,  every  one  whets  his 
knife,  the  poor  Meriah  looking 
on  from  her  large  intoxicated 
eyes.  As  the  last  word  falls 
from  his  lips,  an  answering 
shout  arises,  and  all  rush  oa 
the  victim,  each  eager  to  bo 
first  to  slash  a  piece  from  the 
living  victim,  the  priest  de- 
jjositing  bis  at  the  foot  of  the 
idol ;  and  each  bears  off  to  hia 
own  home  a  piece  to  bury,  in 
order  to  propitiate  the  deify, 
and  obtain  favor  and  plenty. 
The  head  is  never  touched. 
That  and  the  bones  are  buried 
on  the  spot,  a  buffalo  sacrificed 
there,  and  the  ceremony  ends 
amid  dancing  and  festivity. 


HINDOO   KNIFE-ORIMDER. 

and  anoints  himself  by  wiping  his  oily  fingers 
upon  his  hair.  A  procession  is  then  formed, 
preceded  by  a  band  of  music,  to  promenade  the 
victim,  who  is  carried  in  their  arms  all  around 
the   village   and   the    adjacent   country.     The 


\     4 


OBIIDiTAL   TAHBOtmnm 


Hindoo  Knife-grinder.' 

Oke  of  the  most  remarkable 
things,  with  respect  to  the  va- 
rious trades  and  crafts  among 
the  people  of  India,  is  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  implements  used 
by  them  ;  yet  with  these  the   Hindoos  produce 
excellent  results.     Tliis  is  true   of  the  cabinet- 
maker,   the  goldsmith,    the     blacksmith,    the 
spinner,  and   the  weaver.     So  in    agriculture  ; 
the  plow  is  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  is  so  light 
that  the  husbandman 
may  be  seen  bearing 
it  on  his  shoulders  to 
the  field,  driving  be- 
fore him  a  couple  of 
bullocks  that  are  to 
be  yoked  to  it  on  his 
arrival    there.      The 
boy    turning    the 
wheel  shows,  as  does 
almost    every   other 
sketch,    the    little 
^alue   of    time    and 
human   labor  there, 
reversing     our    own 
case,    for    here    we 
strive   to  save  both 
by  mechanical  inge- 
nuity. 


HINDOOSTAN,    SIAM,    ETC. 


«e 


m 
a 


O 

K 
o 


% 


•  •  /•    ■      • 

•  •/  •  •    • 

•■  •      «      •  t 


94 


.THE    MOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Oriental  Tambourine. 
The  tambourine  is  one  of  the  most  orient.il  of 
musical  instruments,  as  it  appears  in  several  of 
the  ancient  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.  Its  light- 
aess,  and  the  facility  with  which  it  is  played, 
render  it  a  favorite  with  dancers,  who  enliven 
their  performances  by  playing  on  it  as  they 
dance.  It  is  not  capable  of  much  musical 
expression,  but  it  is  sometimes  effective  as  an 
accompaniment. 


Street  Scene  in  the  Oity  of  Bombay. 

Evert  nation  on  the  face  of  the  globe  has  a 
representative  population  in  Bombay.  Here 
are  solemn-looking  Parsees  —  hooked-nosed 
Jews,  tawney  Chinese,  fresh-complexioned  Eng- 
lish— here  are  Catholic  priests,  turbaned  Mus- 
selmen,  American  clergymen,  stealthy  Arabs, 
and  mercurial  Frenchmen,  all  pa.ssing  one 
another  in  the  street  with  a  matter-of-course 
air,  as  if  they  were  in  the  habit  of  daily  wit- 
nessing the  miscellaneous  jumble  of  humin 
life.  The  women,  too,  have  their  distinctive 
characteristics  ;  the  poor  daughter  of  the  land, 
bearing  heavy  jars  of  water  on  her  head,  and 
clad  only  in  a  long  garment,  of  some  coar.je 
stuff,  twisted  around  her,  trudged  patiently 
Uiward,  while  the  wealthy  raatrn,  loaded  with 


nose-jewels,  bracelets  on  arms  and  ankles,  and 
costly  trinliets  of  gold,  swept  past,  with  a  noisy 
jingle  accompanying  every  motion. 

Foreign-looking  figures  in  Oriental  costumes 
lounged  about  the  bazaars,  mosques,  and  cafes, 
and  haughty  Turks  aiid  Persians  reclined  around 
their  doors,  smoking  from  fragrant  chibouks  ; 
while  at  daybreak  and  sunset  the  streets 
swarmed  with  Parsees.  Tliese  fire-worshipers 
wait  with  reverent  aspect  and  meditative 
silence  long  ere  the  faintest  streak  of  dawn 
appears,  in  order  that  the  first  ray  of  that  star 


OKIENTAL  EWER   AND   ISASIN. 

of  fire,  their  divinity,  may  fall  across  their 
brows ;  and  they  assemble  once  more  in  the 
evening  to  pray  until  the  last  glow  of  the 
departing  sun  has  died  away. 


Ghoolabie,  the  Nautch-Girl. 
We  dine  in  a  spacious  hali,  open  on  one  si  'e 
to  a  mimic  lake,  bristling  with  water-spouts, 
and  fed  by  a  prettily-managed  waterfalL  wliose 
stream  falls  over  uiclie.s  in  which  little  lamps 
are  gleaming,  now  briglitly,  now  dimly,  as  the 
watery  vail  that  covers  them  varies  in  its  vol- 
ume.   On  the  other  side  a  corridor  leads  out  on 


AN  ORISS.i   BRAHMIN. 

spread,  the  orchestra  is  beginning  to  tune  up, 
and  tlie  merry  prattle  of  women's  voices  tells 
us  that  the  fair  artistes  are  only  awaiting  our 
good  pleasiire  to  commence  their  performance. 
Apart  from  the  strange  beauty  of  the  scene 
around,  tlie  nauk/i  itself  was  a  vastly  superior 
performance  to  any  I  had  yet  seen.  The 
orchestra,  of  pipes  and  tabors,  guitars  and 
drums,  occupied  the  back  of  the  stage  ;  in  front 
of  them  sat  demurely  about  a  dozen  nautch- 
girls  ;  and  between  the  ladies  and  our  arm- 
chairs stretched  the  white  floor-cloth  on  which 
they  were  to  dance  While  on  either  side  was 
a  closely-packed  row  of  turbaned  heads,  among 
which  vie  easily  recognize  our  friend  Syf-oolah- 
Baba  ;  and  torch-bearers  and  boatmen,  mingled 
with  our  own  servant.'*,  are  grouped  at  the  back. 
The  musicians  remained  seated  — a  great  im- 
provement on  the  habits  of  their  class  down 
country,  who  move  backward  and  forward,  as 
the  dancers  advance  and  recede,  singing  louder 


OHOOLABIli,  THB  NAUTCH-OIW,. 


FAMILY   BOAT. 

to  a  Stone  platform  of  some  extent,  whence  a 
long  vista  of  lamps  and  sparkling  Jets  d'eau 
stretches  away  down  to  the  large  lake.  This 
path  tapers  away  till  the  eve  loses  it  in  the 
distance ;  the  black  sliadnws  of  tlie  trees  and 
tangled  thickets  of  the  garden  close  it  in  on 
either  side,  and  above,  in  a  sea  of  fleecy  vapor, 
floats  serenely  the  lady  moon.  On  this  plat- 
form preparations  were  being  made  for  the 
naiUch.     Already  has  a  white  floor-cloth  been 


X    niHDOO   (iUIDE,    WITH    IIUBBLK-SlBBUt 


HINDOOSTAN,    SI  AM.    ETC. 


95 


than  the  prima  c'lonua  herself; 
here,  however,  they  content 
themselves  with  playing  a  low, 
Boft  accompaniment  to  the  girls' 
voices  ;  and  their  venerable 
beards,  finely  cut  features  and 
picturesque  dress  formed  a  pleas- 
ing background  to  the  picture. 

The  ballet  commenced  at  a  sigu 
from  the  Jemadar,  or  master  of 
the  revels — a  little  wiry,  bright- 
eyed  old  man,  who  seemed  to  rule 
the  corps  tie  ballet  with  a  rod  of 
iron.  Obedient  to  his  nod,  two 
nautch-girls  rose,  the  orchestra 
played  a  wild  prelude,  and  then 
began  a  somewhat  monotonous 
pantomime  of  waving  arms  and 
supple  forms,  in  which  (a  strange 
contrast  to  our  notions  of  dan- 
cing) the  feet  bore  the  smallest 
part.  The  two  danseusea  moved 
slowly  and  smoothly  toward  and 
around  and  away  from  each  other, 
never  allowing  the  feet  to  leave 
the  floor ;  accompanying  their 
gestures,  which  are  certainly 
graceful  and  expressive,  with  a 
low,  plaintive  chant,  that  at 
intervals  broke  forth  into  a  wild 
burst  of  song,  whose  harshness 
grated  on  our  ears,  but  was  re- 
ceived with  unequivocal  signs  of 
approbation  by  the  native  au- 
dience. Of  the  two  first  per- 
formers, one,  Ghoolabie,  was  a 
beautiful  girl,  tall  and  gtelte,  with 
a  complexion  fair  as  that  of 
many  of  our  own  countrywomen  ; 
the  other  showed  at  a  disad- 
vantage by  her  side,  and  appeared 
to  have  been  selected  purposely 
as  a  foil  by  the  proud  beauty. 
Their  costume,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  their  head-dress,  a  little 
fez-shaped  cap  of  gold  embroi- 
dery, from  beneath  which  their 
dark  hair  fell  in  long  plaits,  was 
hideous ;  clothed  from  chin  to 
foot  in  a  shapeless  shroud  of 
stiff  brocade  and  amber-colored 
Batiu,  which  effectually  concealed 
any  grace  of  form  they  might 
possess,  their  attire  was  about  as 
comjjlete  a  contrast  as  is  well 
possible  to  the  maillots  etjupes  de 
gaze  of  our  figurantes. 

Oriental  Ewer  and  Basin. 

The  Oriental  ewer  and  basin  is 
of  Oriental  manufacture,  and  of 
most  elegant  workmanship.  They 
are  sold  ia  the  bazaars  of  Con»tan- 
tinople.  and  some  of  tham  realize 
very  large  prices.  They  are  made 
of  various  colors,  the  most  beau- 
tiful tint  being  a  marine  blue. 
o 

An  author  is  known  by  his 
writings,  a  fool  by  his  words,  and 
all  men  by  their  companions. 


96 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


A  Ganges  Pamily  Boat. 

Thb  Ganges  is  navigated  by  boats  of  small 
size  nearly  fifteen  hundred  miles  from  its 
moath,  and  the  busy  scene  its  surface  exhibits, 
formed  with  the  great  variety  of  craft  and  the 
diversity  of  the  population,  is,  perhaps,  une- 
qualed  by  any  other  river  in  the  world. 


An  Orissa  Eralunin. 

The  Brahmin  priests  of  India  embrace  the 
highest  caste,  and  consider  themselves  a  supe- 
rior race.  The  undisputed  exercise  of  authority, 
a  Jd  the  respejt  shown  to  their  official  character, 
have  renderei  them  exceedingly  arrogant  and 
bigoted.  The  illustration  shows  one  of  these 
Brahmins  oifering  his  devotion  to  the  sun, 
which,  in  India,  is  an  object  of  worship,  Jlany 
of  these  men  are  well  educated,  and  buing  fond 
of  disputation,  they  hold  long  and  able  argu- 
ments with  the  missionaries,  who  have  endeav- 
ored to  teach  them  the  tru'.hs  of  Christianity. 
As  a  class,  they  are  superetitious,  and  generally 
averse  to  any  chamres  in  their  belief  and  forms 
of  worship,  though  the  influence  of  European 
civilization  is  gradually  molding  their  social 
and  religious  system  into  a  modem  type. 


A  Hindoo  Guide. 


An  English  traveler  to  Cashmere  thus  de- 
scribes his  Hindoo  guide,  Mr.  Bajoo  :  "It  was 
his  duty  to  make  all  necessary  arrnagoments 
for  our  transport  and  general  welfare.  He 
acted  to  the  expedition  in  the  capacity  of  a 
quartermaster-general,  adjutant-general,  com- 
missary-general and  paymaster  to  the  forces, 
etc.  With  the  highest  admiration  foi  England 
and  a  reppect  for  the  Englishmen,  which  ex- 
tended t&  the  very  lining  of  their  pockets.  Mr. 
Rajoo  posse.^sed,  together  with  many  of  the 
fikults  of  bis  race,  a  ceitai&  humor,  and  an 


amount  of  energy  most  unusual  among  the 
family  of  the  mild  Hindoo.  He  had,  moreover, 
traveled  much  with  various  masters,  in  what 
are,  in  his  own  country,  deemed  '  far  lands '  ; 
and  having  been  wounded  before  Delhi,  he  had 
become,  among  the  rest  of  his  people,  an  au- 
thority, and  to  the  Englishmen  in  India  an 
invaluable  medium  for  their  coercion  and  gene- 
ral management. 

"  To  us  he  proved  a  most  efficient  incumbent 
of  the  several  offices  we  selected  him  to  iill. 
His  administration,  no  doubt,  did  display  an 
occasional  weakness ;  and  his  conduct  as  pay- 
master to  the  forces  was  decidedly  open  to 
animadversion  ;  for,  in  this  capacity,  he  seemed 
to  be  un  'er  the  impression  that  payments,  like 
charity,  began  at  home,  and  he  also  labored 
under  a  constitutional  and  hereditary  infirmity, 
whicli  prevented  him,  in  small  matters,  from 
disceining  any  difference  between  meum  and 
tuum. 

"Having  been  employed  collectively,  how- 
ever, it  would  be  imfair  to  judge  of  his  per- 
formances in  detail ;  and  from  his  satisfactory 
management  of  the  expedition,  occasionally 
under  such  trying  circumstances  as  a  break- 
down in  the  land  transport,  or  an  utter  failure 
in  his  tobacco  supply,  we  had  every  reason  to 
be  satisfied  with  our  choice.  The  latter  misfor- 
tune was  the  only  one  which  really  interfered 
at  any  time  with  his  efficiency,  or  upset  his 
equanimity,  and  it  unfortunately  occurred 
always  at  the  most  inopportune  seasons,  and 
at  a  time  when  he  was  undergoing  his  greatest 
hardships, 

'  'As  long  as  the  supply  lasted,  the  mysterious 
gurglings  of  his  'Hubble  Bubble,'  or  cocoanut 
water-pipe,  might  be  heard  at  almost  any  hour 
of  the  day  or  night.  '  Hubble  bubble,  toil  and 
trouble,'  was  the  natural  order  of  his  existence  ; 
and  when  in  some  peculiarly  uncivilized  region 
of  our  wanlerings,  the  compound  of  dirt, 
sugar  and  tobacco,  in  which  his  soul  delighted, 
was  not  forthcoming,  he  and  his  pipe  seemed 


at  once  to  lose  their  vitality,  and  to  becoma 
useless  together.  The  temporary  separatioa 
which  ensued,  being  in  its  way  a  mensa  el  ihoro, 
was  a  source  of  trouble  and  inconvenience  to 
all  concerned,  and  we  had,  more  than  once, 
cause  to  regret  not  having  given  the  tobacco 
question  that  forethought  and  consideration  to 
which  it  would  be  well  entitled  by  any  one 
undertaking  a  similar  expedition. 

"Overlooking  these  weaknesses,  Mr.  Kajoo'a 
character,  was  beyond  reproach,  and  for  the 
particular  work  he  had  to  perform,  bis  combi- 
nation of  efficiency,  portability,  and  rascality, 
rendered  him  in  every  respect,  '  the  right  man 
iu  the  right  place.'  " 


A  School  in  Hindoostan. 

A  Mohammedan  school  in  Hindoostan  is  not 
fitted  up  like  one  of  our  New  York  Grammar 
Schools — they  used  to  be  poor  schools  once,  but 
have  grown  out  of  that.  The  furniture,  to  tell 
the  truth,  is  not  elaborate,  nor  the  material 
accompaniments  very  extensive.  Teacher  and 
pupils  squat  on  tlie  stone  floor,  and  the  class- 
books  are  not  sufficiently  numerous  to  cause 
contention.  They,  in  fact,  restrict  their  teach- 
ing to  the  one  book,  the  Koran,  deeming  that 
he  who  knows  the  Koran,  knows  all  wisdom 
and  science.  Holding  a  coppy  in  his  hand,  the 
teacher  will  chant  a  sentence,  which  they  chant 
after  him,  or  if  it  is  one  that  his  little  naked 
pupils  liave  written  on  their  palm  leaves,  they 
recite  it  from  these  books  of  their  own  manu- 
facture, narrow  slrips  of  the  talipat  palm  strung 
together  on  a  cord  passing  through  a  hole  in 
the  top  of  each,  and  protected  above  and  below 
by  thin  board-covers  moving  on  the  cord,  as 
some  ivory  tablets  for  ladies  do  among  us.  The 
din  of  theso  schools  is,  of  course,  de.ifenlng, 
and  the  education  of  the  most  rudimentary 
character.  Entrlish  influence  seems  to  h^ve 
effected  little  in  elevating  the  eJucatiuoal 
standard. 


ELKPHANT   OP  THB   KINO   OK   SliM. 


CHINA,  TARTARY,  ETC. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,   INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

T^EATiiE  AT  Macao — Holiday  Scene  —  Chinese  Pavilion— Balancing  Accounts  —  Chow  Chow  —  Tossing  Sticks  — Beeakfajt  —  Theatee  at 
Canton— GIRLS— Lady's  Foot— Sukoeon's  Hand— Tono-Chu  Kiuno— Peaying  foe  Luck— Chinese  TEADER-SALrTATioNS— ladies' Feet 
—Men's  Feet  and  Shoes— Rat  Meechant— Wintee  Ckadle— Tea  Plant— DiNNEii  at  Mandaein's— Rowing-boat— Rain  Jacket— Pagoda 
—Pavilion— Tea  Seevice— SvMiiEn  Palace— Paeis  and  China— Chinese  House— Concluding  EEMAEiiS. 


HINA,  with  the  exception  of  the 
United  States  and  Russia,  is  the 
most  extensive  empire  on  the  glohe, 
and  the  most  populous  of  any — its 
inhabitants  numbering  somewhere 
Tibout  four  hundred  millions.  It  constitutes 
the  chief  portion  of  Eisteru  Asia,  being  sit- 
anted  on  the  borders  of  the  Pacllic,  and  extends 
from  about  '20^  to  41°  N.  latitude,  and  from 
98°  to  124°  E.  longitude.  Its  greatest  length 
is  about  sixteen  hundred  miles,  and  its  breadth 
Varies  from  nine  hundred  to  fourteen  hundred 
miles.  Its  area  is  about  one  million  three  hun- 
dred thousand  square  miles.  It  is  bounded 
North  and  North-west  by  Tartary,  and  South 
i^id  Soutli-west  by  Cochin  China,  Siam,  Bur- 
mah,  and  Thibet.  The  Pacific  Ocean  is  on  the 
East. 

The  Chinese  entertain  extravagant  notions 
concerning  the  antiquity  of  their  country,  but 
all  bafore  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Woo-  Wong, 
about  1100  B.C.,  is  little  better  tlian  fable.  ITie 
race  of  Chow  governed  for  about  eight  hundred 
years  from  tha  time  of  Woo- Wong,  when  it 
was  succeeded  by  the  race  of  Tsin,  by  whom 
the  Great  Wall  was  constructed.  Then  suc- 
eeeied  the  race  of  Hfin,  who  commencsd  to 
rule  about  two  hundred  years  b.o.  ,  to  two  hun- 
dred years  a.d.  ;  then  succeeded  another  race 
for  about  two  hundred  yeare.  At  the  close  of 
this  epoch  China  was  divided  into  two  king- 
doms, of  which  the  capitals  were  Nankin 
and  Honan.  The  two  sections  were  re -united 
AD.  58-5,  and  remained  under  the  Tang  dynasty. 
About  897  a.d.  the  Tartars  invaded  China  on 
the  North.  The  Soong  dynasty  reigned  from 
3oO  to  1230,  when  it  was  extinguished  by  the 
Mongols,  Mongol  power  lasted  eighty  years, 
whsn  it  was  followed  by  the  Ming  dynasty  of 
the  Chinese.  The  Manchows  (formed  by  a  union 
of  the  Tartars  with  the  expelled  Mongols), 
extinguished  the  Ming  dynasty  in  1044.  and 
since  then  China  has  been  governed  by  the 
Manchow  dynasty  of  Ta-tsing. 

Whatever  may  be  the  actual  antiquity  of  the 
Chinese  people,  no  doubt  seems  now  to  exist  of 
their  having  been  the  authors  of  what  are 
justly  considered  in  Europe  as  three  of  the 
most  important  inventions,  or  discoveries,  of 
modem  time,  viz. :  the  art  of  block  printing, 


the  composition  of  gunpowder,  and  the  mag- 
netic compass.  They  also  were  the  iirst  manu- 
facturers of  silk  and  porcelain.  They  have, 
however,  made  but  little  progress  in  the  Fine 
.\rts,  for  although  their  colors  in  painting  are 
beautiful,  their  perspective  is  so  erroneous  as  to 
be  ludicrous.  In  music,  their  instruments  are 
tuned  in  unison,  and  they  have  little  idea  of 
accompaniment.  Their  instruments  are  numer- 
ous, consisting  of  different  species  of  lutes  and 
guitars  ;  flutes  and  other  wind-instruments  ; 
they  have  also  an  harmonicou  of  wires,  touched 
with  two  slender  slips  of  bamboo — bells,  and 
pieces  of  sonorous  metals,  and  drums,  besides  a 
sort  of  clarionet,  which  emits  nearly  the  sound 
of  the  Scotch  bagpipes. 

Numerous  rivers  drain  and  water  China,  but 
the  greater  numlicr  flow  into  the  Hoang-ho  .ind 
Yang-tse-kiang,  two  of  the  largest  rivers  of 
the  globe.  Among  the  streams  which  do  not 
belong  to  the  systems  of  those  two  great  rivers 
are  the  Pei-ho  and  tlie  Ta-si-Kiang.  The  Pei-ho, 
or  White  River,  rises  in  the  mountains ,  North- 
west of  Pekin,  and  flows  into  the  Sea  eastward 
of  that  city.  It  is  navigated  by  more  vessels 
and  boats,  perhaps,  than  any  other  river  in  the 
world. 

China  is  a  cold  country  in  comparison  with 
others  in  the  same  latitude.  In  the  southern 
provinces,  near  Macao  and  Canton,  the  months 
from  November  to  February  are  intensely  dry 
and  cold  ;  March  and  April  bring  fogs  and  a 
milder  temperature  ;  in  May  the  rains  are  ex- 
cessive ;  from  July  to  September  the  weather 
is  intensely  hot,  and  accompanied  by  hurricanes 
called  typhoons,  which  are  much  dreaded  for 
their  violence  and  devastating  effects.  In  Octo- 
ber there  is  a  gradual  autumnal  preparation  for 
Winter. 

The  animals  as  well  as  the  vegetables  of 
China  belong  principally  to  the  temperate  zone. 
In  a  country  so  densely  populated,  of  course, 
there  are  few  ferocious  beasts ;  and,  conse- 
quently, tigers,  lions,  panthers,  and  the  wild 
beasts  so  common  to  India  are  unknown. 
Deer,  antelopes,  sheep,  cows,  buffaloes,  drome- 
daries, horses,  asses,  mules,  and  swine  are  met 
with  in  the  different  provinces  of  the  empire. 

Tlie  great  plant  in  Chinese  botany  is  the  tea 
plant,  the  trade  in  whic'a  forms  one  of  the 


chief  sources  of  the  wealth  of  this  remarkable 
people.  Almost  every  description  of  fruit  ia 
abundant,  owing  to  its  varied  range  of  climate, 
the  natural  result  of  its  immense  extent. 

The  Government  of  China  is,  in  principle, 
an  absolute  despotism,  and  the  succession  de- 
pends on  the  will  and  nomination  of  the  reign- 
ing emperor.  The  authority  of  a  father  over 
his  family  is  the  exemplar  or  type  of  political 
rule  in  this  country,  It  is  the  object  of  the 
first  of  the  "Four  Looks"  cf  Ccnfucius  to 
inculcate,  that  from  the  knowledge  and  govern- 
ment of  oneself  must  proceed  the  proper  econ- 
omy and  government  of  a  family  ;  and  from 
the  government  of  a  family,  that  of  a  province 
and  of  a  kingdom.  The  emperor  is  Iiead  of 
the  State  religion  ;  and,  as  high-priest  of  the 
empire,  can  alone,  with  his  immediate  repre- 
sentatives, sacrifice  in  the  government  temples. 
No  hierarchy  is  maintained  at  the  public  ex- 
pense, nor  any  priesthood  attached  to  the  Con- 
fucian or  State  religion,  as  the  sovereign  and 
his  great  officers  perform  that  p.art. 

With  respect  to  the  machinery  of  civil  gov- 
ernment, the  emperor's  principal  ministers  foim 
the  "interior  council-chamber  ";  r.nd  the  chief 
councilors  are  four  in  number,  two  Tartars  and 
two  Chinese,  the  former  always  taking  prece- 
dence. Below  these  are  a  number  of  assessors, 
who  form  the  chief  council  of  state.  The  dutiee 
of  government  are  conducteJ  by  six  boards  or 
tribunals  ;  and  besides  these  there  is  a  1  oard 
of  inspectors  or  spies.  Each  province  is  ruled 
by  a  governor,  a  criminal  judge  and  a  treasurer. 
The  cities  are  governed  by  magistrates.  The 
various  degrees  of  official  rank  ore  partly  indi- 
cated by  the  dress. 

The  whole  number  of  military  throughout 
the  empire,  including  the  militia  of  each  dis- 
trict, has  been  estimated  at  700,000,  of  which 
the  largest  portion  are  fixed  to  their  native 
districts,  and  cultivate  the  land,  or  follow  some 
other  pursuit.  The  superior  or  Tartar  troops 
are  about  80,000.  Tlie  principal  arms  of  the 
cavalry  are  bows  and  arrows,  the  bow  being  of 
elastic  wood  and  horn  combined,  with  a  string 
of  silk.  Their  swords  are  generally  ill-made, 
and  their  matchlocks  are  considered  by  them 
as  inferior  weapons  to  the  bow  and  arrow. 
Some  are  provided  with  shields,  composed  of 


98 


THE     ^VORLD'S    GREAT    NATlONa 


A  CHINESE  HOUSE. 


ralans  turned  spirally  round  a  centre.  The 
residence  of  the  emperor  and  his  court  for 
some  hundred  years  p:ist  has  been  removed 
from  Nankin  to  Pekin. 

The  code  of  laws  by  which  China  is  governed 
is  spoke;i  of  highly  by  those  Europeans  who 
have  studied  it,  such  as  Staunton,  Ellis,  and 
Davis.  Mr.  Ellis  states  that,  in  comparison 
with  other  Asiatic  countries,  the  laws  of  China 
are  more  generally  known,  and  more  equally 
administered  ;  those  examples  of  oppression, 
accompanied  with  infliction  of  barbarous  pun- 
ishment, which  offend  the  eye  and  distiess  the 
feelings  of  the  most  hurried  traveler  in  other 
Asiatic  countries,  are  scarcely  to  be  met  with  in 
China ;  the  proportion  which  the  middling 
orders  bear  to  the  other  classes  of  the  commu- 
nity appears  to  be  considerable  ;  and  an  im- 
pression is  produced  hig'.ily  favorable  to  the 
comparative  situation  to  the  lower  orders.  It 
is  a  popular  maxim  with  the  Chinese,  that  to 
violate  the  law  is  the  same  crime  in  the  emperor 
as  in  a  subject.  The  moral  character  of  the 
people  is  a  good  deal  dependent  on  the  laws  by 
which  their  daily  conduct  is  molded.  While, 
on  the  one  hand,  they  exhibit  mildness,  docility, 
industry,  and  respect  for  the  aged,  they  are,  on 
the  other  hand,  insincere,  distrustful,  and 
iealous. 

The  revenues  of  China  are  derived  principally 
from  the  laud-tax  and  the  monopoly  of  salt,  to 
which  are  to  be  added  somethin'.^  for  customs 
and  transit  duties.  The  treasurer  of  e.ich  pro- 
vince deducts  the  expenses  of  that  province  from 
the  receipts,  and  transmits  the  balance  to  Pekin. 
The  total  revenue  has  been  estiraited  at 
$300,000,000,  and  the  surplus  revenue,  trans- 
mitted to  Pekin,  at  $00,000,000. 

China  is  politically  divided  into  provinces,  of 
which  seven  extend  entirely  or  partly  over  ths 
great  plain  :  two  comprehend  the  hilly  districts, 
two  others  the  mountainous  country  along  the 
sea,  and  the  others  the  mountainous  country  in 
the  interior. 

In  their  physical  characteristics,  the  Chi.iese 
have  been  recognized  as  superior  to  many  other 
Asiatics.  Though  the  Chinese  are  allied  to  the 
Mongols  in  the  general  cast  of  their  features, 
the  harsher  points  of  the  latter  are  softened 


down  considerably  m  the  Chinese.  The  lips  are 
thick,  anJ  tlio  nose  is  flattened  and  nostrils 
expanded,  lut  less  so  than  in  the  African  ;  the 
hair  is  Link,  black,  and  shinin  r,  and  the  eyes 
an  I  eyebrows  are  turned  upward  at  the  outer 
extremities.  The  beard  is  thin  and  tufty.  The 
hands  and  feet,  and  the  bones  of  the  body  gen- 
erally, are  small  compared  with  Europeans. 
Among  those  who  are  not  exposed  to  the  cli- 
mate the  complexion  is  fully  as  fair  as  that  of 
the   Portuguese ;   but  the  sun  has  a  powerful 


effect  on  their  skins.  Up  to  the  age  of  twenty, 
or  a  little  more,  they  are  often  very  good-look- 
ing ;  but  soon  after  that  time  the  prominent 
cheek-bones  give  a  harshness  to  the  features  as 
the  roundness  of  youth  wears  off.  With  the 
proj;ress  of  age  the  old  men,  in  most  cases, 
become  very  ugly,  and  the  old  women,  if  pos- 
sible, still  mor*^  -,o. 

The  antiquity  of  Chinese  literature  is  propor- 
tionate to  tliat  of  their  language,  and  has  been, 
cf  course,  greatly  promoted  and  increa.5ed  by 
the  invention  of  the  art  of  block-printing, 
which  tliey  have  now  possessed  for  nine  hun- 
dred ye^.rs.  Specimens  of  this  literature  in 
various  departments  have  been  afforded  to 
Europe  by  the  Libors  of  Staunton,  Davis,  Mor- 
rison, Klaproth,  and  Remusat,  who  followed  up 
(he  earlier  investigations  of  the  Jesuits  at  Pekin, 
and  have  enabled  us  to  form  a  judgment  regard- 
ing the  merits  of  compositions  which  for  a  long 
period  were  considered  inaccessible,  from  the 
diflxuliies  of  the  language  in  which  they  wera 
written.  Tliis  language  is  very  remarkable. 
While  the  letters  of  our  alpbabst  are  mere 
symbols  of  sounds,  the  Chinese  characters  or 
written  words  are  symbols  of  ideas,  and  alike 
intelligible  to  the  people  of  Cochin-China, 
Japan,  Loo-choo,  and  Corea,  with  those  of  China 
itself.  The  uniformity,  liowever,  in  the  written 
character,  does  not  prevent  the  existence  of 
great  diversities  in  the  oral  languages  of  the 
neighboring  countries  and  China,  and  even  of 
the  separate  provinces  of  the  latter  country. 
These  diversities  are  precisely  analogous  to  the 
different  pronunciation  given  to  the  same  nu- 
meral  characters  in  the  various  countries  ot 


4  OHINESB  PATIUON. 


CHINA,    TABTARY,    ETC. 


99 


o 

I 


I 

EC 

C 


W 

o 

o 
o 


JOO 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Bnrope.  The  Chinese  from  different  provinces 
could  read  from  the  same  paper,  but  they  might 
not  understand  each  other's  pronuucintion  of 
the  symbols  used.  The  roots  or  original  char- 
acters of  the  Chinese  are  only  two  hundred 
and  fourteen  in  number,  and  might,  indeed,  be 
reduced  to  a  much  smaller  amount  by  a  little 
dissection  and  analysis.  They  are  combined 
with  each  other  to  form  other  words,  or  express 
other  ideas,  very  much  in  the  same  way  that 
the  individual  Arabic  numerals  are  combined 
to  express  the  infinite  varieties  of  numbers. 
&3  the  two  hundred  and  fourteen  roots,  or  radi- 


Mnch  consideration  is  attached  by  the  Chinese 
to  the  graphic  beautj'  of  their  written  charac- 
ters. The  two  most  usual  forms  of  their 
character  are  the  printed  and  the  written,  be- 
sides which,  there  are  the  seal,  or  eugi-aved 
form,  and  one  or  two  others.  The  printed 
form  (analogous  to  our  Roman  type)  lays  claim 
only  to  clearness  and  accuracy ;  but  the  writ- 
ten combines  correctness  with  elegance. 

>-<•<-< 

^  Oliinese   House. 
After  visiting  a  few  families  in  the   imme- 
diate vicinity  of  our  own  residence,  we  directed 


the  litter  were  two  tablets,  one  of  -which  was 
covered  with  the  character  for  "longevity," 
written  in  a  hundred  different  modes;  and 
the  other  with  the  character  for  "  happi- 
uess,"  written  also  with  several  different  modes. 
Both  scrolls  had  a  highly  oruameute;!  paper 
as  a  groundwork,  and  were  sent  as  presents 
from  Pekiu  by  his  son.  On  the  table  were 
lying  the  cards  of  the  city  mandarins,  sent  out 
of  compliment  to  his  rank,  and  containing  the 
usual  good  wishes  of  the  season.  Close  to  these 
was  the  New  Year's  State  Almanac,  just  received 
from  the  capital.    He  took  me  into  au  ante 


cal  characters,  whose  combinations  -with  each 
other  form  the  whole  language,  singly  express' 
or  represent  the  principal  objects  or  ideas 
that  men  have  occasion  to  communicate  in 
the  infancy  of  their  knowledge,  they  comprise 
within  their  number  the  heads  of  genera  and 
classes  in  nature,  and  thus  afford  the  elements 
and  means  of  a  philosophical  system  of  arrange- 
ment. Great  facilities  are  thus  afforded  for 
forming  compound  symbols.  From  the  nature 
of  the  language,  the  grammar  is  extremely 
Jimited ;  there  are  no  inflections  of  words,  and 
the  relations  of  words  to  each  other  in  a  sen- 
tence can  only  be  marked  by  their  position. 


A    CHINESE    HOLIDAY   SCENE. 

our  steps  to  the  house  of  the  old  merchant, 
commonly  addressed  by  the  honorable  title  of 
Ta-laou-yay.  His  house,  of  better  exterior 
and  larger  size  than  the  generality,  enjoyed 
also  the  rare  distinction  of  two  lofty  poles  of 
honor,  commonly  called  joss-poles,  and  usually 
placed  in  front  of  houses  of  mandarins  and 
temples  of  the  first  order.  These  were  badges 
of  honor  ceded  to  the  old  man  on  account  of 
the  successful  literary  career  of  his  son,  then 
absent  at  Pekin.  The  room  into  which  we 
were  conducted  was  hung  round  with  pictorial 
representations  of  landscapes  and  fairy  scenes, 
and  dcUcate  specimens  of  calligraphy.    Among 


room  to  view  his  son's  library,  consisting  o: 
about  two  thousand  thin  volumes,  an<l  occupy- 
ing a  bookshelf  of  moderate  size.  Returning 
into  the  larger  room,  we  noticed  a  table  at  the 
upper  end,  usually  .assigned  to  the  familj-  idols 
and  the  ancestral  tablet,  and  bade  me  observe 
that  there  were  no  idols.  Two  candle-stands 
and  a  few  incense-sticks  remained  on  this  altar- 
table,  with  a  cusliiou  placed  before  it. 


When  a  man  attains  power,  he  has  all  the 
virtues  of  an  epitaph  :  let  him  fall  into  misfor- 
tune, he  has  more  vices  than  the  prodigal  son. 


CHINA.    fARTARY,    ETC. 


IM 


Interior  of  a  Theatre  at  Macao,  China, 
Otjr  readers  who  are  accustomed  to  the  scenic 
excellences  cf  the  New  York  Theatres,  more 
especially  those  of  Booth's,  Wallack's  and 
Niblo's,  will  be,  doubtless,  amused  by  compar- 
ing them  with  a  nation  which  boasts  a  stereo- 
typed civiliz-.tio'.i  of  four  tliousand  years,  and 
it  will  bo  interesting  to  tliem  to  learn  how  the 
Celestials  man  -.gj  their  entertainments. 

A  Chinese  theatrical  entertainment  is,  we 
believe,  rather  disrespectfully,  termed  "sing- 
song"—  why,  we  are  at  a  loss  to  imagine,  unless 
it  be  that  the  words  are  intoned  or  sinig,  as  in 


cast  or  great  "stars"  engaged.  Into  the 
quality  of  the  acting  or  singing,  however,  Herr 
Hildebrandt  gives  us  no  insight ;  and,  probably, 
if  we  had  witnessed  the  performance,  we  should 
only  be  in  the  position  of  a  French  frienl  of 
ours,  who,  though  he  rather  pridel  himself 
upon  not  understanding  a  word  of  English, 
insisted  upon  accompanying  us  to  see  and  hear 
"Brother  Sam,"  and  whose  visage — we  mean 
that  of  our  French  friend — was  the  "picture  of 
melancholy"  during  the  whole  evening.  The 
actmg  or  singing  can  hardly  be  bad  ;  for,  judg- 
ing  by  the  "queue"  outside   and   the   crowd 


appears  that  a  sort  of  fire-engine,  or  hydropult, 
forms  part  of  the  properties  of  a  Chinese  thea- 
tre, and  this  machine  supernumeraries  bring  to 
play  vigorously  on  the  laggards,  the  result 
generally  being  to  effectusUly  damp  their  enthu- 
siasm and  drive  them  out  But  should  this 
fail,  resort  is  had  to  stronger  measures— water 
is  exchanged  for  fire.  Fusees,  hand-grenadea, 
or  some  such  projectiles — in  reality,  we  sup- 
pose, a  virulent  sort  of  the  pretty  Chinese  toy 
fireworks — are  discharged  at  or  among  refrac- 
tory lingerers,  who,  we  have  little  doubt,  nisb 
out  from  this  final  assault. 


IMKUIOR   OF   A   llii.^IR'i   AT   MACAO,    CHINA,    DURING    A   PERFORMANCE. 


a  Fiench  vaudevilL^,  or  at  the  opera.  But  here 
ail  resemblance  ends  between  the  Celestial  the- 
atricals at  Mac\o  an  1  the  gayety,  and  egacerie  of 
the  Parisian  vaudevilles. 

Jlessrs.  JoJiu  Chinaman  &  Co.,  the  proprietors 
rnd  managers,  have  certainly  been  at  no  great 
expense  in  the  construction  and  decoration  of 
"the  house";  or,  if  it  be  owned  and  conducted 
by  a  company,  it  is  one  formed  on  the  strictly 
"limited  liability"  principle.  It  seems  to  be 
nothing  more  than  a  vast  bjrnlike  structure  cf 
bamboos,  thatched  with  straw  and  f.iced  with 
calico  or  skins.  Perhipj  the  funds  are  all 
swallowed  up  ia  th3  piymcnt  of  the  strong 


inside,  it  draws  good  houses.  But  whatever  its 
relative  merits,  there  is  one  arrangement  from 
which  even  the  m  iniger  of  the  perennial  Bar- 
ni:m'3  might  take  a  hint.  His  Chinese  brother 
keep.5  open  all  day  long  ;  the  single  perform- 
ances of  two  hours'  duration,  immedi:itely  suc- 
ceeding one  another  !  Hence,  however,  some- 
times arises  a  little  difficulty ;  the  Macacese 
(is  that  the  proper  adjective  ?)  are  so  passion- 
ately fond  of  the  drama  or  sing-song,  that  they 
will  not  retire  on  tlie  conclusion  of  the  perform- 
ance for  which  they  have  paid.  Yet  to  this 
emergency  the  manager  is  quite  equal:  and  here 
is  another  valuable  bint  tj  J'r.  Eamum.      It 


A  Chinese  Holiday  Scene. 

The  Chinese  are  a  laborious,  economical  peo- 
ple, their  dense  population  requiring  great  toil 
to  enable  the  earth  to  produce  enough  to  support 
its  teeming  millions.  They  are  not,  however, 
sad  or  dejected,  if  they  do  work  hard.  They 
arc  fon  1  of  amusements,  and  this  holiday  scene 
shows  their  manner  of  enjoyment.  Theatrical 
amusements  are  much  in  vogae,  but  would  fail 
to  interest  a  more  civilized  audience.  The 
drama  is  always  a  war  of  tyrants  and  demigods. 
A  Chinese  dramatic  company,  which  came  to 
the  United  States  in  hopes  of  giving  profitable 


loa 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


tepresentations,  failed  utterly  to  interest  the 
public,  and  the  unfortunate  members  were  left 
destitute. 

The  illustration  shows  a  group  enjoying  a 
puppet-show,  in  which  the  potty  figures  are 
going  through  a  terrible  hand-to-hand  combat^ 
the  exhibitor  pulling  tha  strings  without  the 
least  pretense  of  disguise,  anl  supplying  the 
necessary  dialogue,  while  the  orchestra,  a  single 
|)eiformer,  is  playin-;  on  a  long  I'amboo  flute, 


p.nd  at  the  same  time  usinj  both  feet  to  elicit 
from  imique-looking  drums  what  the  Celestials 
are  pleased  to  consider  music. 


A  OMnese  .Pavil'on. 

A  TRAVELED  ii  Ja\a,  on  reaching  one  of  the 

towns,  expres833  hi.i  gratificition  on  enterin:; 

the  Chinese  porLiph.  Tlie  lioii.?es  of  the  wealthy 

merchants  ware  all  that  could  be  achievel,  of 


light  and  graceful  architecture,  cool,  and  8aite<i 
to  the  climit: ;  decorate!,  too  profusely,  per- 
liap',  but  with  tiste  and  judginent. 

Tlie  arrangs  r.c.it  of  a  Chinese  house,  though 
s'mplc.  is  ailmiralilc— tlie  furniture  light  and 
becominj;.  All  tend  to  give  an  idea  of  comfort. 
I  here  is  no  heivy  furniture,  dense  curtains, 
dust-collecting  carpjt.  ,  In .  many  respects  W8 
might  learn  from  the  Chinese,  and  especially 
in  v.lla;   or   resorts  for  the  Summer.     Thrrt 


BALANCING   ACCOUNTS  IN  THE  OFFirE  OF   A    0niNE97,   MEIlCAMILb    HOUSE. 


A   OIlINraE    FAR»l-!10riSK 


CHINA,    TARTARY.    ETC. 


103 


indeed,  many  cf  our  appliances  «.^^  vrhoHy  out 
of  place.  But  tashion  rules,  and  it  would  be 
In  vain  to  struggle  azainst  it.  In  decoration, 
especially  in  japaneJ  and  lacquered  work,  the 
Chinese  have  reached  a  point  not  attained  by 
our  workmen,  and  apparently  their  processes 
are  effected  by  the  simplest  means.  The  gro.' 
tegque  figures  of  their  mythology,  especially 
the  serpent,  enter  into  their  decorations  too 
largely  for  our  taste ;  and  their  drawing  is 
peculiar,  and  not  in  accordance  with  the  reality 
cf  DAture  or  the  ideal  of  art.  Whether  this 
*an  be  changed  i )  problematical .  But  take  a 
Chinese  house  as  it  is,  it  is  admirably  suited  for 
the  climate  and  land  where  it  is  seen. 

Balancing  Account.?  in  a  Chinese 
Mercantile  House, 

Thb  Chinese  understand  the  principles  and 
practices  of  l)u;iness  quite  as  well  r.s  the  men 
of  other  nations.  They  are  shrewd  and  :lose- 
calculating  in  their  dealings,  and  it  ij  no  easy 
matter  to  overreach  them.  Some  of  them  are 
very  slippery  ia  making  bargains,  and  it  take.? 
a  long  time  to  bring  them  to  terms  ;  but  when 
they  have  once  made  ai  p.greonient,  they  are 
pretty  certain  to  adhere  to  it  without  wavering, 
even  though  a  chmga  in  tha  markets  would 
enable  them  to  make  money  by  breaking  it. 

'J'he  Chinese  merchants  hav3  a  mode  of  book- 
keeping and   casting  up  account.?,  peculiar  to 


themselves,  and  quite  incomprehensible  to  an 
outsider.  Their  account-books  are  not  heavily 
bound,  like  ours,  but  are  thin,  and  not  firmly 
stitched  ;  the  leaves  are  of  light  papor,  which 
would  bo  quite  unfit  to  receive  writing  from 
American  pens  and  ink.  Instead  cf  pens, 
the  accountants  usg  ^mall  brushes,  which  they 
use  vrith  great  dexterity.  All  Chinese  writing 
is  done  with  these  little  brushes,  and  a  page 
can  be  covered  with  Chinese  characters  in  a 
very  tihort  time.  The  writing  is  done  vertic- 
ally, instead  f  f  horizontally,  and  the  reading 
of  the  lines  is  from  right  to  loft.  What  would 
be  to  us  the  end  of  a  book  i>  the  beginning  to 
a  Chincje,  and  when  he  is  learning  English  it 
is  no  easy  mitter  for  him  to  get  over  this  busi- 
ness of  reversal.  In  counting,  the  Chinese  use 
the  Tartar  aJncus,  which  was  invented  more 
than  three  thousand  years  ago,  and  is  in  use, 
nat  only  throughout  China,  but  from  one  end 
to  the  other  of  the  Russian  empire.  It  consist  i 
of  a  box  containing  a  series  of  buttons  strung 
on  parallel  wires  placed  horizontally.  It 
requires  a  great  deal  of  practice  to  be  expert 
in  using  it ;  but  when  one  becomes  skillful  in 
its  manipulation,  he  can  add  columns  of  figures 
very  rapidly,  and  with  little  liability  to  mis- 
tvkcs.  Russian  accountants  use  it,  and  so  do 
many  Anicricat.s  and  others  living  in  Russia. 
An  enterprising  Yanlcee  has  patente  I  an  '■  add- 
ing machine,"  which  is  based  on  the  principle 
of  the  very  ancient  and  honoiable  abacus. 


A  Chinese  Ohow-OLow  Supper. 

The  Rev.  George  Smith,  an  English  mission- 
ary, thus  describes  a  Chow-Chow,  or  Chinese 
Supper.  Our  readers  will  not  fail  to  suspect 
that  our  Clam  Chowder  feasts  may  have  takei 
their  origin  from  the  Chines*  Chow-Chow,  • 
tei-m  neaidy  f  jur  thousand  years  old  : 

' '  We  had  a  fine  opportunity  a  day  or  two 
ago  of  witnessing  one  of  th(»  rorvrivial  reunicae 
which  form  the  pleasantesi  ot  rihinese  relaxa- 
tions. After  being  eatertamea  for  some  time 
by  the  monotonous  musical  sounds  in  which 
the  Chinese  delight,  the  party  adjourned  to  the 
supper-table,  where  spoons  and  chop-sticks  were 
in  great  demand.  Immense  politeness  was 
shown  to  the  ladies.  Tea  formed  the  chief 
beverage,  served  up  in  small  China  bowls  or 
cups;  but  their  native  wine  was  also  on  the 
table.  AH  the  viands  were  cut  into  small 
square  pieces,  and  put  into  a  dish  of  rich  soup 
or  gravy,  and  v.rious  descriptiuns  of  dried 
spices,  preserved  fruits,  and  sweetmeats  were 
tastefully  arranged  in  carved  baskets  to  tempt 
the  appetite.  Sam-shoo,  a  spirituous  liquoi 
extracted  from  rice,  was  liber  lly  partaken  of, 
both  hot  and  cold.  There  was  also  a  great 
variety  of  ripe  fruit  — pineapples,  pomegranates, 
sweet  melons,  oranges  and  last,  though  not 
least,  the  delicious  mango,  no  one  that  has  not 
tasted  it  can  form  the  least  I  lea. 

"There  was  a  good  deal  of  mirth  among  the 


A   CHUiESE  IHEATKE   IN  CANTOS. 


104 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


A  CHIjrESE  TRADER  AT  THE  AUAR  OP  JOSS,  TOSSING   STICKS  FOE  LUCK. 


A  CHINESE  JIEBCHAST   PRATING   FOR  SUCCESS. 


little  party  seated  around  the  circular  table,  and 
to 'our  foreign  eyes  they  presented  a  singular 
appearance  ;  the  men  with  tlieir  yellow,  cadaver- 
ous faces,  and  long  Lraided  tails  of  coarse 
bl-ick  hair,  and  the  women  with  their  locks 
drawn  ti^jhtly  away  from  the  forehead,  heavy 
jewels  dangling  in  their  ears,  and  loose,  em- 
broidered jackets  decorating  the  uppi-r  part  of 
their  figures.  Delicate  gameand  pastry  were  then 


sewed  up,  and  our  spirits  rose  at  a  rapid  ratj. 
At  tlie  nex:  course,  brought  in  on  colored  por- 
celain, appeare.I  the  o-lebrated  bird's-nest  soup, 
made  from  the  gelatinous  lining  of  the  swal- 
low's nest.  It  is  not  uuiikeunflivured  calf's-foot 
jelly,  ufitil  the  various  sauces  and  condiments 
ge;ierally  use!  are  added.  We  concluded  that 
this  new  compjund  was  not  so  bad,  after  all, 
and  were  just  beginning  to  enjoy  its  flavor, 


when  aaothir  dish  made  its  appearance,  wMc&, 
'dij  '  f:r  the  rect  of  the  dinner,  as  far  as  w8 
were  concerned.  It  was  a  plate  of  worms-  not 
exactly  earth-worms,  but  the  small  grubs  which 
are  f  jund  at  the  foot  of  the  sugar-cane.  They 
r.re  carefully  sought  after,  and  considered  a. 
delicious  morsel  by  the  Chinese  epicure.  Ima- 
gine our  fe:l;ngs  when  pressed  to  partake  of 
this  unaccustomed  viand  I" 


■  .iR'^'Mm  -TTT^t 


A  CHIHBSE  BREAKTAST — EUROPEAN  VISII0B8. 


CHINA,    TAETARY,    ETC. 


105 


A  Chinese  Theat.e  in  Oanton. 

The  dramn,  as  might  be  expected,  consti- 
tutes a  popular  form  of  Chinese  literature, 
though  it  labors  under  great  imperfections,  and 
is  not  exclusively  given  in  public  theatres,  as 
in  this  country.  Its  professors  are  generally 
invited  to  private  houses  and  paid  for  each 
performance.  It  is  reckoned  that  several  hun- 
dred companies  find  employment  in  Pekin  and 
along  the  rivers  and  canals,  manj'  strolling 
companies  living  in  barges.  A  troupe  usually 
consists  of  eight  or  ten  persons,  generally 
slaTCS  of  the  manager,  and  who.  therefore,  oc- 
cupy a  very  low  place  in  public  estimation. 
Scenery  and  stage  effect,  which,  indeed,  the 
places  of  performance  would  render  very  diffi- 
cult, are  never  attemj^ted.  A  theatre  can,  at 
any  time,  be  erected  in  two  hours,  being  little 
more  than  a  platform  of  boards,  elevated  seven 
or  eight  feet  from  the  ground  on  posts  of  bam- 
boo. Three  sides  are  huug  with  curtains  of 
cotton  cloth,  while  the  front  is  open  to  the 
audience.  Occasionally  a  more  substantial  and 
permanent  structure  is  occupied  for  the  pur- 
pose. Under  these  humiliating  circumstances, 
there  do  not  seem  to  have  arisen  any  great 
names  which  the  Chinese  people  can  refer  to 
with  any  pride,  as  national  dramatists. 

The  illustration  which  we  give,  accompany- 
ing, is  one  of  the  middle  sort  of  movable  thea- 
tres, at  Canton,  the  evolutions  of  the  perform- 
ers having  the  advantage  of  being  seen  from 
both  land  and  water,  and  the  gaping  coun- 
tenances of  the  Chinamen  at  once  furnishing 
an  index  of  the  average  intellectuality  of  the 
entertainment  and  those  who  patronize  it. 


Chinese  Breakfast— European  Visitors. 
In   our  travels  we  met  an   old   gentleman 
named  Luh,  who  had  been  connected  with  the 
English  in  the  late  war,  and  was  only  saved  by 


HAND  OF  Jl   CHINESE   BARBER-SrRGKON. 

Iheir  interference  from  losing  his  head  in  con- 
sequence. He  seemed  very  well  acquainted 
with  my  companion,  and  insisted  upon  our 
Stopping     i^    breakfast    at    his    house.      We 


1^1. 

il;: 

^==- 

1 

m^ 

l! 

'■ 

CHINESE  GIBI.S. 


pleaded  the  necessity  of  going  on  to  Ningpo, 
lest  we  should  lose  the  tide.  He  insisted,  how- 
ever, upon  our  stopping,  and  sent  his  servant 
to  tell  our  boatmen  to  jjroceed  to  Niugpo  with- 
out us,  jjromisiug  to  procure  seda-as  for  us, 
and  assuring  us  that  we  should  find  them  a 
more  comfortable  mode  of  conveyance,  llr. 
B.,  however,  directed  his  servant  to  take  the 
boat  by  a  canal  to  the  main  branch  of  the 
river,  and  await  us  there,  at  a  jilace  about  four 
miles  from  Tsz-k'hi,  not  wishing  to  trespass  too 
far  upon  Mr.  Luh's  generous  hospitality. 

The  breakfast  consisted  of  stewed  duck,  fish. 
biche  de  mer,  and  soup,  with  balls  of  hashed 
pork,  in  addition  to  a  bowl  of  rice  and  a  cup  of 
wine  for  each  one.  The  wine  was  a  mild  ar- 
rack, fermented  from  rice,  and  was  drunk 
warm,  our  cups  being  replenished  from  time  to 
time  by  the  servants.  I  found  it  rather  difficult 
to  manage  the  chopsticks,  and  was  still  more 


embarrassed  by  the  politeness  of  Mr.  Luh,  who, 
seeing  my  unsuccessful  attempt  to  convey  th» 
food  to  my  mouth,  insisted  upon  helping  me 
with  his  own  chopsticks.     After  breakfast  tea 


ANATOMICIL  TIRllVIvn   OF  A   CHIVKSE    LADT's   FOOTS 


106 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


■widows,  and  a  dispensary  for  the  cure  of  oph- 
thalmic diseases.  We  saur  some  gardens  con- 
taining that  kind  of  artificial  grotto  work, 
miniature  lakes,  fairy  bridge*,  and  dwarfed 
trees,  such  as  are  described  in  works  on  China. 
At  last  we  took  leave  of  our  host,  and  getting 
into  our  sedans,  passed  at  a  rapid  pace  out  of 
the  city.  We  paused  a  moment  to  look  back 
as  we  crossed  the  high  stone  bridge  of  a  single 
arch  which  spans  the  river  to  the  east  of  the 
city.  Ee-entering  our  sedans,  we  arrived  at 
our  boat,  which  had  crossed  the  sluice  and  was 
waiting  for  us  in  the  river  below.  Our  chair- 
bearers  refused  to  take  any  pay,  saying  that 
Mr.  Luh  had  arranged  it  all,  and  it  was  only 
after  some  pressing  that  we  prevailed  upon 
them  to  take  even  a  small  douceur  by  way  of 
"  wine  money." 

A  Chinese  Merchant  Praying  for  Saccess  in 
Trade. 

The  Chinese  are  not  without  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  Gael.  They  are  indus- 
trious, intelligent,  secretive,  saving  and  grasp- 
ing. There  are  those  who  will  dispute  this  last 
assertion,  but  close  observers  of  the  Mongolian, 
as  he  is  seen  in  his  various  social  grades  in  San 
Francisco,  arc  convinced  that  he  is  as  ambitious 
us  lie  is  cunning  and  persistent. 

They  may  never  be  powerful  enough  physic- 
ally, these  Chinese,  to  wrest  the  western  shore 
of  our  continent  from  the  XTnited  States  ;  but, 
numerically,  thej'  will  so  overcome  the  whites 
that,  to  all  practical  intents  and  purposes,  they 
can,  unquestioned,  transplant  and  enforce  the 
laws,  the  customs  and  the  religious  ideas  of 
the  vast  em])ire  from  which  Ihcy  will  pour 
like  a  resistless  torrent. 

Unlike  the  Indians,  the  Chinese  are  a  recu- 
perative race.  They  multiply  rapidly.  They 
are  not  effete  ;  and  they  are  far  from  being 
superstitious  to  the  degree  many  suppose. 
Eeligion  with  them  is  moral,  philosophical, 
ceremonial  and  theatrical.  It  satisfies  their 
intelligence.  The  teachings  of  Confucius  are 
the  embodiments  of  Chinese  thought,  and  it  is 
because  of  this  they  are  so  generally  accepted. 
Christianity,  therefore,  will  never  supplant 
(he  doctrines  of  Chinese  philosojjhers,  for  the 
reason  that,  while  the  former  is  of  the  heart, 
the  latter  are  of  the  head.    The  Mongolian  has 


TONG-CHU-KICNG,  A   NATIVE   CATECHIST. 


Vraa  'brought,  and  also  a  basin  of  hot  water 
with  a  single  napkin,  which  was  wrung  out 
and  handed  to  each  one  of  us  in  succession. 


HINDOO  THKESHINU. 


Although  in  many  things  the  Chinese  differ, 
very  widely  from  us,  yet  .t  is  impossible  to  re- 
fuse to  acknowledge  that  politeness  and  cotir- 
tesy  are  very  widely  diffused 
among  almost  all  classes, 
and  a  stranger  is  treated 
nowhere  with  more  courtesy 
than  among  these  strange 
people.  Mr.  Luh  took  us  to 
see  various  objects  of  in- 
terest in  the  city,  among 
which  were  the  halls  of  a 
charitable  institution  for  the 
furnishing  coffins  for  the 
poor,  where  was  also  the 
agency  of  another  society 
for    the    support    of    poor 


CHINESE  MAN  OATHKRINO  TEA. 


CHINA,    TARTAKY,    ETC. 


lOT 


neither  ''heart"  nor  sentiment,  and  conse- 
quently only  worships — if  worship  it  can  be 
called — the  things  which  contribute  to  his 
physical  well-being.  He  "  believes" — it  is  his 
leading  superstition — 
in  "  luok,"  and  very 
much  of  his ' '  religion" 
is  confined  to  "ob- 
servances" that  may 
bring  him  "famoai.d 
fortune."  But  even  in 
seeking  these  he  is 
careful  to  put  himself 
to  little  trouble.  As 
seen  in  our  picture, 
he  pastes  his  prayers 
against  the  walls  of 
his  temple,  or  up  in 
his  counting  -  room  ; 
and  then,  thinking 
that  "he  has  done  his 
duty,"  goes  cheerfullj' 
to  his  work,  as  a  good 
Buddhist  should, 
wholly  persuaded  that 
the  "good  time"  is 
surely  coming  for  his 
race  in  Ihis  new  world, 
which  he  trusts  will 
*>e  as  Asiatic  as  it  is 
aow  European. 


A  Obinese  Tradar. 

Ir  would  require  a 
great  deal  of  space  to 
tell  all  about  the  Chi- 
nese creed — what  the 

people  believe  and  what  they  do  not.  There 
are  temples  to  Confucius  and  temples  to  Bud- 
dha ;  there  are  various  independent  sects,  just 
as  in  all  other  countries  in  the  world.  Even 
after  an  explanation,  many  people  can  get  no 
very  clear  notion  of  whiit  the  Chinese  faith 
is,  and  a  good  many  of  the  Celestials  are  not 
exactly  certain  about  it.  Confucius  is  regarded 
Tery  much  as  the  Western  nations  regard  Christ, 
and  Buddha  is  looked  upon  in  nearly  the  same 
light.  The  story  of  Buddha  is  not  unlike  that 
of  Christ,  and  the  similarity  is  so  great  that 
there  are  many  persons  who  believe  that  one 
of  them  was  borrowed  from  the  other.  Buddha 


is  reputed  to  have  been  bom  of  a  virgin,  and 
to  have  astonished  everybody  by  his  remark- 
able wisdom  in  his  extreme  youth,  and  by  many 
miracles  which  he  performed.    In  many  of  the 


CHINKSK   MODE    OF    SALUTATION. 

temples  are  statuettes  representing  a  Chinese 
woman  holding  a  child  in  her  arms,  and  the 
thoughtful  spectator  at  once  perceives  the 
resemblance  to  the  statues  and  paintings  re- 
presenting the  Madonna  and  Infant  Christ. 

The  Chinese  have  a  great  many  inconsisten- 
cies of  character ;  among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned their  economy  and  frugality,  and  at  the 
same  time  their  inveterate  passion  for  gambling. 
Frequently  before  undertaking  anything,  a  Chi- 
nese will  toss  for  luck,  and  decide,  by  chance, 
what  is  best  for  hiui  to  do.  Many  of  them  will 
lose  in  a  single  evenhig  nil  their  earnings  for 
a  week,  and  some  of  the  heavier  gamblers  will 


get  rid  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  an  hour  or 
two.  Frequently  a  laborer,  who  is  about  to  buy 
something  to  eat,  will  gamble  with  the  vender 
to  decide  whether  he  shoU  have  the  article  for 
nothing  or  pay  double 
for  it.  And  so  grave  a 
subject  as  matrimony 
they  sometimes  de- 
cide by  a  little  game, 
such  as  turning  a 
wheel,  or  drawing 
sticks  from  a  bundle. 


Oh;Le:o  Girls, 
Mks.  Mallisos,  in 
her  book  on  China, 
says :  ' '  Some  of  the 
Chinese  belles  are 
really  very  handsome, 
desi:)ite  their  swarthy 
comj^lexions  and  al- 
mond-shaped eyes.  I 
had  an  opportunity, 
while  Kate  was  making 
a  purchase  at  one  of 
the  numerous  little 
fancy  stores,  of  dash- 
ing off  a  sketch  of  a 
characteristic  group 
opposite,  which  I 
could  see  through 
a  half- open  door, 
which  may  give  your 
lady  readers  some  idea 
of  a  Chinese  '  fashion- 
able '  in  full  dress, 
with  her  fair  hostess. 
It  will  be  perceived  that  she  is  very  liberally 
sprinkled  with  jewelry— rings,  bracelets  and 
ear-ornaments  being  a  prominent  part  of  their 
costume.  The  one  in  the  foreground  wears  a 
heavy  blue  silk,  of  extraordinary  beauty,  with 
black  trousers,  and  a  plaid  silk  handkerchief 
upon  the  head,  and  her  companion  has  a  simple 
white  tunic  and  hair  arranged  a.  la  Evgnie, 
though  it  is  more  than  doubtful  whether  sha 
ever  heard  of  that  important  personage." 


It  is  stem  adversity  that  tries  the  man,  and 
shows  the  world  what  metal  he  is  of. 


"^^^^^^^^^S^^-- 


CHINESB  LADIES'  FBBT. 


OBINBSE  men's  fist  AND  SBOISi 


108 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


■'ML^^t 


SCULLIXG  A  BOAT.— MAN  WITH  KAIN'-JACSET. 


Chinese  Eat  Merchant. 

OwrxG  to  the  immense  and  dense  population 
of  China,  they  resort  not  only  to  infanticide  to 
prevent  too  rapid  increase,  but  the  Hving,  in 
order  to  subsist,  are  compelled  to  resort  to  arti- 
cles of  food  which  men  elsewhere  instinct- 
ively shrink  from.  The  poorer  classes  eat 
almost  everything  that  comes  to  hand.  Upon 
the  streets  of  the  city,  but  particularly  on  the 
large  squares,  you  will  find  hawks,  owls,  eagles 
and  storks  offered  for  sale.  To  an  American 
nothing  is  more  laughable  than  to  see  a  China- 
man with  a  carrj-ing.pole  supporting  two  bird- 
cages containing  dogs  and  cats  !  The  flesh  of  the 
latter,  well  fed,  is  quite  highly  esteemed.  But 
while  birds  are  comparatively  rare,  there  is  ouo 
animal  found  everj'where.  This  is  the  rat, 
which  sometimes  in  Hindoostan  and  China 
reaches  an  enormous  size.  The  ratcatcher  in 
China  seeks  not  so  much  to  rid  the  housekeeper 
of  a  troublesome  pest  as  to  supply  the  shambles. 
They,  of  course,  use  no  poison,  but  have  inge- 
nious methods  of  their  own  for  catching  the 
animals.  This  enables  them  to  keep  up  a 
pretty  regular  stock.  They  may  be  seen  with 
their  carrying-poles  bearing  several  dozen  rats, 
which  are  drawn  quite  clean,  and  are  hung  up 
as  pigs  are  with  us,  by  a  cross-piece  of  wood 
through  the  hind  legs. 

"These  rows  of  rats,"  saj-s  Megen,  in  his 
"  Voyage  Round  the  World."  "  look  very  nice, 
but  they  are  eaten  only  by  the  poor." 

There  is,  apparently,  nothing  unsavory  or 
unhealthy  in  the  flesh  of  the  rat.  The  writer 
knew  well  a  captain  of  a  merchantman  who 
brought  several  cargoes  of  grain  from  Odessa, 
and  whose  crews  lived  on  rats  almost  entirely! 
He  represented  them  as  having  fattened  on 
the  grain,  and  as  being  tender  and  palatable. 
They  occasionally  found  their  way  to  the  cap- 
tain's table,   but  were  always  called  squirrel 

there. 

»-«♦>-« 

Feet  and  Shoes  of  Chinese  Ladies. 

The  distortion  of  the  feet  of  Chinese  ladies  is 

a  custom  of  great  antiquity.     It  is  said  to  have 

had  its  origin  in  an  edict  is.sued  to  the  ladies  of 

her  court  by  an  empress  who  was  club-footed, 


and      that 
people     of 
lesser    de- 
gree    soon 
followed     the 
fashion  set 
by    the    la- 
dies   in    at- 
tendance.   Be 
this    as    it 
m  ay,     it    is 
certain   that 
the   jealousy 
of    the    men, 
and   the   in- 
dolence  and 
vanity     of 
the  women, 
have  caused 
it     to     be 
adopted.     T  o 
have  a  little 
foot  is  a  pa- 
tent of  vast 
wealth,  and  that  one  can  live  without  labor, 
being  incapable  of  work.     A  Chinese  lady  of 
good  family  would  consider  herself  inhumanly 
treated  by  her  parents  if  they  failed  to  have 
deformed  her.     Besides,  her  matrimonial  pros-  1 
pects  would  suffer  if  her  foot  had  been  allowed 
to  retain  its  natural  shape ;  for  a  foot  of  two 
or  three  inches  has  an  irresistible  charm,  which 
native  poets  celebrate  with  the  wildest  enthu- 
siasm. 

When  a  girl  attains  the  age  of  six  years,  her 
mother  begins  to  bandage  her  feet  with  cloths 
saturated  in  oil.  The  large  toe  is  turned 
under  the  others,  and  then  all  five  are  doubled 
under  the  foot.  The  ligatures  are  tightened 
every  month,  and  thus  by  the  time  the  child 
becomes  an  adult  the  foot  resembles  a  closed 
fist.  The  consequences  of  this  distortion  are 
often  grave,  as  by  iuterraptiug  the  circulation 
of  the  blood  sores  are  produced  which  are  fre- 
quently difficult  of  cure.  These  produce  a 
demand  for  foot-doctors  {pedicures),  until  there 


is  quite  a  corporation  of  .  a  women  who  follow 
this  calling,  and  who  thus  gain  admission  into 
the  best  families,  and  act  as  intermeiliaries  in 
many  a  courtship  and  marriage.  It  is  from 
them  that  we  have  all  our  details  concerning 
feet ;  for  a  Chinese  woman,  of  whatever  grade 
of  society,  and  however  unscrupulous  in  other 
matters,  could  never  be  induce<l  to  display  her 
foot.  It  would  be  almost  an  insult  even  to 
attempt  a  glimpse  of  her  shoes.  With  feet 
such  as  those  represented  in  our  illustration, 
the  difficulty  of  locomotion  will  be  readily 
realized.  The  women  move  about  by  a  species 
of  hop.  their  arms  extended  like  bala'uce-poles. 
One  would  fancy  them  on  stilts.  Nevertheless, 
such  is  the  force  of  habit,  that  young  girls  will 
keep  on  their  feet  all  day,  executing  the  most 
marvelous  figures  in  dancing,  and  sending  into 
the  air,  with  wonderful  dexterity,  a  shuttle- 
cock, by  means  of  their  tiny  shoes,  which  serve 
as  battledores  on  the  occasion. 


A  Chinese  Winter  Cradle. 
The  cradles  or  baby- frames  of  different  conn- 
tries  are  curious  enough.  Savage  nations  show 
really  more  ingenuity,  and  are  better  enabled 
to  reheve  the  mother  in  the  care  of  the  child, 
than  many  that  boast  of  their  civilization. 
The  Indian  squaw  puts  her  child  in  a  safer  posi- 
tion while  engaged  in  her  labors  than  the  poor 
white  washwoman.  The  Chinese  Winter  Cra- 
dle is  a  kind  of  basket  made  of  straw,  very 
thickly  twisted.  In  shape  it  is  something  like 
an  hour-glass,  and  is  open  above  and  below. 
The  waist  holds  the  child  up,  and  in  the  Open 
end  below  a  sort  of  foot-stove  is  placed,  to 
keep  the  infant  warm.  In  it  is  a  well-padded 
dress.  The  child  is  here  kept  warm,  and  enjoys 
its  toys  without  any  fear  of  accident. 


We  are  told  in  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon  that 
wisdom  is  of  more  value  than  gold.  Let  us  in 
our  youth  endeavor  to  learn,  although  it  be 
painful :  for  it  is  less  pain  to  learn  in  youth 
than  to  be  ignorant  in  age. 


CHIKESE  RAT  MERCHANT. 


CHINA,    TARTAEY,    ETC. 


109 


The  Tea  Plant. 
Te.v  and  coffee,  without  which  Europe  got 
nloug  for  five  thor-sand  years,  have  become 
necessaries  of  life.  They  aro  not  food,  and, 
therefor?,  not  essential;  they  give  neither 
fat,  flesh,  nor  bone,  but  are  simply  stimu- 
lants;  though,  from  its  action  on  bile, 
tea  may  be  beneficial. 

Considering  the  different  sources  from 
which  tea  and  coffee  come,  it  is  a  curious 
fact  that  they  both  acquire  their  stimulat- 
ing power  from  a  principle  named  theine, 
common  to  both  plants,  and  of  which  no 
other  plant  is  known  to  possess  any  marked 
quantity. 

There  is  a  genus  of  plants  of  the  tribe 
Camellia.     The  seed  is  sown  soon  after  it 
ripens,  in  boles  four  or  five  inches  deep, 
and  three  or  four  feet  apart.     The  plants 
rise  in  a  cluster  when  the  rain  comes  on, 
and  require  little  care  but  weeding      The 
leaves  are  fit  to  gather  the  third  year.     A 
plant  is  good  from  sereu  to  ten  yeaVs,  when 
it  is  cut  down  and  young  shoots  allowed 
to  rise.     It  blossoms  along  the  branch,  hav- 
ing almost  blossom  for  leaf,  and  thus  giving 
it  quite  a  rich  appearance.     The  gathering 
of  the  leaves  is  an  important  matter.    They 
are  taken  off  with  great  care,  one  by  one. 
Three  crops  are  taken,  in  March,  ilay,  and 
August,  the  exact  period  varying  according 
to  the    climate  of   the   districts.     When   the 
leaves  are  gathered,  they  are  dried  in  small  fur- 
naces, each  furnished  with  a  small  iron  pan,  on 
which  the  leaves,  being  first  dried  in  the  sun 
are  thrown  and  stirred.     V/hen  dried  thev  are 
cooled  and  rolled  on  a  table,  and  then  sorted. 


A   CniNESE   WINTER   CRADLE. 

Hand  of  a  Barber-Surgeon. 
Vi'hile  the  Chinese  ladies  do  their  best  to 
disfigure  theil  feet   by  making  them   "small 
by  degrees  and  beautifully  less,"  some  classes 

Ti,o  i,„„*  1-1  .     ' *-""•  !  °^  '^'^  Chinese  men  emulate  them   in  manv 

Ihe  best  k:n.ls  are  put  up  choicely,  while    other  respects     Our  illustration  represents  the 

like    bricks  '''     """'''    ^"'°    ■'^asseslhandofone-abarber.surgoon.      ^   '''"'' *^° 

Of   these   the 

Abbe    Hue 

gives    an    in 

tcresting  and 

amusing    d  o- 

scription  in 

his    "Travels 

through  Tar 

t'lry,"  where 

they  are  most 

chioflj'  sent. 
There  have 

been    many 

discussions  as 

to  the  green 
and  black 
teas,  but  the 
prevailing 
opinion  is, 
that  the  dif- 
ference does 
not  arise  from 
their  being 
taken  from 
different 
plants,  but 
from  the  sea- 
son in  which 
they  are 
gathered  and 
cored. 

DINNER  AT  A  CHINESB  MANDARIN'S. 


Modes  of  Salutation  in  Ohina. 
From   the  exttevBgant   titles   bestowed 
on  their  princes  by  the  Chinese,  it  may  at 
once  be  inferred  that  in  saluting  a  great 
personage  the  most  abject  form  is  adopted. 
As  the  Emperor  is  brother  to  the  sun,  and 
Lis  high  officers  are  supposed  to  be  in  some 
way  connected  with  that  great  luminary, 
the  people,  as  they  pass,  prostrate  them- 
selves  and  vail  their  eyes,  so  as  not  to  be 
dazzled  by  such  effulgence.     Of  all  human 
customs,  none  is  more  ancient  or  more 
general  than  that  of  reciprocal  salutation 
between  persons  of  equal  rank  in  the  social 
scale.     We  find  it  among  the  people  of 
antiquity,  as  well  as  in  every  modem  na- 
tion.    Salutation  was,  if  we  may  so  express 
ourselves,  the  first  smile  of  humanity  in 
its  cradle ;  it  arose  at  the  pure  source  of 
the  infancy  of  society,  and  it  appears  to 
have  become  sacred  to  posterity  the  most 
remote.     In  its  origin,  it  was  a  kind  of  wor- 
ship rendered  by  man  to  man,  a  homage 
by  \yhich  he  recognized  something  divine 
in  his  fellow,  and  in  progress  of  time  it  has 
become  a  sign  of  peace  and  welcome,  be- 
fore  which   all   distinctions   of   race   and 
country  vanish,  and  the  stranger  becomes 
invested  with  all  the  claims  to  hospitality. 
k^  every  nation  has  its  own  coin,  it  has 
in  like  manner  peculiar  forms  of  salutation 
which  belong  to  it.     In  the  East,  the  sign  o£ 
salutation  is  peace,  the  slialom  of  the  Hebrews, 
the  salam  of  Arabs— "Peace  be  with  you;"' 
and  the  answer  is,  "With  you  be  peace."' 

This  form  perfectly  expresses  what  is  the 
object  of  the  desires  and  of  the  enjoyments  of 
the  Orientals;    it  presents  a  vital  feature  in 
The  words  peace  and  repose 
include,  with 
the  Orientals, 
every  species 
of  comfort 
and     happi- 
ness ;   and   it 
is  with  these, 
therefore, 
that  they  sa- 
lute and  wish 
each  other 
well.     The 
salutation    of 
the   Greeks 
was  almost  as 
directly    con- 
trary to   that 
o  f  t  h  e   Ori- 
entals ;  and  so 
we  might  ex- 
pect it,  when 
we  reflect  on 
the  charactei 
of  this  acdTie 
people,  so  eai- 
tirely  o  p  p  o- 
Bite  to  that  of 
those    effemi- 
nate   nations. 
The    Greek 
■was  active, 
occupied,  and 


their  character. 


110 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


fearing  nothing  but  repose ;  hence  his  salvi- 
tntiou  was,  "Act  successfully."  And  as 
iie  delighted  in  pleixsure  and  joy,  he  wished 
them  to  his  friends  by  saying,  "  Flesh,  re- 
joice I"  Aud  in  accosting  one,  he  would 
ask.  '■  What  are  you  doing?  what  are  yoa 
busied  in  ?" 

o 

Ohiness  Sculling-Boat— Mm  with 

Baia-Jacket. 
The  boat  which  was  to  convey  us  to 
JJingpc  was  smaller  and  of  a  different 
shape  from  the  one  which  brought  us  from 
Shaughae  to  Kan-p'hu.  It  was  sculled  by 
n  single  man,  and  was  provided  with  a 
bamboo  pole,  to  which  a  long  line  was  at- 
tached, by  which  the  boat  was  tracked  or 
dragged  along  by  the  boatman's  son,  when- 
ever the  banks  of  the  canal  were  such  as 
to  allow  it.  After  going  in  this  way  soma 
dozen  or  more  miles,  we  came  to  the  end 
of  the  canal,  aud  our  boat  was  dragged 
over  a  sluice  into  the  river  below.  The 
sluice  was  a  sort  of  double  inclined  plane 
of  stone,  covered  with  clay  to  lubricate  it 
and  render  it  more  easy  for  the  boat  to  pass 
over  ;  a  sort  of  rude  crab  or  windlass  was 
set  up  on  either  side  of  the  bank,  to  which 
bars  were  attached,  and  by  means  of  straw 
ropes  passed  over  the  stern  of  our  boat,  we 
were  dragged  up  to  the  top  of  the  inclined 
plane,  and  then  launched  with  a  tremen- 
dous splash  into  the  river  below,  reminding 
us  very  forcibly  of  our  youthf  J  experience 
in  coasting  down-hill  upon  sleds. 


juice.  We  tried  the  experiment,  and  wer© 
satisfied  that,  although  not  equal  to  soma 
beverages  we  had  tasted,  it  was  truly  very 
invigorating,  although,  doubtless,  if  in- 
dulged in  too  frequently  calculated  to  de- 
range the  nervous  system. 

It  seems  scarcelj'  credible  m  this  nge  of 
tea  and  coffee,  with  toast  and  bread  and 
butter,  to  realize  the  time  when  each  of 
the  maids  of  honor  to  Queen  Elizabeth  of 
England  had  an  allowance  of  one  gallon 
of  strong  ale,  with  brawn,  or  chine,  or 
baron  of  beef,  for  their  Dreakfast  allow- 
ance. One  such  meal  now  would  nearly 
kill  the  most  robust  fashionable  woman 
breathing. 

Ohincse  Garden  Pavilion. 
It  is  only  of  late  years  that  travelers 
have  been  enabled  to  get  more  than  a 
casual  glance  of  the  interior  of  China; 
but,  through  the  agency  of  England,  her 
wars,  and  Mr.  Burlinganie — by  his  diplo- 
macy— we  are  now  becoming  pretty  well 
acquainted  with  not  only  her  customs,  but 
her  domestic  institutions.  Every  country 
has  its  peculiar  architecture,  more  or  less, 
modified  by  climate.  Among  the  most 
agreeable  features  of  Chinese  scenery  are 
the  numerous  garden  pavilions  which  rise 
around  you  in  every  direction.  They  have 
little  pretension  to  architectural  maguifi. 
cence,  their  character  being  very  monoton- 
ous ;  but  they  are  admirably  adapted  for 
their  purpose — to  allow  a  free  breeze,  and 
to  afford  a  protection  from  the  sun. 


A  Chinese  Pagoda, 
In  China,  pagodas  form  a  very  conspicuous 
and  characteristic  feature  of  the  scenery,  and 
are  generally  towers  of  nine  stories  in  height. 
The  most  celebrated  of  these  was  the  porcelain 
pagoda  of  Nankin,  which  was  destroyed  by  the 
Chinese  rebels  in  1856.  This  famous  building 
was  begun  in  1412,  and  finished  in  1431.  Hav- 
ing been  erected  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  an 
empernr  of  the  Ming  dynasty,  it  was  called  the 
Temple  of  Gratitude.  It  was  octagonal  in 
form,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet 
high,  inclusive  of  an  iron  spire  thirty  feet  in 
height  which  surmounted  it,  and  from  the 
summit  of  which   eight   chains  depended,  to 


A  CHINESE   PAGODA, 

each  of  which  were  attached  nine  bells,  while 
to  each  angle  of  the  lower  rcofs  a  bell  was 
attached,  making  the  total  number  of  bells  one 
hundred  and  forty-four,  which  tinkled  in  har- 
mony to  every  breeze.  The  most  striking  pecu- 
liarity of  this  pagoda,  however,  was,  that  its 
brick  walls  were  covered  with  porcelain,  pro- 
ducing a  singular  brilliancy  lA  effect.  Almost 
every  town  in  China  possesses  one  or  more  of 
these  structures — all  alike  in  desigUj  but  differ- 
ing in  dimensions,  and  in  the  richness  of  the 
material  and  ornaments. 


CHINESE  SARDRN   PATILIOK. 


Chinese  Tea  Ssrvice, 
It  is  only  those  who  have  been  in  China,  or 
have  seen  thtm  in  some  collection  of 
curiosities,  that  can  form  an  idea  of 
what  small  and  exquisite  things  a  Chi- 
nese tea-service  is  composed. 
They  are  only  about  one-fifth 
the  size  of  our  common  break- 
fast tea-cups,  and  of  the  most 
delicate  workmanship.  Nei- 
ther do  the  Chinese  spoil  their 
tea  with  milk  aud  sugar,  but 
take  it  in  its  pristine  purity. 

Mr.  Dent,  of  Hong  Kong, 
one  of  the  most  extensive  tea 
merchants  in  the  world,  told 
US,  some  ye<irs  ago,  that  the 
most  refreshing  beverage  he 
ever  tasted  was  some  iced 
green  tea,  flavored  with  lemon- 


Summer  Palace  of  Chinese  Emperors 
at  Pekin, 

DESTBOYED  BV  THE  FRENCH  AND  ENGLISH   TKOOP3 
IN  18G0. 

The  Emperor  of  China  cannot  coi  'plain  of 
having  nowhere  to  lay  his  head.  TL^  Park  of 
Yuen  Ming  Yuen,  or  Hound  and  Si^lendid  Gar- 
dens, about  eight  mil  s  ..ortheast  of  the  city  of 
Pekin,  containing  welve  sqaare  miles,  diversi- 
fied in  sur'ace,  ai  d  i-tersj.  ersed  with  canals, 
pools,  lakes,  ard  r-vuie'-,  "s  well  as  with  finely 
cultivated  spots,  and  o'^he  s  perfectly  wild, 
contains  no  lesa  than  thirty  palaces.  The  glory 
of  these  was  the  Summ  r  Palac  ,  destroyed  by 
the  FreuCii  and  English  in  October,  1860,  aud 
of  which  our  illustration  gives  a  correct  view. 
The  entrance  to  this  splendid  structure  was  a 
hall  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  long,  forty-two 
feet  wide,  and  twenty  feet  high,  paved  with 


31illBi»^ 


OHINXSK  TIA-SEBnCI. 


CHINA,    TARTARY.    ETC. 


Ill 


112 


THE  WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONS. 


marble,  and  painted  in  gold,  azure  and  scarlet. 
The  throne  was  of  elegantly  carved  dark  wood, 
covered  with  richly  embroidered  cushions. 

The  inner  chambers  were  turuished  with  the 
utmost  splendor,  and  hung  with  silli,  satin,  and 
crape.  Jade  china,  of  the  oldest  and  rarest 
lands,  paintings  and  vases  from  Franco,  Euro- 
pean armor  of  the  Middle  Ages,  and  of  the 
most  splendid  descriptions— in  a  word,  curiosi- 
ties and  riches  of  every  kind — were  crowded 
within  its  walls.  Its  extent  may  be  imagined 
from  the  fact  that  the  contents  of  this  palace 
were  valued  at  several  millions  of  dollars. 

In  revenge  for  the  massacre  of  some  European 
prisoners,  it  was  all  given  up  to  plunder.  The 
soldiers  carried  off  all  they  could  ;  the  splendid 
draperies  were  used  for  turbans  and  ^Tappers, 
for  horse-cloths,  and  other  vile  uses;  the  splen- 
did furniture  broken  up,  including  that  of  one 
room  completely  and  exclusively  got  up  in  the 
style  of  Louis  XV. 

The  palace  was  deserted,  the  Emperor,  with 
his  ladies,  having  fled,  and  no  living  creature 
appearing  but  the  little  Japanese  lapdogs. 

When  the  work  of  plunder  was  completed, 
the  palace  was  given  to  the  flames,  and  soon 
nothing  but  a  heap  of  ashes  marked  the  spot 
where  so  recently  rose  a  palace  crowded  with 
almost  fabulous  Oriental  luxury. 

n ^  » 

Oonoluding  Remarks. 

A   TMP   FEOM   PAEIS   TO   CHINA. 

The  beautiful  harbor  of  Hong  Kong  was 
swarming  with  all  sorts  and  varieties  of  vessels, 
and  the  next  morning  after  our  arrival  we  all 
sallied  forth,  determined  to  make  ourselves 
acquainted  with  the  localities  and  geography 
of  this  world-renowned  city.  Curious  little 
fishing,  junks  were  darting  from  place  to  place, 
with  almost  incredible  speed,  and  the  waters 
were  dotted  with  the  plebeian-looking  boats 
commonly  called  sampnnn.  We  were  much 
amused  by  the  expert  and  practiced  manner 
in  which  these  sampans  were  managed  by  the 
fairer  sex — indeed,  most  of  them  were  entirely 
under  the  control  of  women,  who  stood  or  sat 
around  on  their  miniature  decks  with  the 
greatest  ease  and  self-possession  in  the  world. 
These  Chinese  damsels  who  enact  the  part  of 
sailors  so  coolly  are  rather  pretty  and  interest- 
ing than  otherwise  ;  they  wear  blue  mantles. 


j  avA  wide  trousers  to  match,  and  either  large 
straw  hats  or  colored  handkerchiefs  are  bound 
I  in  light  and  graceful  folds  around  Iheir  shapely 
'  heads. 

I  Our  guides  (ladies)  prove.l  very  useful  auxil- 
.iaries  to  us,  in  our  rambles  through  the  streets, 
in  aiding  us  to  aiJjjreciate  and  xiuderstaud  all 
the  minor  details  which  a  woman's  quick  eye 
never  fails  to  notice,  particularly  in  the  manners 
and  costumes  of  the  Celestial  ladies.  Blue 
seemed  to  be  the  fashionable  color  which  they 
most  affected  iu  their  dress;  to  be  sure,  we 
wjuld  occasionally  see  pink,  white,  or  purple, 
but  blue  was  decidedly  iu  the  ascendant,  gayly 
embroidered  and  decorated  with  gold.  The 
long  robes  which  most  of  them  wore  just  dis- 
played an  elegant  skirt,  below  which  it  drooped 
over  the  2)oor  little  jirisoned  feet,  cased  in 
gilded  shoes.  Walking  was  by  no  means  a 
rapid  or  graceful  affair  :  but  from  the  number 
of  splendidly  dressed  ladies  blazing  in  silks  and 
satins  that  we  met,  we  concluded  that  the 
Oriental  daughters  of  Eve  liked  to  see  and  be 
seen,  as  well  as  their  sisters  in  New  York  or 
Loudon,  and  were  willing  to  endure  a  little 
incouvenienee  for  the  sake  of  being  in  the 
extreme  of  the  fashion  ;  and  the  Chinese  belles 
are,  some  of  them,  really  very  handsome,  iu 
spite  of  their  swarthy  complexion  and  almond- 
shaped  eyes.  They  all  regarded  us  with  much 
curiosity,  and  the  exquisitely  fair  skin  of  our 
female  companions  elicited  many  whispered 
comments  and  remarks. 

The  streets  of  Hong  Kong  were  full  of  novel- 
ties ;  and  if,  at  an  early  stage  of  our  adven- 
tures, we  had  not  come  to  the  conclusion  to 
adopt  the  time-honored  motto,  "nil  admirari,'' 
we  should  have  been  nearly  distracted  by  the 
various  sights  and  sounds  which  met  us  at 
every  turning.  But  the  one  which  seemed  the 
most  unusual  to  our  foreign  eyes  was  the  insti- 
tution of  street  barbers.  People  sit  calmly 
down  to  be  "cut  and  shaved"  iu  the  open 
street  with  as  much  nonchalance  as  if  they 
were  in  a  fashionable  saloon,  and  a  barber  with 
his  small  stock  in  trade  occupies  everj-  available 
nook  and  corner. 

When  a  ''coolie"  comes  past,  and  signifies 
his  desire  to  have  his  pigtail  attended  to,  it  is 
really  amusing  to  see  the  alacrity  with  which 
the  barber  falls  to  work.  One  little  assembly 
which  we  passed  edified  us  particularlj'  on 
account  of  the  busy  industry  of  the  Chinese 


Phalons,  and  the  indescribable  air  of  contem,. 
ment  with  which  the  coolies  submitted  their 
shocks  of  coarse  wiry  hair  to  the  professional 
hands.  The  customer  was  sitting  on  a  chest  of 
drawers  which  contained  soaps,  perrumes,  and 
razors— the  worldly  wealth  ot  our  barber — with 
his  wide  straw  hat  and  bamboo  cane  at  his  feet. 
k  luxuriant  banyan-tree,  at  no  great  distance, 
afforded  some  little  protection  from  the  direct 
raj-s  of  the  burrning  sun 

The  street  doctors  formed  another  important 
element  of  life  in  Hong  Kong.  Posted  behind 
unpretending  stalls,  which  were  covered  with 
books  on  the  science,  they  held  forth  to  the 
bystanders,  and  launched  many  astounding 
medical  trutlis  at  the  stolid  heads  of  the  gaping 
crowd.  We  are  told  that  surgical  operations 
were  also  frequently  performed  in  the  open 
thoroughfare,  and  that  the  medical  knowledge 
of  the  Chinese,  regarded  as  a  nation,  was 
unusually  advanced. 

We  must  not  forget  to  mention  the  fortune- 
tellers, who  were  thick  as  hops,  and  amused  us 
very  much  with  their  strange  gestures ,  and 
clamorous  importuning.  There  was  generally 
quite  a  little  crowd  gathered  around  the  stalls 
of  tliese  itinerants,  to  inspect  the  hieroglyphic 
inscriptions  which  uurported  to  be  riativities 
and  fate-readers. 

Toward  evening,  as  we  were  retracing  our 
footsteps  in  a  home  direction,  very  much 
fatigued  and  still  pleased  with  our  day's  obser- 
vations, our  ears  were  feasted  with  the  monot- 
onous and  yet  harmonious  music  played  at  the 
Chinese  concerts. 

The  sky  was  of  a  brilliant  orange  when  we 
reached  oar  hotel,  and  the  distant  mountains 
were  wrapped  in  a  sort  of  purple  mist,  probably 
an  illusive  effect  of  the  singularly  transparent 
atmosphere  of  this  climate.  The  harbor,  as 
we  beheld  it  from  our  windows,  was  as  lively 
as  ever — people  here  seem  to  live  on  the  v.'ater ; 
you  can  behold  all  ages,  sexes  and  sizes  on 
board  the  junks  and  sampans,  and  the  child  of 
three  years  old  appears  as  ambitious  of  attain- 
ing nautical  renowu  as  its  grandfather. 

Hong  Kong,  when  lighted  uji  at  night,  has  a 
very  cheerful  and  animated  appearance.  You 
then  lose  the  impression  produced  by  the  low 
and  dwarfish  houses,  and  as  the  great  heat  of 
the  day  has  subsided  into  a  delicious  freshness 
and  calm,  you  are  far  more  at  liberty  to  enjoy 
a  meerschaum  and  a  seat  in  the  open  air. 


ON  OCR  WAY  TO  THE  BOAT. 


PALESTINE    AND     SYRIA. 

GEOGRAI'iriCAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

BXPLOEATIONS  AT  JEKUSALEM— CHRISTMAS  FESTIVITIES— WATEK-POTS  AT  CANA— SHEW-BREAD  AND    ALTAR    OF  INCENSE— CHRISTMAS  FESTIVAL  Ar 

JERUSALEM -House-tops— SiLOAM  and  Fountain  op  the  Virgin— Trial  of  Jealooby— Mountaineers  of  Lebanon— Tribute  Monet 
—Women  of  Lebanon— Tomb  of  Noah— Tomb  of  Godfrey— Mountain  Pass— The  Scapegoat— Bethlehem— Chapel  of  the  Burning 
Bush- Fetes  of  Kourbas  Beiram— Chamber  in  the  Wall— Captive  Israelites  -  Jews  Praying — Jewish  High  Priest- The  Makonites 
—Woman  at  fountain— Courtyard  At  Damascus— The  Takino  of  Jerusalem. 


WE  now  arrive  at  a  land  which,  more  than 
all  others,  claims  the  reverence  and 
study  of  every  Christian,  for  it  was 
there  that  the  Founder  of  Christianity  was 
born,  lived,  and  finally  consummated  His 
mission  by  dying  for  the  regeneration  of 
the  human  family. 

Palestine,  or.  as  it  is  most  commonly  called, 
the  Holy  Land,  is  a  country  of  Western  Asia, 
now  forming  a  part  of  the  Turkish  Empire, 
bounded  north  bj'  the  Lebanon  Mountains, 
which  separate  it  from  Syria ;  east,  by  the 
desert  now  called  the  Hauran ;  south  by  a 
desert  which  separates  it  from  Arabia  and 
Egypt,  and  on  its  western  side  by  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea.  It  lies  between  latitude  30  deg. 
40  min.  and  33  deg.  32  min.  North,  and  long. 
33  deg.  45  min.  and  35  deg.  48  min.  East.  Its 
length  is  about  two  hundred  miles,  and  its 
average  breadth  sixty.  It  has  an  area  of 
about  twelve  thousand  square  miles,  and  the 
population  is  estimated  at  about  three  hundred 
thousand.  The  country  is  now  divided  into 
the  two  Pashalics  of  Acre  and  Gaza,  and  a  ] 
part  of  it  is  included  in  the  Pashalic  of  Damas-  ■ 
cus.  It  is  also  subdivided  into  seven  districts,  I 
B8  follows :  El  Kods,  including  Jerusalem, 
Jericho,  and  about  two  hundred  villages, 
Hebron  or  El  Khaleel,  embracing  the  south 
part  of  Judaea ;  Gaza  on  the  south  coast,  with 
the  towns  of  Gaza  and  Jaffa  ;  Lood.  or  the  en- 
yirons  of  ancient  Lydda ;  Nabloos,  or  ancient 
Bychar.  and  Samaria  ;  Areta,  including  Mount 
Carmel,  and  a  part  of  the  plain  of  Esdraelon ; 
and  Safed,  identical  with  ancient  Galilee. 

Palestine  is  a  land  of  hills  and  valleys,  or,  as 
more  minutely  described  in  Deuteronomy, 
(chap.  viii.  verses  7  and  9)  "  a  land  of  brooks, 
of  water,  of  fountains,  and  depths  that  spring 
out  of  valleys  and  hills ;  a  laud  of  wheat,  and 
barley,  and  vines,  and  fig-trees,  and  pomegra- 
nates ;  a  land  of  olive  oil,  and  honey ;  a  land 
wherein  thou  shalt  eat  bread  without  scarce- 
ness ;  thou  shalt  not  lack  anything  in  it ;  a 
land  whose  stones  are  iron,  and  out  of  whose 
hills  thou  mayest  dig  brass." 

From  the  seacoast  on  the  west  the  land 
rises  rapidly  to  a  mountainous  height  ia  the 


centre,  and  declines  on  the  other  or  eastern 
side  to  the  low  level  of  the  desert.  The  coast 
level  varies  very  much  in  breadth,  being  in 
some  places  only  a  narrow  pass  between  the 
mountains  and  the  sea,  and  in  others  ex- 
panding into  plains  of  considerable  width. 
The  southern  portion  of  the  coast  level  is 
termed  in  the  Scrijiture  the  Plain  or  Low 
Country,  and  the  western  part  of  it  was  an- 
ciently the  abode  of  the  Philistines.  It  ex- 
tends from  Joppa  to  Gaza,  and  lies  between 
the  sea  on  the  west  and  the  hills  of  Ephraim 
and  Juda  on  the  east.  This  plain  is  naturally 
very  fertile. 

Palestine  was  first  known  as  Canaan,  from 
the  fourth  son  of  Ham,  fixjm  whom  the  in- 
habitants were  supposed  to  be  descended.  This 
name  was,  however,  confined  to  the  country 
between  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Eiver  Jor- 
dan, the  principal  region,  east  of  that  river, 
being  called  Gilead.  Palestine,  subsequently, 
was  called  the  Land  of  Promise,  the  Land  of 
Israel,  Judah,  Judaea,  though  in  the  later 
periods  of  Jewish  history  the  term  Jud;ea 
applied  to  the  whole  country,  although  it 
really  only  belonged  to  the  southern  portion 
of  it.  The  southern  portion  of  the  land  was 
occupied  by  the  Philistines,  and  the  northern 
by  the  Phceaicians ;  but  when  conquered  by 
Moses  and  Joshua,  it  was  divided  among  the 
Twelve  Tribes,  as  related  in  Holy  Writ.  After 
being  conquered  by  the  Romans,  and  then  by 
the  Saracens,  several  times,  it  was  retaken  by 
them  from  the  seventh  to  the  tenth  centuries. 
It  then  became  the  scene  of  the  sanguinary 
conflicts  of  the  Crusades,  in  which  so  many 
pious  kings  of  England,  France  and  Austria 
shared.  Finally  it  was  united  to  the  Ottoman 
Empire  in  1516  by  Selim  I. 

The  famous  siege  of  Jerusalem,  by  Titus, 
took  place  a.  d.  70,  when  the  cruel  conqueror 
destroyed  the  city,  and  scattered  the  Jews  as 
either  slaves  or  exiles  over  all  the  world. 

No  country  on  the  face  of  the  globe  bears 
more  the  appearance  of  being  a  land  of  ruins 
than  does  Palestine.  The  forests  of  cedars  have 
disappeared — the  grass  only  remains.  For  want 
of  the  trees  which    prepare  and  precipitate 


moisture,  the  earth  becomes  sterile  excepting 
for  the  growth  of  those  things  which  require 
a  powerful  and  quick  nurture — such  as  figs, 
grapes,  and  those  particular  fruits  which  have 
been  already  mentioned  in  Holy  Writ. 

The  inhabitants  of  Palestine  are  of  a  mixed 
race  and  of  a  very  varied  origin.  In  religion 
they  are  divided  into  Mohammedans,  Chris- 
tians and  Jews.  The  Mohammedans  are  the 
ruling  and  most  numerous  sect,  and  are  com- 
Ijosed  of  a  few  Turks,  who  occupy  the  highest 
position,  and  the  great  body  of  the  people  who 
are  descended  from  mixed  Arab,  Greek  and 
ancient  Syrian  ancestors  —  the  last  element 
greatly  preponderates.  They  are  a  noble- 
looking,  graceful,  and  courteous  people,  but 
fanatical,  ignorant  and  indolent. 

The  Christians  are  almost  entirely  of  Syrian 
race,  descendants  of  those  who  occupied  the 
country  at  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  the 
Saracens.  They  principally  belong  to  the 
Greek  Church,  of  which  there  is  a  Patriarch  at 
Jerusalem,  who  has  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction 
over  all  Palestine.  Under  him  are  eight 
bishops,  whose  sees  are  Nazareth,  Acre,  Lydia, 
Gaza,  Sebaste,  Nabloos,  Philadelphia  and  Petra. 

There  are  also  a  few  Maronites  and  Roman 
Catholics  in  the  large  towns,  and  in  Jerusalem 
a  few  hundred  Armenians,  under  a  Patriarch  of 
their  own  faith.  The  Jews  number  about  ten 
thousand,  and  live  almost  exclusively  in  the 
cities  of  Jerusalem,  Hebron,  Tiberias  and  Safed. 
They  are  of  foreign  origin,  mostly  from  Spain, 
and  a  few  from  Poland  and  Germany.  In 
dress,  manners,  customs,  and  general  appear- 
ance, the  natives  of  Palestine  preserve  to  a 
remarkable  degree  the  peculiar  characteristics 
of  primitive  Oriental  life,  as  described  in  the 
Scriptures.  Their  modes  of  salutation  are  very 
formal — some  would  call  them  verbose,  and 
even  tedious.  Their  gestures  used  in  saluta- 
tion are  also  graceful,  if  a  httle  complicated. 
The  touching  of  the  breast,  the  lips,  and  the 
forehead,  with  the  right  hand,  seems  to  say 
that  each  one  thus  saluted  is  cherished  in  the 
heart,  praised  with  the  lips,  and  esteemed  with 
the  intellect.  They  are  temperate  and  frugal, 
which  may  be  called  Oriental  virtwe. 


114 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


BOTAL    CAVKRNS    AT   .lE'iUSAT.KM. 


The  Explorations  at  Jerusalem. 
The  topography  of  ancient  Jerusalem,  a  sub- 
ject of  profound  historical  interest,  has  long 
been  disputed  by  learned  men,  without  adding 
much  to  our  positive  knowledge.  The  labors 
of  several  officers,  employed  during  the  las' 
few  years  by  the  Palestine  Exploration  Fund 
have  opened  a  new  series  of  practical  researches, 
which  will  be  found  of  great  value  to  scientific 
societies,  and  the  public  generally.  The  most 
important  part  of  these  explorations  is  that 
relating  to  the  Jewish  Temple,  built  by  Herod, 
which  stood  upon  Mount  Moriah.  Here  is  the 
Mosque  of  Omar,  known  also  as  the  "  Dome  of 
the  Kock,"  and  the  ground  inclosed  by  the 
walls  that  surround  the  level  summit  of  this 
rocky  eminence  has  not  yet  been  opened.  The 
ground  shown  in  the  illustration  of  Robinson's 
Arch  is  the  present  level  of  the  surface  in  the 
filled-up  TyropcEon  Valley.  The  view  looks 
northward,  the  Haram  Wall  being  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  spectator.  This  piece  is  a  very  fair 
sample  of  the  masonry  of  the  wall.  The  con- 
cave front  presented  by  two  of  the  stones,  be- 
neath which  the  brush  is  seen  growing,  forms  a 
portion  of  an  arch,  which  is  supposed,  by  the 
position  and  dejith  of  the  foundations,  to  have  be- 
longed to  a  grand  bridge  or  viaduct  built  across 
the  valley  joining  Mount  Moriah  to  Mount 
Zion.  Portions  of  the  arch  have  been  discov- 
ered sixty-three  feet  beneath  the  present  surface 
of  the  valley.  In  Eobinson's  Arch  there  are 
visible  only  the  three  first  courses  of  the  spring ; 
but  in  Wilson's  Arch,  the  whole  structure  is 
complete.  This  latter  is  only  one  of  a  series 
forming  an  approach  from  the  western  city  to 
the  inclosure  of  the  Temple.  Descending  a 
shaft,  sunk  to  the  depth  of  forty-one  feet  under 
Wilson's  Arch,  the  explorers  found  a  series  of 
vaults,  tanks,  and  aqueducts,  and  a  secret  pass- 
age between  the  temple  and  the  city.  Several 
of  the  vaulted  chambers  are  thought  to  be  of 
Saracenic  origin,  while  others  are  Jewish.  The 
Koyal  Caverns  are  situated  at  the  head  of  the 
Valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  or  Kedron  Valley.  The 
entrance  is  close  to  the  Damascus  Gate,  in  a 


scarped  rock  of  limestone,  upon  which  the  city 
walls  stand.  It  was  believed  that  these  caverns 
extended  for  miles  iinder  the  city,  and  that 
they  had  a  passage  beneath  the  Temple  by 
which  the  stones  were  taken  for  its  erection. 


Ohristmas  Festivities  at  Jerusalem. 
Although  the  Christmas  season  is  always 
observed  by  the  Christians  at  Bethlehem  with 
solemn  and  interesting  ceremonies,  we  are  not 
quite  sure  our  young  friends  would  be  satisfied 
if  the  Oriental  customs  were  imported  to  our 
own  homes.  We  are  too  fond  of  a  social  inter- 
change of  friendly  words  and  tokens  to  take 
much  pleasure  in  the  rattling  and  banging  of 
firearms,  and  the  endless  confusion  attending  a 
large  procession  of  Turkish  soldiers.  The  last 
anniversary  was  marked  with  unusual  interest 
to  the  dwellers  on  the  sacred  soil  of  Jerusalem, 
as  it  was  associated  with  a  national  farewell 


extended  to  M.  Barrere,  the  French  Consul,  wno 
had  won  for  himself  the  affection  and  confidence 
of  the  people  during  his  residence  among  them. 
The  procession  of  Turkish  and  Arab  soldiera 
was  quite  lengthy,  and  eertainly  presented  a 
most  picturesque  appearance.  The  French  Con- 
sul, who  appears  in  the  centre  of  our  illustra- 
tion, was  preceded  by  a  party  of  horsemen, 
who  kept  swinging  their  heavy  silver-mounted 
staffs  in  the  air  in  a  manner  perfectlj' fearful  to 
those  unacquainted  with  the  performance.  The 
excitement  along  the  route  was  intense  ;  every 
one  in  the  vast  assemblage  appeared  to  exert 
himself  in  the  most  boisterous  and  fantastic 
manner.  The  flourish  of  arms  and  impetuosity 
of  the  horsemen,  joined  with  the  shrill  screama 
of  the  Turks,  gave  a  zest  to  the  proceedings 
which  no  one  would  care  to  have  repeated. 


Water-Pots  at  Oana. 

Tababiah  was  the  reputed  Cana  of  Galilee, 
called  by  the  Arabs  Kefr  Kenna.  We  halted 
by  the  fountain  at  the  entrance  of  the  little 
village,  that  we  might  drink  of  the  clearest  and 
most  delicious  water  possible— the  best,  the 
Christians  of  Palestine  say,  in  the  world.  From 
it  were  the  vessels  filled  for  the  marriage- 
feast. 

The  house  is  still  shown  in  which  the  mira- 
cle was  performed,  and  as  some  earthen  jars 
are  sunk  into  the  floor,  the  devout  searchers 
for  relics  are  made  to  believe  that  they  are  the 
very  jars  in  use  on  that  day.  A  church  was 
built  over  the  sjjot,  which,  like  all  others  for  a 
similar  purpose,  is  in  ruins. 

The  road  to  Tiberias  is  full  of  interest.  Be- 
yond this  village  a  path  leads  through  fields  of 
grain  where  the  apostles  plucked  the  ears  of 
corn  as  they  walked.  Not  very  much  further 
is  the  Mount  of  Beatitude,  whence  our  Saviour 
delivered  His  sermon.  It  stands  very  little 
above  a  green  plain  of  the  stillest  possible  ap- 
pearance. There  is  a  gravity  about  the  scene 
that  would  have  struck  us  with  peculiar  awe, 
even  though  we  had  not  known  the  peculiar 


THE  EXPLORATIONS   AT  JKRUSALEM — WILSON'S  ARCH,  HARAM  WALL. 


FAIiESILNK    AND    SYIUA. 


115 


solemnity  attached  to  it.  Whether  the  tradl- 
tioB  be  true  or  not,  it  was  just  the  place  where, 
in  those  primitive  days,  or  even  in  the  state  of 
society  which  now  exists  in  the  Ho'y  Land, 
Buch  an  event  might  have  taken  ijL.cr;  the 
preacher  standing  ujion  the  hill,  and  the  multi- 
tude sitting  down  below  him.  Indeed,  so 
strikingly  similar  in  all  its  details  is  the  state 
of  society  existing  here  now  to  that  which 
existed  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  that  we 
remember,  when  standing  on  the  ruins  of  a 
small  church  supposed  to  cover  the  precise  spot 
where  Christ  preached  that  compendium  of 
goodness  and  wisdom,  it  struck  us  that  if  we 
or  any  other  person  should  preach  new  and 
strange  things,  the  people  would  come  out  from 
the  cities  and  villages  to  listen  and  dispute,  as 
they  did  under  the  preaching  of  our  Lord. 


The  Shew-Bread  and  Altar  of  Incens'. 

"WoKSHip  is,  when  we  examine  it,  one  of  the 
strangest  incidents  in  human  annals.  The 
honor  paid  by  man  to  the  Deity,  or  what 
he  took  for  the  Deity,  is  a  marked  affair 
in  every  land.  It  everywhere  took  the  form 
of  sacrifice,  the  immolation  of  a  living  crea- 
ture being  from  the  earnest  times,  and  in 
all  lands,  deemed  an  essential  part  cf  worship. 
Abel,  the  typo  of  purity  and  goodness,  offered 
lambs  on  the  altar,  although  it  is  commonly 
supposed  that  no  animal  was  used  by  man  for 
food  till  after  the  Deluge.  Gradually  the  sim- 
ple rites  of  early  days  gave  place  to  a  magnifi- 
cent ceremonial,  and  nothing  can  exceed  the 
elaborate  worship  which  Moses,  by  divine  com- 
mand, instituted  among  the  Jews.  Everything 
connected  with  the  ceremonial  was  rich,  grand, 
and  symbolical.  Before  the  vail  which  hid  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  containing  the  Ark  of  the  Cove- 
nant, was  the  altar  of  incense,  of  pure  gold, 
with  its  rods  to  bear  it  along.  On  this,  morn- 
ing and  evening,  a  priest,  turn  by  turn,  offered 


CnRISTMAS  FESTIVAL   AT  JEKPSAT.EJI. 


incense  to  the  Almighty,  a  simple  rite,  but  one 
of  all  time  deemed  by  man  to  be  an  act  of 
worship.  At  this  altar,  Zachary  tood  when,  for 
want  of  faith,  he  was  struck  dumb. 

In  the  sanctuary,  also,  stood  the  golden  table 
on  which  was  laid  the  shew-bread.  or  loaves 
of  exhibition.  These  were  twelve  in  number, 
typifying  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  They 
were  of  unleavened  bread,  and  were  renewed 
every  Saturday.  Those  placed  there  the  pre- 
vious Sabbath  could  be  touched  only  by  the 
priests,  who  ate  them  in  the  holy  place. 


THE  EXFLOBATIOMS  AT  JERUSALEK— BOBIKSOK  ABOB,  HAKAM  WALL. 


House-top  Terrace  in  the  East. 

The  top  of  the  houses  in  the  East  is  always 
flat,  covered  with  a  strong  plaster -of  trass, 
whence  in  the  Frank  language  it  has  attained 
the  name  of  "  the  terrace."  This  is  usually 
surrounded  by  two  walls,  the  outermost 
whereof  is  partly  built  over  the  street,  and 
partly  makes  the  partition  with  the  contiguous 
houses,  being  frequently  so  low  that  one  may 
easily  climb  over  it.  The  othei,  the  parapet 
wall,  hangs  immediately  over  the  court,  being 
always  breast-high,  and  answers  to  the  battle- 
ment of  Deut.  xxii.  8. 

The  houses  of  the  Greeks  and  Komans  were 
also  built  with  flat  roofs.  We  read  of  their 
walking  and  taking  air  upon  them,  and  also 
standing  there  to  see  the  shows  and  public  pro 
cessions,  as  well  as  sleeping  upon  them,  as  the 
custom  is  in  the  East.  Some  of  the  houses,  an- 
ciently, were  built  without  a  parapet  on  om 
side,  and  accidents  would  frequently  occur: 
hence  arose  the  command  in  the  passage  ii. 
Deuteronomy,  "Make  a  battlement  for  thy 
roof." 

Instead  of  this  parapet  wall,  some  terraces 
are  guarded,  like  the  galleries,  with  balustrades 
only,  or  latticed  work,  in  which  fashion,  proba- 
bly, as  the  name  seems  to  import,  was  the  net, 
or  lattice,  as  we  render  it,  that  Ahaziah — II. 
Kings  i.  2 — might  be  carelessly  leaning  over 
when  he  fell  down  thence  into  the  court.  Fur 
upon  these  terraces  several  oflices  of  the  family 
are  performed,  such  as  the  drying  of  linen  >■'  d 
flax  —  Jos.  ii,  6  —  the  preparing  of  figs  »:  d 
raisins ;  where,  likewise,  they  enjoy  the  cool, 
refreshing  breezes  of  the  evening — II.  Sam.  xi.. 
2 ;  xvi.  22 ;  I.  Sam.  ix.  25,  26 ;  converse  with 
one  another,  and  offer  up  their  devotions — Isa. 
XV.  3  ;  Zeph.  1.  5 ;  Acts  x.  9.  In  the  feast  oi 
tabernacles,  booths  were  erected  on  the  roofi 
of  the  houses — Neh.  viii.  16. 


U6 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Siloam  and  the  Fountain  of  the 
Virgin. 

I'KOCEEDiNQ  onward  through  the  valley 
^Bays  a  recent  traveler),  we  found  the 
whole  face  of  the  precipitous  loclc, 
upon  its  eastern  side,  excavated  into 
one  vast  and  almost  oontinuous  cata- 
comb, consisting  of  chambers  of  various 
size.  Some  of  them  were  simple  square 
apartments,  formed  to  contain  a  single 
corpse,  and  closed  by  a  stone  door,  fitted 
into  a  groove  round  the  entrance,  so 
accurate  that  a  seal  might  have  been 
applied  at  the  joining  to  secure  the 
sepulchre  :  and  the  first  of  them  that 
I  visited  at  once  explained  to  me  the 
form  of  the  tomb  of  the  Arimathean 
nobleman.  These  sepulchral  grots  are 
i»ntinued  all  down  the  valley  of  Siloam, 
havinn;  galleries,  stairs,  and  small  ter- 
races cut  out  of  the  rock,  leading  from 
one  to  the  other. 

They  are  all  now  inhabited,  and  they, 
with  some  mud-built  huts  at  the  bottom 
of  the  valley,  constitute  the  village  of 
Siloam,  which  contains  upward  of  one  thousand 
five  hundred  Arabs — a  vicious,  quarrelsome,  and 
dishonest  set  of  people,  and  noted  for  such 
propensities  for  centuries  past.  On  my  first 
visit  to  this  place,  happening  to  poke  my  head 
into  one  of  the  crypt*,  I  was  startled  not  a 
little  by  the  wild,  unearthly  scream  of  an  old 
Arab  crone  who  habited  the  interior.  The  noise 
she  made  became  the  signal  for  a  general  out- 
cry ;  the  dwellers  in  the  different  caves  popped 
their  heads  out  from  their  holes,  like  so  many 
beavers  reconnoitring  an  enemy ;  the  children 


by  two  successive  tiights  of  steps.  The 
water  flows  hence  by  a  subterraneous 
passage  under  the  hill  Ophel,  to  the 
Pool  of  Siloam ;  but  whence  does  the 
fountain  itself  derive  its  supply  ?  The 
often -repeated  quotation. 

"  Slloah's  brook  that  flowed 
Fast  by  the  Oracle  of  God." 

is  hardly  consistent  with  the  idea  that 
the  head  of  the  stream  should  be  so  re- 
mote from  the  temple  as  is  this  fountain  ; 
liut  there  is  a  tnadition  among  the  in- 
habitants of  the  neighborhood,  that  the 
latter  is  connected  by  an  artificial  chan- 
nel with  a  well  placed  within  the  en- 
closure of  the  Mosque  of  Omar. 


TUE  FOUNTAIN   OF  THE  VIRGIN,    SIU)AM. 

shouting  in  all  directions ;  curses  fell  fast  and 
heavy  on  the  Giour  and  the  Nazarene  ;  and 
had  I  got  into  the  harem  of  the  pasha,  the 
alarm  could  not  have  been  greater  than  that 
which  I  excited  among  the  whole  Troglodyte 
population  of  this  cemetery  of  the  living.  I 
made  a  hasty  retreat  amidst  the  general  up- 
roar ;  and  took  good  care  never  to  venture 
.again  so  far  upon  a  tomb-hunting  expedition 
into  Siloam. 

The  fountain  of  the  Virgin  is  a  deep  excava- 
tion in  the  solid  rock,  into  which  one  descends 


The  Trial  of  Jealousy. 
Among  the  rites  of  the  Jewish  law, 
which,  in  these  anti-ritual  days,  seem 
to  us  so  strange  was  the  Trial  of  Jeal- 
ousy, thus  described  in  the  Book  of 
Numbers: 

"  If  the  spirit  of  jealousy  come  upon 
him,  and  he  be  jealous  of  his  wife,  and  she  be 
defiled ;  or  if  the  spirit  of  jealousy  come  upon 
him,  and  he  be  jealous  of  bis  wife,  and  she  be 
not  defiled.  Then  shall  the  man  bring  his  wife 
unto  the  priest,  and  he  shall  bring  her  ofterinp 
for  her,  the  tenth  part  of  an  epah  of  barley 
meal  ;  he  shall  pour  no  oil  upon  it,  nor  put 
frankincense  thereon ;  for  it  is  an  offering  of 
jealousy,  an  offering  of  memorial,  bringing  in- 
iquity to  remembrance.  And  the  priest  shall 
bring  her  near,  and  set  her  before  the  Lord. 
And  the  priest  shall  take  holy  water  in  aa 


1  IKIUi  OF  Ji:a  LOUSY. 


PALESTINE    AND    SYRIA. 


iir 


earthen  vessel,  and  of 
the  dust  that  is  in  the 
floor  of  the  tabernacle 
the  priest  shall  take 
and  put  it  into  the 
water.  And  the  priest 
shall  set  the  woman 
Before  the  Lord,  and 
uncover  the  woman's 
head,  and  put  the  offer- 
ing of  memorial  in  her 
hands,  which  is  the 
iealousy  offering  ;  and 
the  priest  shall  have  in 
his  hand  the  hitter 
water  that  causeth  tln^ 
curso.  And  the  pries? 
shall  cliarge  her  by  an 
oath,  and  say  unto  the 
woman,  '  If  thou  hast 
not  gone  aside  with 
another  instead  of  thy 
husband,  be  thou  free 
from  this  bitter  water 
that  causeth  the  curse.' 
And  the  priest  shall 
write  these  curses  in  a 
book,  and  he  shall  blot 
f/hem  them  out  with 
the  bitter  water.  And 
h  e  shall  cause  the 
woman  to  drink  the 
bitter  water  that 
causeth  the  curse  ;  and 
the  water  that  causeth 
the  curse  shall  enter 
Into  her  and  become 
bitter.  Then  the  priest 
shall  take  the  jealously 

offering  out  of  the  woman's  hand,  and  shall 
wave  the  offering  before  the  Lord,  and  offer 
It  upon  the  altar.  And  the  priest  shall  take 
a  handful  of  the  offering.  «ven  the  memorial 
thereof,  and  burn  it  upon  the  altar,  and  after- 
ward shall  cause  the  woman  to  drink  the 
water.  And  when  he  hath  made  her  to  drink 
the  water,  then  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  she  be 
denied  and  have  done  trespass  against  her  hus- 
band, that  the  water  that  causeth  the  curse 
shall  enter  into  her,  and  become  bitter,  and 
the  woman,    sholl    Ite    a    curse    among    the 


WATER-POTS   AT   CANA. 


people.     And  if  the  woman  be  not  defiled,  but 
be  clean,  thca  she  sliall  be  free." 


Mountaineers  of  Lebanon. 
Lebanon  is  a  name  which  always  excites  our 
interest.  It  is  associated  so  much  with  the 
poetry  of  Scripture,  that  we  could  almost  fancy 
it  a  sort  of  paradise.  Unfortunately,  in  our 
day  it  has  been  the  scene  of  bloody  struggles 
between  the  native  mountaineers — the  Maron- 
ites,  a  band  of  faithful,  simple  Christians,  and 

the  Druses,  a  fanatical 

Turkish    tribe,   that 

settled    there    a 

centuries  ago. 
llhe    dress    of 

mountaineer     of 

banon   is   highly 

turesque.     Living 


of  sil  ver-mounted  khEtn> 

iars,  yataghans,  a.s  well 
as  pistols. 

The  Maronites  who 
njmber  about  300.000, 
occupy  all  the  nortnern 
part  of  the  mountain, 
including  the  cantona 
(if  KeTGuan  and  Bsh- 
erray.  Lebanon  may 
ultimately  be  an  in- 
dependent Christian 
State.  It  needs  hut  a 
whisper  from  Paris  c 
St.  Petershurgh  to  mak« 
it  so,  for  there  is.  per- 
haps, no  spot  on  earth 
better  adapted  for 
mountain  independence 
than  I,ebanon.  Detined 
on  every  side  by  deep 
and  lofty  barriers;  laved 
along  its  principal  ex- 
tent by  the  waves  oi 
the  ocean ;  ascending 
in  successive  and  dis- 
tinct mountains  to 
heights  where,  fronr  th8 
nature  of  the  ground, 
every  inch  of  the  roct 
may  be  contested  ;  con 
taining  within  its  limitf 
innumerable  plateaus, 
covered  with  a  deep  ind 
most  fertile  soil,  with 
abimdance  of  pura 
water — a  heavenly 
climate— a  simple, 
high-minded,  generors, 

Christian  people,  it  would  seem  created  for  a 

little  Christian  realm  amid  that  dreary  wastt 

of  Mohammed8.nism. 

It  is  the  great  disgrace  of  English  diplomacy 

that    Christian    progress  is  sacrificed    at   the 

the  shrine  of  national  selfishness. 


The  Ooin  of  the  Tribute. 
From  the  collection  of  a  gentleman  in  New 
York  we  engrave  a  coin  which  will  possess  an 
interest  to  aU.     None  can  forget  the  passage  iu 


IHfiW-BRBdD, 


few 

the 

Le- 

pic- 

in 

constant  war,  he 
always  carries  his 
lung  musket  on  his 
)>ack,  clearly  relieved 
against  his  brigh*, 
embroidered  jacket  ol 
scarlet  and  his  snowy 
turban.  H  i  s  parti- 
colored -"At  is  em- 
broidered, too,  ir  the 
wearer  is  rich  enough 
and  his  crimson  or  yel- 
low sash  contains  a 
bttle  portable  armory 


&I1TAB  of  inoxksk 


us 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


MOUNTAINEERS   OF  LEBANON. 

St.  Matthew's  gospel  where  the  enemies  of 
Christ  gOHght  to  entrap  him  by  a  question 
which  would  seem  to  leave  him  no  alternative 
between  offending  ttie  Jews  as  a  partisan  of 
Eome,  or  excitinsf  Koman  suspicion  as  an  adhe- 
rent of  Judas,  the  Galilean.  The  Roman  Em- 
perors, by  imposing  a  tribute  on  the  Jews,  had 
roused  all  their  national  feeling,  and  Judas  of 
Gamalia  had  risen  to  oppose  it.  The  sympa- 
thies of  the  people  for  the  insurgent  were 
unmistakpble  ;  and  the  craftiness  of  Christ's 
enemies  in  asking,  Whether  is  it  lawful  to  pay 
tribute  to  Csesar?  is  apparent.  Our  Lord  de- 
feated their  cunning  by  a  very  simple  course. 
"Show  me  the  noin  of  the  tribute."  And  they 
handed  Him  a  coin  like  that  shown  in  our  en- 
graving— a  com  recognized  by  Kitto  and  other 
Biblical  scholars  as,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  used 
in  paying  the  imposed  tribute. 

Looking  on  a  coin  like  this,  sbuck  from  tl.e 
«ame  dies,  Christ  asked:  "Whose  image  and 
superscription  is  this  ?"  And  when  they  an- 
swered, "Csesar's,"  He  solved  tlieir  question  by 
the  clear  decision:  "Render  unto  Caesar  the 
things  that  are  Csesar' s,  and  unto  God  the 
things  that  are  God's.' 

A  coin  thus  associated  with  the  Saviour  will 
possess  an  interest  even  for  those  who  are  not 


generally  given  to  numismatic  studies.     As  far 
back  as  the  days  of  Valiant  it  is  described  as 


Women  of  Lebanon. 
EocENTRic  as   fashion   has  been  in  Western 
Europe  and  the  colonies  for  the  last  few  centu- 


THE   ODIN  OP   THE  TRIBOTE. 

ries,  there  is  nothing,  as  our  lady  readers  will 
admit,  in  all  the  vagaries  of  fashion  to  compare 
with  the  horn  of  a  Lebanon  woman. 
The  Maronite  and  Druse  women  alike  wear 


BOUSB.TOP  TERIUCiB  IN  THE  JUlBL 


ANCIENT  TRrNKING   JUQ. 

this  Singular  lieadpiece,  a  conical  tube  of  silver 
or  other  metal  from  one  to  two  feet  long.    This 
is  set  on  the  head  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  de- 
grees, sometimes  pointing  forward,  some- 
times to  one  side,  and  over  it  is  thrown 
a  piece  of  muslin,  reaching   nearly  to 
the  heels,  and  serving  as  a  vail. 

Though  the  Christian  women  are  not 
confined,  as  the  Moslem  are,  they  never- 
theless adopt  many  of  the 
usages,  or,  rather,  have  East 
em  customs,  common  to  all, 
and  no  young  woman  of  the 
Maronites  will  see  a  man  ap- 
proach without  dextrously 
throwing  the  vail  so  as  to 
hide  her  sacred  face  from  the 
profane  gaze  of  man.  Of  late 
they  are  breaking  through  this 
old  custom,  and  you  will  occa- 
sionally be  favored  with  a  good- 
humored  smile. 

The  usual  apparel  of  the 
women,  both  Maronite  and 
Druse,  consists  of  an  outer 
pelisse,  generally  blue,  and 
frin(?ed   with   silk    cord:   \t   u» 


WOMAN    OF    LEBANON. 

open  in  front,  and  has  sleeves  to  the  elbow, 
under  this  is  another  robe,  with  sleeves  open  to 
the  wrist;  a  shawl  round  the  waist,  long  and 
full  trowsers,  with  painted  toes  or  yellow  slip- 
pers, complete  the  costume. 

But  the  most  remarkable  peculiarities  of  their 
dress  are  the  immense  silver  earrings  hanging 
forward  on  the  neck,  the  large  bell  -  shnped 
silver  bobs  they  wear  upon  their  long  plaits 
of  hair,  and  above  all,  the  tantoor. 

The  tantoor  is  a  tube  of  gold,  silver,  or  even 
tin,  according  to  the  wealth  of  the  wearer, 
measuring  in  size  from  the  diameter  of  an  inch 
and  a-half  at  the  smaller  extremity  to  three 
inches  at  the  other,  where  it  terminates  like 
the  mouth  of  a  trumpet.  If  the  smaller  end 
were  closed,  it  might  serve  for  a  drinking-cup  ; 
and,  in  Germany,  glasses  of  the  same  form  and 
size  are  still  occasionally  used. 

In  some  villages  the  tantoor  is  a  gilded  buf- 
falo's horn.   But  whatever  be  the  material,  thiii 


A    OHAIIBER   IN   THE  WAU>, 


PALESTINE    AND    SYRIA- 


119 


O 


120 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


THE  SUPPOSED  TOMB   0*  VOAH. 

ornament  is  the  peculiar  and  distinguisliing 
sign  of  the  matron  condition. 

Maidens  are  not  allowed  to  wear  the  honored 
emblem  (at  least  not  among  the  Druses),  with 
certain  rare  exceptions  in  favor  of  those  belong- 
ing to  important  families  ;  and  those  privileged 
ladies  wear  their  horns  "with  a  difference," 
80  that  no  native  can  mistalie  them  for  married 
women.  The  broad  end  of  the  tantoor  is  fixed 
to  a  pad  on  the  top  of  the  head  by  two  silk 
cords,  which,  after  being  wound  round  the  head, 
hang  behind  nearly  to  the  ground,  terminating 
In  large  tassels,  that,  among  the  better  classes, 
are  capped  with  silver.  Tlie  narrow  end  com- 
monly projects  over  the  forehead,  at  an  angle 
of  forty-fiye  degrees,  like  the  horn  of  a  unicorn, 
and  in  this  position  it  might,  indeed,  serve  as  a 
formidable  weapon  of  defense. 

But  the  mode  of  wearing  it  is  subject  to  end- 
less variations  ;    it  points  forward,  backward, 
directly  upward,  to  the  right  or  to  the  left:  its 
shape,  too,  is  no  less  diversified  ; 
sometimes  it  assumes  the  form 
of  a  truncated  cone  five  or  six 
inches  long  ;  sometimes  of   two 
such     figures    joined    at    their 
narrow  ends  ;  sometimes  it  is  iii 
the    shajie    of   a   funnel,   more 
than    a    foot    long,    projecting 
from  the  side  of  the  head,  with 
the    broad    end    outward,    and 
looking  liko  a  very  large  hear- 
ii:g-trumpet. 

All  these  diversities  afford  so 
many  distinctive  marks,  by 
which  a  person  familiar  with 
tiie  country  and  its  customs  can 
at  once  determine  to  what  dis- 
trict or  faction  belongs  the  hus- 
band of  any  woman  he  meets. 

This  grotesque  accoutrement 
which  is  not  laid  aside  even  at 
night,  has  a  very  disfiguring 
effect.  The  best  that  can  le  said 
for  it  is,  that  it  supports  the 
vail  and  prevents  it  from  en- 
cumbering the  face  ;  but  it  gives 
an  ungainly  stiffness  to  the  mo- 
tions of  the  head  and  neck.  It 
is  certainly  the  most  singular, 
inconvenient,  and  inexplicable 
costume  ever  worn  by  human 
lieing. 

Its  weight,  and    that  of  the 


heavy  tassels,  or  metal  balls, 
attached  to  the  silk  cords  in 
order  to  counterpoise  it.  make 
the  wearers  peculiarly  subject  to 
severe  headaches.  The  bead- 
dress  of  the  unmarried  girls  is 
very  becoming,  and  the  whole 
coquetry  of  the  vail,  like  that 
of  the  Spanish  mantilla,  admir- 
ably adapted  for  manslaughter. 


Supposed  Tomb  of  Noah. 

About  two  miles  east  of  Zakhle 
is  the  village  of  Kerak,  not  far 
from  which,  on  the  last  declivity 
of  Lebanon,  there  is  a  round 
mosque.  Thi.s  is  erected  over 
still  older  relics,  which  are 
held  in  great  reverence  by  Moslems  and  Chris- 
tians, as  being  the  reputed  tomb  of  the  Patri- 
arch Noah.  The  structure  is  evidently  the 
remains  of  an  ancient  aqueduct,  but  popular 
credulity  has  invested  it  with  a  character  of 
eminent  sanctity  ;  walls  have  been  built  round 
it,  and  at  a  certain  season  of  the  year  the  .VXa- 
ronites,  in  particular,  p  rform  pilgrimages  to 
visit  it.  In  his  old  age,  they  relate,  Noah 
entreated  of  God,  as  a  peculiar  favor,  that  he 
might  be  allowed  to  end  his  days  on  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  there  to  prenare  his  place  of 
sepulture.  The  patriarch's  prayer  was  granted  ; 
but  shortly  before  his  death  he  committe  1  some 
transgression,  and  God  cut  off  a  part  of  his 
tomb,  by  severing  a  huge  mass  from  the  moun- 
tain Noah  had  chosen.  He  could  not  be  buried 
at  full  length,  and  it  was  necessary  to  double 
his  legs  under  his  thighs,  to  fit  his  remains  to 
their  diminished  bed.  Now,  this  so-called 
tomb  is  at  least  sixtv  feet  long. 


Tomb  of  Godfrey  de  Bauillon. 

Godfrey  de  Bouillon  found  himself,  after 
the  triumph  of  the  Crusades,  master  of  the 
Holy  Land,  Imt  almost  alone  in  a  city  of  ruins, 
and  with  subjects  so  extremely  poor  that  they 
had  no  energy  left  to  cultivate  the  land  around 


'Fx.wsDesnioiioh  Mil ir-  .,Sm\^ 


m:^sssmfir.s^^ixismw^m^i-m:^ 


TOMB    OP   r.OTlFREY    DE    BOUrLT/lN. 

the  capital ;  yet  such  was  the  duke's  wisdom, 
which  nas  been  compared  to  that  of  Solomon, 
and  the  Latins  who  still  remained  behind 
blessed  his  reign,  and  even  forgot  their  native 
country,  so  happy  were  they  under  his  rule. 
Tanired,  who  often  re(iuired  his  aid  when  at 
war  with  the  Emirs  of  Galilee,  assisted  Godfrey 
to  conquer  territories  beyond  Libanus.  As 
their  warlike  incursions  always  resulted  in  get- 
ting booty  from  their  captives  in  the  shape  of 
camels  and  horses,  such  exploits  were  abso- 
lutely necessary,  as  the  Latins  lived  on  their 
plunder.  The  king  was  so  poor,  he  had  often 
not  enough  money  to  pay  his  faithful  soldiers. 
The  infidels,  however,  feared  his  power,  and 
dreaded  the  Latin  name  ;  so  that  though  Asca- 
lon,  Csesarea,  and  Fetolemais  were  all  bettet 
fortified  than  Jerusalem,  their  Emirs  sent  tril>- 
ute  to  Godfrey,  with  abject  messages. 

This  good  soldier's  end,   however,  was  £/' 


JHWISH   PRrFSTS   Rl!PI..\CnlO   THE  SHFT-"nEAr. 


;PALESTINE    AND    SYRIA. 


121 


hand.  ITie  duke  had  been  on  an  excursion  into 
the  country  beyond  the  Riyer  Jordan,  when 
he  was  taken  ill  at  Joppa.  The  Emir  of  C»- 
sare«,  one  of  those  who  had  submitted  to  hia 
power,  met  him  near  the  coast,  with  presents 
of  figs,  and  dried  fruit  ;  but  Godfrey  could  not 
eat  any  of  them,  nor  keep  upright  on  his 
hors<j.  His  faithful  knights  supported  their 
l)elove(?  chief,  rubbing  his  feet,  and  warming 
them  with  their  hands,  all  dreading  his  death, 
so  far  away  from  his  capital. 

A  Genoese  fleet  had  previously  arrived  in  the 
port  of  Joppa  with  their  bishop  and  doge  on 
board.  Godfrey,  still  so  eager  to  conquer  fur- 
ther portions  of  Palestine,  accepted  the  offer 
they  made  him  of  helping  his  soldiers,  by  means 
of  their  ships,  to  subdue  the  seaport  towns  along 
the  coast,  and  had  begun  fresh  preparations  for 
war.  There  was  one  enemy,  however,  approach- 
in?  whom  he  could  not  overcome  or  defeat,  and 
that  was  Death.  He  grew  worse  and  worse,  and 
was  carried  back  toward  the  Holy  City  in  a 
litter,  the  Christian  population  weeping  and 
praying  for  his  recovery,  as  his  true  knighta 
bore  him  along.  He  lay  ill  for  five  weeks,  but 
attended  to  the  affairs  of  the  Holy  Land  to  the 
last;  and,  lying  on  his  deathbed,  heard  with 
joy  the  news  that  a  seaport  town  had  fallen — 
that  being  his  last  victory,  for  he  died  on  the 
18th  of  July,  1100,  after  a  brief  reign  of  one 
year.  He  was  buried  in  the  Church  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  in  great  style,  and  on  his  tomb  may 
still  be  read  an  epitaph  on  one  of  the  wisest 
warriors  of  the  first  Crusade,  the  pious  and  just 
Godfrey  de  Bouillon : 

■'Here  lies  the  renowned  Duke  Godfrey  of 
Bouillon,  who  won  all  this  land  to  Christ- 
ianity." 

«i^i» 

Mountain  Pass  between  Jerusalem  and 
Jericlio, 

iL'^ENES  and  descriptions  of  the  Bible  lose 
mucU  of  their  force  to  those  who  have  no  defi- 
nite conceptions  of  the  country,  the  scenery 
and  the  manners  of  the  people.  Mohammed- 
anism has  made  a  great  change,  doubtless,  in 
religion  and  manners ;  but  in  the  latter  respect 


MOUNTAIN   PASS   BBTWEEN   JERUSALEM   AND   JEEICEO. 


JEWISH  IIIGn-PRTEST   SENDING   OFF  THE  SCAPE-flOAT 


the  change  from  ancient  forms  is  less  than  Eu- 
ropeans make  in  two  or  three  centuries. 

Who  can  look  at  this  defile  between  Jerusa- 
tem  and  Jericho  without  calling  up  and  forming 
a  better  conception  of  the  parable  of  the  Good 
Samaritan?  The  rocky  defile  is  jast  such  a  spot 
as  has  been  in  all  lands  the  resort  of  the  robber. 
Bleak,  desolate,  full  of  lurking-places,  with 
no  inhabitants  at  hand  to  answer  a  call  for  aid. 
How  completely  is  the  scene  oi'  the  parable 
laid  ;  and  how  perfectly  we  appreciate  the  fact 
that  the  traveler,  robbed  and  stripped,  and  left 
for  dead,  as  Sir  Frederick  Henniker,  *n  English 
traveler,  was  at  the  very  spot  in  1820,  cculd 
depend  only  on  the  ne.Kt  wayfarer  for  aid  and 
success.  How  hard  of  heart,  too,  were  tlicy 
who  saw  the  poor  creature  in  his  misery,  and  yet 
could  pass  by  heedless  of  the  claims  for  relief ! 

To  this  day  the  spot  is  the  resort  of  bandits, 
and  the  traveler,  after  winding  along  the  val- 
ley, sometimes  <m  one  mountain,  sometimes  on 
'  the  other,  leaves  at  last  the  scanty  village  of 
j  Bethany,  that  home  of  Christ's  familiar  friends. 
I  with  misgiving,  as  he  ascends  to  the  dreade<l 
hollow  way  or  defile. 


122 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Jewish  High  Priest  Sending  off  the 
Scape  Goat. 

The  Jewish  ritual,  as  established  by  Moses, 
was  one  of  the  most  complete  and  striking  that 
the  world  had  ever  seen.  No  pagan  rites  com- 
pared with  it  iu  grandeur,  in  richness  of  dress, 
in  variety  and  extent  of  sacrifices,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  variety  of  ceremonies,  which — 
strange  and  impress- 
ive in  themselves — 
bore  a  mystic  mean- 
ing, being  typical  of 
higher  and  greater 
thought. 

Among  the  most 
curious  is  that  of  the 
Scape  Goat,  or  Emis- 
sary Goat,  as  he  is, 
perhaps,  more  ap- 
propriately termed,  as 
the  animal  is  rather 
sent  out  than  escap- 
ing. A  goat  was 
brought  to  the  door 
of  the  tabernacle, 
where  the  high  priest 
laid  his  hands  upon 
him,  i!onfessing  the 
sins  of  the  people, 
and  putting  them 
on  the  head  of  the 
goat ;  after  which  the 
animal  was  sent  into 
the  wilderness,  bear- 
ing the  sins  of  the 
people.  The  goat  was 
the  type  of  sinners, 
as  the  sheep  was  of 
those  faithful  to  God. 
And  this  reputed 
sinner,  loaded  with 
the  sins  of  the  nation, 
driven  out,  was  but 
a  symbol  of  the 
multiform  character 
of  Christ,  typified  in 
a  hundred  forms  in 
all  the  rites,  cere- 
monies and  history 
of  the  people.  Reputed 
sinner,  loaded  with 
the  sins  of  the  world, 
he  is  driven  out  to 
die. 

The  Paschal  Lamb 
was  another  and 
more  pleasing  type ; ' 
but  in  that  case  the 
lamb  was  slain,  its 
blood,  betokening 
innocence,  becoming 
a  propitiation,  which 
the  blood  of  the  goat, 
typifying     sin,     could 

not  be.     The  gorgeous  service  of  the  Jewish 
temple  ceased  with  its  fall. 


has  been  from  an  early  period  a  place  of  wor- 
ship. It  appears  to  have  been  built  by  Empress 
Helena  over  the  spot  which  tradition  indicated 
as  that  on  which  the  burning  bush  had  stood, 
and,  consequently,  preceded  the  erection  of  the 
convent  itself,  and  the  great  church,  by  Justi- 
nian. It  adjoins  the  church,  and  is  counted 
the  most  holy  spot  in  Sinai.     The  walls  are 


to  have  occupied  is  marked  by  an  oblong  slnb 
of  white  marble,  over  which  is  an  altar  stis- 
tained  by  four  small  columns,  also  of  yibt» 
marble.  From  under  the  table  of  this  kltar 
are  suspended  three  small  lamps  of  silver, 
which  are  kept  always  burning.  That  this  la 
the  site  of  the  burning  bush  is  very  doubtful ; 
but  much  interest  till  attaches  to  the  structure* 
by  which,  amidst  thesa 
sohtudes,  men  haTS 
sought  to  commem. 
orate  the  remarka- 
ble  events  Ivhich  oc- 
curred in  them. 

Pococke  speaks  of  ft 
bush  planted  in  the 
garden  by  the  monks, 
which  they  afiBrm  to 
be  the  real  one  in 
which  God  appeared. 
"  There  is  no  sign 
of  this  at  present," 
says  Mr.  Arundel, 
who  has  furnished 
the  drawing  for  th» 
engraving.  This  is 
true  ;  and  Pococke 
must  have  misvinder- 
stood  the  monks,  who 
certainly  never 
pointed  out  any  such 
bush  to  the  older 
travelers  any  more 
than  they  do  now. 
They  have  always  de- 
scribed  this  chapel  as 
covering  the  site  of 
the  burning  bush.  It 
seems  to  be  now  in 
the  same  state  as 
when  seen  by  Horisou. 


The  Ohapel  of  the  Burning  Bush, 
The  spot  on  Mount  Sinai  where,  according 
to  tradition,  the  Almighty  appeared  in  the  form 
of  fire,  enveloping  but  not  consuming  a  bush. 


WOMKN    OK    DKTHI.F.HEM. 

covered  with  mosaics  and  old  Greek  paintings, 
and  from  the  ceiling  are  suspended  thirty 
silver  lamps  (presented  to  the  chapel  by  dif- 
ferent persons  at  different  times),  which  are  all 
alight  during  the  celebration  of  divine  service, 
which,  in  this  chapel,  is  every  Sunday,  and  on 
the  feast  days  of  the  Virgin. 

The  precise  spot  which  the  bush  is  supposed 


Bethlehem. 
Bethlehem  is  only 
distant  an  hour's  ride 
from  Jerusalem,  along^ 
the  Plain,  or,  as  it  is 
called  in  the  Bible, 
the  Valley  of  Eephaim, 
where  so  many  of  the 
battles  between  David 
and  the  Philistines 
were  fought :  midway 
is  the  tomb  of  BacheL 
What  a  picture  I  could 
describe  for  one  of 
your  "Bible  Scenes" 
if  I  were  at  home 
with  you  now.  How 
easy  it  is  here  to 
realize  Jacob's  weari- 
some journey  from 
Bethel,  with  his  large 
caravan  and  his  poor  sick  wife  pressing  on  to 
reach  the  end  of  her  journey,  for  "  there  wa* 
but  a  little  way  to  come  to  Ephrath."  All  a> 
vain;  she  could  travel  no  longer,  and  here 
within  sight  of  Bethlehem,  or  Ephrath,  sfas 
stopped  and  died,  and  the  poor  broken-hearted 
husband  buried  her  on  the  spot,  and  placed  t 
pillar  to  her  memory.     The  pillar  is  gone  aoT 


PALESTINE    AND    SYRIA. 


123 


WOMEN    AT    AN    ARABIC    FOUNTAIN.   JIIRUSALEM. 


124 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


THE  PETES   AT   KOURBAN-BEIBAM. 


but  the  place  has  been  remembered  throughout 
all  ages,  and  over  it  stands  a  little  xnely,  or 
Moslem  tomb. 

A  step  or  two  further,  and  there  lies  the 
little  town  of  Bethlehem,  overhanging  a  broad 
valley,  in  the  fields  of  which  Kuth  went  forth 
to  glean,  while  further  on  to  the  east  are  those 
•other  fields  where  the  shepherds  were  keeping 
watch  over  their  flocks  on  that  Christmas-eve 
"when  the  angel  brought  them  the  message  of 
"good  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people." 

We  rode  through  olive  gardens  and  vine- 
yards till  a  narrow  pathway  led  us  into  the 
town,  and  passing  through  its  crowded  streets, 
we  reached  an  open  square  where  stands  the 
Convent  and  Church  of  the  Nativity.  The 
square  was  filled  with  town  people  and  pil- 
grims, and  we  were  quickly  surrounded  by  a 
crowd  of  Bethlehem  boys,  who,  to  our  un- 
accustomed eyes,  looked  very  smart  in  scarlet 
•dresses,  the  costume  of  the  place. 

The  women,  as  seen  in  our  illustration,  re- 
tain the  dress  and  manners  of  centuries  past. 


A  Chamber  ii  the  Wall, 

OuK  illustration  shows  a  chamber  in  the  wall, 
such  as  are  alluded  to  in  Scripture,  and  are  still 
seen  in  the  walled  cities  of  the  East. 

A  lady  who  spent  a  Winter  in  Syria,  in  writ- 
ing home  to  her  children  says,  ' '  The  street 
called  '  Straight '  yet  exists  in  Damascus,  and 
one  still  sees  here  houses  built  along  the  top  of 
the  city  wall,  reminding  one  of  Rahab,  who 
lived  upon  the  town  wall  of  Jericho,  and  who 
let  the  spies  down  by  a  cord  through  the  win- 
dow. Some  of  these  windows  project  over  the 
wall,  and  probably  from  such  a  one  St.  Paul 
was  let  down  in  a  basket." 

Owing  to  the  limited  traveling  in  the  days 
when  our  Bible  translation  was  made,  the  terms 
used  were  drawn  from  our  everyday  life,  and 


now  mislead ;   whereas,  in  this  case,  a  single 
glance  at  customs  still  prevailing  in  the  East 

explains   it  all. 

«ia»i> 

Captive  Israelites  before  the  King  of 
Assyria. 

No  DiscovEErES  of  modem  times  have,  per- 
haps, been  more  interesting  than  those  made  at 
Nineveh,  by  the  life-like  i^icture  they  enable  us 
to  form  of  many  of  the  events  in  sacred  his- 
tory. No  longer  trusting  to  imagination  or 
analogy,  but  taking  figures,  dress,  architecture 
and  furniture  from  exact  models,  we  can  repro- 
duce the  scenes,  at  least  in  the  palaces  of  the 
kings.  Yet,  except  in  richness  of  material  and 
ornament,  there  was,  doubtless,  little  difference 
between  the  homes  of  the  king  and  his 
peoi^le. 

There  is  a  broad  line  at  once  evident  between 
the  Assyrians  and  other  Orientals.  They  sat  on 
chairs  like  our  armchairs,  and  ate  like  us,  at 
tables.  Nay,  these  ver}'  chairs  and  tables  have 
the  claw  feet  and  heads  that  will  be  foimd  in 
our  own  da)'. 

The  dress  of  those  at  court  shows  great  lux- 
urj'  and  wealth.  Tunics  and  robes  are  the 
chief  articles  of  attire,  with  cloaks,  scarfs,  em- 
broidered cinctures,  all  covered  profuselj'  with 
ornament",   producing  a  verj'  fine  effect. 

The  beard  was  curled  in  those  long  rows  that 
are  now  so  familiar,  while  the  hair  was  done  up 
behiud  in  a  roll. 

The  arms  and  armor  of  the  soldiers  are  all 
known,  and  it  is  only  in  female  dress  that  our 
knowledge  is  limited.  The  only  women  shown 
are  captives. 

With  the  knowledge  thus  acquired,  Flandin 
has  reproduced  the  entrance  of  the  captive  King 
of  Juda  and  his  princes  before  the  Assyrian 
monarch,  and  with  a  success  that  will  make  the 
picture  a  studj'.  Here  every  article  of  attire 
and  arms  and  furniture^the  architecture,  the 
decorations,  are  all  taken  from  Assyrian  models, 
and  even  the  groups  of  figures  and  the  attitudes 
derived  from  the  testimony  handed  down. 


The  Fetes  of  Kourb.in-Baram. 
StTOCEEDiNO  the  Mohammedan  fast  of  Eama- 
dan,  which  corresponds  to  the  Lenten  season 
in  the  Christian  world,  are  the  fetes  of  the 
Kourban-Beiram,  in  which  the  followers  of  the 
Prophet  indulge  with  a  gusto  of  which  one 
•would  imagine,  from  their  customary  gravity, 
they  were  wholly  incapable.  Our  illustration 
conveys  a  pretty  accurate  idea  of  the  way  in 
•which  the  denizens  of  Jaffa,  in  Palestine,  coun- 
tenance the  amusements  of  the  hoijr.  Gymnasts 
Bhow  their  prowess,  while  less  daring  citizens 
indulge  in  the  swing  ;  and  others,  whose  organ 
of  "  alimentiveness  "  is  marked  "  seven,  ^to" 
on  the  phrenologist's  scale  of  mental  forces, 
feast  on  the  sweets  and  sours  the  venders  of 
fruits,  etc.,  offer  them.  The  fetes  are  annually 
liald  without  the  walls  of  Jaffa. 


COUKTYARD   OF  A   HOUSE   IN   DAMASCUS. 


PALESTINE    AND    SYBIA. 


125 


Jews  Praying  at  the  Temple  of  Jerasalem. 

The  Jew  is  now  a  wanderer  on  the  earth. 
But  from  every  land  the  Jewish  heart  turns  to 


Jerusalem,  and  be  buried  in  the  Valley  of 
Jehoshaphat.  Prayer  pierces  the  vault  of  the 
heavens  as  well  from  the  hovel  or  the  open 
air  as  from  the  vaulted  church.     There  is  no 


course  \nth  his  Maker,  where  vails  and 
clouds  seem  less,  and  prayer  seems  to  spring 
more  absolutely  from  the  sincerest  heart- 
springs,    and  to   be   liorne   directly  by   angel 


the  city  of  their  ancient  kings  and  prophets, 
the  city  of  their  temple,  which,  unrivaled  in 
its  day  of  splendor,  has  lain  in  the  dust  for 
eighteen  centuries.  Ever  Jerusalemward  tend 
the  unceasing  lines  of  pilgrims  from  the  four 
quarters  of  the  globe — Jews  who  wish  to  die  at 


inherent  sanctity  in  places  that  gives  prayers  a 
peculiar  power  with  the  Most  High ;  yet  there 
have  always  been  "  holy  grounds  " — spots  tend- 
ing from  association  or  from  subtle  influence 
to  bring  man  to  that  state  of  mind  which  puts 
him  in  more  uninterrupted  immediate   inter- 


hands  to  the  throne  of  grace.  This  feeling 
pervades  all  religions ;  and  there  are  spots 
worn  by  the  feet  of  generation  after  genera- 
tion who  have  eome  to  kneel  in  succession. 
What  wonder  if  the  Jew  seeks  to  reach  the 
site  of  Solomon's  temple  to  offer   his  prayer. 


126 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


and  there  recites  the  orisons  which  once  re- 
sounded within  its  walls. 


The  Jewish  High-Priest. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  gorgeousness  of  the 
worship  which  Moses  instituted  by  divine  com- 
mand among  the  Jews. 
Ceremony  and  ritual, 
rich  yestments,  incense 
— all  were  accumu- 
lated, as  though  in  the 
divine  worship  there 
could  not  be  too  much 
to  absorb  the  senses 
and  at  the  same  time 
give  them  a  heaven- 
ward tendency. 

The  vestments  of  the 
high-priest,  which  were 
made  for  '-glory 
and  for  beauty,"  con- 
sisted of  eight  articles, 
some  of  which  were 
peculiar  to  him,  and 
others  were  com- 
mon to  all  the  priests. 
The  articles  were,  the 
coat,  the  drawers  or 
breeches,  the  "girdle 
orthe  ephod,"  the  robe, 
the  ephod,  the  breast- 
plate, the  mitre,  and 
the  ' '  girdle  of  needle- 
work"; all  of  which, 
being  very  beautiful, 
and  some  of  them 
made  of  gold,  were 
«alled  by  the  Jews 
"golden  vestments." 

On  the  skirt,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  robe, 
there  were  figures  of 
pomegranates  (which 
are  remarkable  for 
the  beauty  of  their 
leaves,  fl  o  w  e  r  s  and 
fruits)  wrought  with 
blue,  purple  and  scar- 
let yarn.  Between 
these  figures  there 
was  a  bell,  or,  in 
other  words,  there  was 
a  beU  and  a  pomegran- 
ate al  t  e  r  n  a  t  e  1  y,  al- 
though some  of  the 
Rabbins  say  that  the 
bells  were  inclosed 
■within  the  pomegran- 
Ates.  The  breastplate 
peculiar  to  the  high- 
priest  'nas  a  piece  of 
rich  cloth,  set  with 
twelve  precious  stones, 

as  follows :  A  sardius,  a  topa«;,  a  carbuncle,  an 
emerald,  a  sapphire,  a  diamond,  a  ligure,  an 
agate,  an  amethyst,  a  beryl,  or  aqua  marine, 
E.U  onyx,  a  jasper. 

The  mitre  of  Aaron  seems  to  have  been  a  roll 
■at  fine  cotton,  resembling  a  turban.  It  was 
famished  in  front  with  a  plate  of  pure  gold,  on 
-vrbioh  was  inscribed  these  words,  "  Holiness  to 


the  Lord."  Such  was  the  dress  of  the  Hebrew 
high-priest.  Josephus  informs  us,  such  was 
the  venerable  appearance  of  the  high-priest 
of  the  Jews  when  arrayed  in  his  sacerdotal 
dress,  that,  upon  a  deputation  being  sent 
by  the  Jews  to  Alexander  the  Great,  who 
was  advancing  to  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  he 


JEWISH   HIGH-PRIEST,  WITH    AN    ATTENDANT   PRIEST. 


was    struck    ■with    reverence    and    awe, 
bowed  do^svn  and  saluted  him. 


and 


The  Maronites. 

About  fifty  years  after  the  birth  of  Moham- 
med, and  before  the  reformed  religion  taught 
by  him  had  made  any  progress  beyond  the  im- 


mediate neighborhood  of  Medina  and  Mecca,  or 
the  confines  of  Arabia,  one  of  those  Christians 
who  had  retired  into  a  cave  in  North  Syria,  in 
order  to  pursue  his  studies  and  meditations 
uninterupted,  made  himself  remarkable  by  the 
peculiar  sanctity  of  his  life  and  wisdom.  This 
man  was  called  Hana  (the  Arabic  of  John) 
M  a  r  o  u  n.  The  cave 
where  he  dwelt  was 
close  to  one  of  the 
chief  sources  of  the 
Orontes,  the  Ain  or 
spring  mentioned  in 
Numbers  xxxiv.  11. 

About  this  time,  the 
quarrels  between  Con- 
stantinople and  Rome, 
for  the  spiritual  juris- 
diction of  the  Chris- 
tians in  Syria,  broke 
forth,  and  emissaries 
from  each  were  spread 
through  the  country, 
for  the  purpose  of  in- 
fluencing the  people. 
Hana  Maroun  was 
at  once  elected  by  the 
united  voices  of  the 
mountaineers  as  their 
adviser  and  leader. 
H  e  immediately  d  e- 
clared  himself  for  the 
Latins,  acknowledged 
the  Pope  as  his  spiritu- 
al master,  and  put 
himself  at  the  head 
of  a  large  body  of 
followers. 

The  tenets  of  the 
Maronites  are  simply 
those  of  Rome — their 
colleges  and  schools 
being  presided  over  by 
teachers  and  priests 
sent  from  that  city ; 
they  suVmitted  more 
entirely  to  the  Pope  in 
1180,  giving  up  at  that 
time  the  Mouophysit- 
ism  which  had  till 
then  tinged  their 
tenets,  and  obtaining 
in  return  the  immense 
concession  of  retaining 
many  of  their  own  pe- 
culiar customs.  They 
have  a  very  large  num- 
ber of  monks,  who,  o 
course,  take  vows  o. 
celibacy  and  poverty 
but  the  parish  priests 
are  almost  always  mar- 
ried :  the  people  coui- 
municate  in  both  kinds 
and  their  service  is  conducted  in  Syriac — a 
language  till  lately  well  understood  by  them, 
but  now  disused,  since  only  three  villages 
are  existing  where  Syriac  is  still  spoken ;  the 
gospels  and  other  parts  are  read  also  in  Arabic. 
There  are  between  ninety  and  a  hundred  con 
vents,  containing  abou*  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred monks,  and  five  or  six  hundred  nuns :  the 


PALESTINE    AND    SYKIA, 


127 


A   MABONITE    PBEACHEfi. 


i28 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS, 


number  of  the  Maronite  population  is  differently 
stated,  but  is  most  probably  about  two  hundred 
and  thirty-three  thousand  souls.  There  are 
large  numbers  of  them  at  Aleppo,  Tripoli,  Bey- 
rout  and  Saida,  but  they  may  be  said  chiefly  to 
inhabit  the  Lebanon,  the  Kesrouan  district  of 
which  is  almost  entirely  occupied  by  them : 
most  of  their  convents  are  placed  there,  and 
about  the  Cedars,  and  in  the  Kesrouan  they 
have  their  great  priests'  college  of   Autourah. 

Hanua  Maroun  died  in  a.d.  701,  and  was 
buried  at  Hamah,  his  tomb  becoming  at  once, 
and  for  a  very  long  time  after,  a  place  of  pil. 
grimage  to  both  parties  among  the  mountain- 
eers :  his  remains  were  believed  to  perform 
miracles,  and  were  visited  by  pilgrims  from 
even  Egypt  and  all  parts  of  Turkey. 

A  convent  was  soon  founded  beside  the  tomb, 
the  monks  excavating  cells  in  the  living  rock 
for  themselves,  and 
building  up  loopholed 
walls  overhanging  the 
ravine  below — as  in  the 
convents  of  Mar  An- 
t  o  u  n  and  Khanobin ; 
to  this  convent  the 
Pope  Bent  a  present  of 
a  fine  library. 

Between  these  Maron- 
ites  and  the  Druses,  a 
formidable  Turkish 
tribe  in  the  Lebanon, 
almost  constant  war 
exists,  and  the  Maron- 
ites  would  have  been 
crushed  but  for  the  jjro- 
tection  of  France. 

Our  illustration  rep- 
resents a  monk  preach- 
ing to  a  congregation 
on  the  mountain. 

Jewish  Priests 

EEPLACING  SHEW-BREAD. 

Among  the  rites  with 
which  Moses  invested 
the  ritual  of  divine 
worship  which  he  estab- 
lished among  the  Jews 
was  the  Shew-Bread, 
Loaves  of  Proposition, 

placed  on  golden  tables  within  the  tabernacle. 
These  loaves  represented  the  twelve  tribes, 
and  were  renewed  every  week.  The  use  of 
bread  in  this  typical  form  was  apparently  new, 
aixd  the  loaves  were  sacred.  Kone  but  the 
priests  were  allowed  to  touch  them,  and  when 
removed,  to  give  place  to  the  newly  baked 
loaves,  they  were  eaten  by  the  priests  and  their 
families. 

Only  once  in  the  Bible  do  we  read  that  un- 
priestly  hands  touched  the  sacred  loaves.  This 
was  when  King  David,  with  his  starving  band, 
came  to  the  spot  where  they  were  kept.  And 
Christ,  in  alluding  to  the  act,  justified  it,  the 
life  of  man  excusing  the  sacrilege. 

Those  who  find  all  the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  law 
typical,  find  in  these  loaves,  as  in  the  manna, 
a  type  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  the  ritual 
instituted  by  Christ  as  the  worship  under  the 
new.    Bread,  as  the  fruit  of  man's  labor,  the 


toil  of  his  brain,  is,  perhaps,  in  itself,  the  most 
appropriate  type  of  the  offering  of  the  unre- 
generate ;  and  the  idea  may  be  traced  in  Mel- 
chisedek,  as  the  opposite  offering  of  the  lamb 
seems  to  mark  the  worship  of  the  reconciled 
coming  with  clean  hands  to  lay  his  gift  upon 
the  altar. 


Women  at  an  Arabic  Fountain,  Jerusalem. 
Jerusalem  has  been  so  often  laid  waste  by  the 
desolating  hand  of  war,  it  has  been  so  fre- 
quently completely  demolished,  that  little  or 
nothing  remains  on  the  surface  to  trace  the 
grandeur  of  the  races  that  ruled  there  from  the 
day  when  God  withheld  the  light  of  His  coun- 
tenance from  His  ungrateful  j)eople.  The  early 
Jewish  structures  have  all  disappeared ;  no 
marks  remain  of  Assyrian  or  Egyptian  con- 


THE  CHAPEL   OF  THE  BrRNINO   Rfsn. 

quest ;  even  its  Koman  characteristics  disap- 
peared in  its  total  ruin  under  Titus.  Its  present 
impress  is  Mohammedan  and  Turkish,  rather 
than  Saracen. 

The  graceful  architecture  of  the  latter,  of 
which  Granada  will  always  occur  to  the  mind 
as  the  most  pleasing  type,  seldom  meets  the 
eye  at  Jerusalem. 

A  photograph  of  an  Arabic  fountain,  at  Jeru- 
salem, shows,  however,  that  they  still  preserve 
some  monuments  of  considerable  beauty. 

The  women  are  not  out  of  keeping  with  the 
scenes  they  revive — the  early  Bible  accounts  of 
the  heroines  of  the  race,  the  Rachels  proceeding 
in  their  simple  yet  graceful  dress,  bearing  on 
the  head  the  water-jar ;  the  jeweled  bracelets 
and  armlets  removing  the  suspicion  of  poverty 
which  the  bare  feet  would  suggest. 


He  who  risks  nothing  can  gain  nothing. 


A  Courtyard  in  Damascus. 
The  entrance  to  some  even  of  the  finest 
houses  is  by  a  low,  mean-looking  door  in  a  great 
blank  wall,  little  according  with  the  luxury 
and  splendor  within,  and  seeming  more  likely 
to  lead  to  a  cowshed  than  to  a  luxurious 
mansion.  This  unpromising  entrance  admits 
you  through  an  outer  court,  into  a  spa- 
cious quadrangle  paved  with  marble,  in  the 
middle  of  which  a  fountain  throws  up  a  con- 
tinual shower,  cooling  the  atmosphere,  and 
refreshing  the  evergreens  and  flowering  shrubs 
which  are  placed  around  it.  In  one  corner 
stands  a  tall,  slender  pole  like  a  signal-staff, 
for  the  purpose  of  hoisting  up  an  earthen-jar 
full  of  water,  which  is  cooled  b}'  the  evapora.. 
tion  that  takes  place  through  the  porous  sides 
of  the  vessel.  An  arcade,  supported  by  low, 
slender  columns,  runs  round  the  quadrangle, 
giving  admission  to  the 
lower  apartments; 
t  k  e  s  e  are  elaborately 
painted  and  gilded,  and 
the  cornices  are  orna- 
mented with  Arabic  in. 
scriptions.  Rich  carpets 
and  deewans,  and  cush- 
ions of  damask  or  vel- 
vet, embroidered  with 
gold,  cover  the  floor, 
and  china  plates,  jars, 
basins  and  bowls  are 
a  d  V  a  n  t  a  geously  dis- 
posed in  niches  in  the 
walls,  or  on  shelves. 

In  one  of  those  apart- 
ments the  stranger  is 
generally  received  on 
his  first  introduction, 
but  the  places  of  com- 
mon reception  are  the 
arcades,  one  of  which 
is  furnished  with  a 
dee  wan,  which  is 
shifted  as  the  sun 
comes  round.  Here,  as 
the  Turk  reclines  upon 
softest  cushions,  the 
mild  air  that  fans  hia 
cheek,  the  delightful 
mellowing  of  the  light 
by  the  evergreens,  the 
fragrance  of  the  blossoms,  and  the  plashing 
of  the  fountain,  all  weave  round  him  a  charm 
of  the  most  voluptuous  repoee.  Even  here  the 
same  mysterious  solitude  prevails  as  in  the 
streets ;  the  sound  of  your  own  footsteps  echoing 
over  the  marble  pavement  seems  to  you  a 
rude  intrusion  on  the  genius  of  the  jilace :  and 
you  would  almost  fancy  yourself  iu  one  of  the 
enchanted  palaces  of  the  Arab  romances. 

A  side  passage  from  the  outer  court  leads  to 
the  harem,  which  has  a  court  ajjpropriated  to 
itself.  All  the  courts  and  the  open  rooms  are 
frequented  by  swallows  and  tame  pigeons.  To- 
ward evening,  the  whole  town  is  in  a  flutter 
with  innumerable  flights  of  the  latter,  on  their 
return  to  roost :  men  stand  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  city  whistUug  the  birds  in,  or  waving 
white  pennants  attached  to  poles  to  lure  them  to 
alight,  which,  after  many  graceful  sweeps  round 
the  decoy,  they  accomplish. 


PALESTINE,    SYPUA    AND    THIBET. 


129 


JEWS     PEAYING    AT    THE    WALL    OF    THE    TEMPLE     OF    SOLOMON. 


130 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


TaMng  of  Jerusalem. 

When  Titus  advanced  against  Jerusalem  at 
the  head  of  sixty  thousand  men — Romans  and 
iiuxiliaries — multitudes  of  Jews  were  collected 
da  the  city,  from  all  quarters,  to  celebrate  the 
feast  of  the  Passover.  This  (jircumstance  greatly 
enhanced  the  subsequent  calamities  of  the 
siege,  as  such  vast  numbers  soon  consumed  the 
provisions  which  remained  in  the  city,  and 
speedily  produced  the  most  horrible  famine 
"that  ever  history  recorded.  It  was  probably 
in  contemplation  of  such  a  result  that  Titus 
selected  this  time  for  his  advance  ;  as  he  would 
T;asonably  calculate  that  the  siege  would  bo 
■shortened  by  the  besieged  being  forced  to  sur- 
render for  want  of  food.  He  needed  all  the 
hope  which  might  be  derived  from  such  a  con- 
sideration, fjr  the  enterprise  which  be  had 
undertaken  presented  great  difficulties.  The 
city  itself  was  strong  from  its  situation  ;  besides 
■which,  its  fortifications  were,  for  that  age,  of 
rsmarkable  strength,  and  of  recent  erection. 
The  ancient  walls  had  indeed  been  demolished 
by  Pomp::y;  and  when  Herod  Agrippa  under- 
took to  repair  the  foundations  and  raise  the 
walls,  the  governor  of  Syria  took  alarm,  and 
obtained  an  order  from  Rome,  prohibiting  the 
continuance  of  the  work.  After  Herod's  death, 
however,  the  Jews  purchased  permission  from 
the  venal  Claudius  to  resume  the  undertaking, 
and  availed  themselves  of  the  advantage  with 
Buch  good  effect,  that  the  town  came  to  be  con- 
eidered  little  less  than  impregnable. 

The  walls  and  battlements  were  completed 
to  the  height  of  twenty-five  cubits,  and  the 
breadth  of  ten  cubits,  built  with  great  stones 
twenty  cubits  long  and  ten  broad,  so  that  tliey 
could  not  easily  be  undermined  nor  easily 
.shaken  by  military  engines.  This  was  the 
outer  wall  (for  there  were  two  others),  and  it 
■was  strengthened  with  sixty  strong  and  lofty 
towers.  The  two  other  walls  were  of  corres- 
ponding strength ;  the  second  having  fourteen 
lowers,  and  the  third  ei,ghty.  Also  there 
-were  several  castles  of  extraordinary  strength, 
••such  as  those  of  Hippicos,  Phasael,  Marianne, 
•and  Antonia  ;  not  to  mention  the  royal  palace 
find  some  other:;,  that  were  stately  and  well 
fortified.  The  Temple  itself  greatly  exceeded 
dn  strength ;  and  from  its  situation,  with  its 
■walls,  towers,  and  other  buildings,  was  at  least 
-equal  to  the  strongest  fortress  then  existing. 
The  defenders  w«re  numerous,  wanting  no  armg 
-or  warlike  engines,  invincibly  obstinate,  and 
hravc  to  desperation.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
ihey  wanted  experience  in  the  defense  of  towng, 
and  in  the  use  of  the  warlike  engines  which 
4hey  had  taken  from  the  Romans  ;  their  store 


of  provisions  was  utterly  inadequate,  and  in  a 
cour.^e  of  rapid  exhaustion ;  and  they  were  at 
variance  with  themselves,  and  with  the  unwar- 
like  multitudes  in  the  city,  who  sighed  for 
safety  and  peace. 

However,  the  party  differences  of  the  defend- 
ers were  somewhat  diminished  almost  as  soon 
as  the  Romans  made  their  appearance,  by  the 
suppression  of  the  party  of  Eleazer,  which  put 
John  in  sole  posses.sion  of  the  Temple,  and  left 
him  to  act  -n'ith  Simon  against  the  Romans, 
and  against  Simon  when  the  Romans  intermit- 
ted their  assa'.;ltB.  This  was  the  principle  of 
contest  throughout  the  siege.  The  two  great 
parties  concurred  in  defense  of  the  city ;  but 
when  the  urgent  occasion  had  passed,  they 
turned  their  arms  against  each  other.  Thus 
there  was  twofold  war,  and  the  life-blood  of 
Jerusalem  was  drained  without  respite.  John 
defended  the  Temple  and  the  Castle  of  Antonia, 
and  Simon  the  rest  of  the  city.  The  space 
which  their  previous  devastations  bad  cleared 
within  the  city  served  them  for  a  field  of  battle 
against  each  other  ;  from  which,  when  occasion 
required,  they  unanimously  hastened  to  act 
against  the  common  enemy  ;  after  which  their 
mutual  hostilities  were  resumed,  as  if  they  had 
r-tudicd  how  to  make  their  ruin  more  easy  to 
the  Romans. 

When  Titus  arrived  before  the  city,  he  made 
an  ostentatious  display  of  his  forces,  in  battle 
array,  in  three  divisions ;  the  first  itnd  princi- 
pal encamped  at  Scopas,  about  ssveh  stadia 
from  the  city,  northward  ;  the  second  about 
three  stadia  behind  ;  the  third  eastward,  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  The  first  week,  being  the 
week  of  the  Passover,  he  spent  in  making 
such  arrangements  as  the  survey  which  he  had 
made  showed  to  be  necessary,  and  in  preparing 
the  ground  for  future  operations.  The  ground 
between  Scopas  and  the  city  was  leveled  and 
cleared  by  the  demolition  of  trees,  houses, 
hedges,  and  even  rocks,  which  supplied  mate- 
rials to  raise  against  the  wall  banks  on  which 
the  military  engines  were  planted ;  and  the 
overturee  of  peace  having  been  rejected  with 
insult  and  soorn,  he  commenced  active  opera- 
tions the  day  after  the  ending  of  the  Paschal 
week,  being  Sunday,  April  22,  a.d.  70. 

The  first  breach  was  made  in  the  outer  wall 
on  Sunday,  May  G,  •when  the  Romans,  rushing 
in  through  the  breach,  opened  the  gates,  and 
obtained  possession  of  the  New  City,  the  Jews 
retiring  beliind  the  second  wall.  The  second 
wall  was  defended  with  desperate  bravery  ;  and 
frequent  sallies  were  made  on  the  besiegers. 
The  Romans,  however,  gained  possession  of 
the  wall  in  five  days ;  but  the  Jews  made  such 
an  obstinate  resistance  in  the  streets^  that  they 


drove  back  the  enemy  and  took  possession  of 
the  breach,  from  which  it  took  three  days  more 
to  expel  them. 

Titus  being  thus  master  of  the  Kew  and 
Lower  Cities,  turned  his  attention  to  the  Tower 
of  Antonia ;  and  the  stand  here  made  by  the 
besieged  extorted  the  admiration  of  their  ene- 
mies. John,  who  held  the  castle,  dug  a  mine 
therefrom  to  the  banks,  by  which  they  were 
destroyed  ;  and  two  days  after  Simon  afsaulted 
the  remaining  banks,  and  set  fire  to  the  enainea 
which  were  planted  on  them.  The  flames 
spread  to  the  banks,  which  were  chiefly  con- 
structed with  felled  trees,  and  destroyed  them, 
obliging  the  Romans  to  retreat  to  their  camp, 
where  they  had  an  obstinate  and  bloody  con- 
flict before  they  could  drive  back  the  Jews,  who 
had  pursued  them. 

After  this,  and  in  order  that  famine  might 
accomplish  all  its  work  in  the  town,  by  the 
besieged  being  shut  up  more  closely  and  pre- 
cluded from  all  means  of  escape,  Titus  built  a 
wall  of  circumvallation  all  around  the  city, 
fortified  at  due  intervals  with  thirteen  towers, 
in  which  strong  guards  were  stationed.  This 
vast  work,  which  was  about  six  miles  in  extent, 
was  accomplished  by  the  Roman  soldiers  ia 
three  days,  by  one  of  those  exertions  of  a  con- 
centrated energy  and  application  which  they 
alone,  in  that  age,  were  capable  of  displaying. 

Having  accomplished  this  work,  the  Romans 
resumed  their  operations  against  Fort  Antonia, 
which  they  took  without  much  difficulty ;  for 
the  garrison,  being  exhausted  by  famine,  made 
but  a  feeble  defense. 

The  Temple  now  became  the  great  object  of 
interest.  Titus  fixed  on  August  5th  for  storming 
the  Temple  with  all  his  army.  But  the  night 
before,  two  desperate  sallies  were  made  by  the 
Jews,  and  in  driving  them  back  the  last  time 
the  Romans  rushed  on  after  them  into  the  inner 
court.  One  of  the  soldiers  then  seized  a  fire- 
brand, and  mounting  on  the  shoulders  of  a 
companion,  cast  it  through  an  open  windo-w 
communicating  with  the  apartments  en  the 
north  side  of  the  sanctuary.  The  flames 
almost  immediately  burst  forth  ;  on  beholdmg 
which  the  Jews  raised  a  cry  of  despair,  and  raa 
to  extinguish  them.  Titus  hastened  to  the 
spot  with  his  officers,  and  made  every  exertion 
for  the  same  purpose,  both  by  voice  and  action. 
— he  entreated,  promised,  threatened,  and  even, 
struck  his  men  with  his  staff ;  but  for  the  time 
he  had  lost  all  authority  and  influence,  and 
was  not  heeded  by  any.  The  .soldiers  who 
flocked  from  the  camp  eagerly  joined  those 
already  on  the  spot  in  destroying  the  Jews,  in 
increasing  the  flames,  and  in  stripping  the 
burning  pile  of  its  treasures. 


THS  DAUASCDS  OATB. 


ITALY. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND  HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

Home— Genekal  View— CASTLE  or  St.  angelo— Pantheon— St.  Petek's— Papal  Tiaba  and  Keys— Mass  in  St.  Peteb'8— Monks  at  Studv— 
ABOH  OF  Titus— Faknese  Palacb— Oolossedm— Abch  op  Deusus— Milanese  Ladies— the  Miseeiooedia— Venetian  Wine  -  glassks— 
Pontifical  mass  in  St.  Peteb's— Easteen  Lanteens  and  Toeches— The  Villa  Aldobbandini  at  Fbasoati— The  Viol  dk  Gamba— 
Yeeona  Costumes— Paddan  Costumes— Venetian  Costumes— Italian  Seevants,  Sixteenth  Centuet— Eteuscan  Vases— Naples  and 
Mount  Vesuvius— Ampiiitbeatee  at  Milan— ancient  Couches— Baebee  Shop— Combs— Capuchin  Cemeteei— Eel  Makket. 


[IHIS  famous  country,  which  for  eo 
many  ceaturies  ruled  the  world,  and 
whose  resuscitation  as  a  United  King- 
dom we  have  lately  witnessed,  is  a 
peninsula  in  the  south  of  Europe.  It  is  about 
eix  hundred  miles  long,  and  three  hundred 
miles  broad,  iu  its  widest  part.  Its  coast  line 
is  estimated  at  two  thousand  miles,  and  includes 
many  spacious  and  convenient  bays — among 
which  are  Gaeta,  Genoa,  Naples,  Salerno,  and 
Tarento,  in  the  Adriatic.  It  has  a  popula- 
tion of  about  twenty-five  millions,  which, 
under  one  king,  as  they  uow  are,  promises  to 
make  it  a  very  powerful  element  in  European 
politics.  Till  within  the  last  ten  years  it  was 
divided  into  nine  governments — Austria,  Sar- 
dinia, Naples,  Papal  States,  Tuscany,  Parma, 
Modena,  San  Marino,  and  Monaco.  The  chief 
rivers  are  the  Po,  the  Tiber,  the  Adige,  the 
Rubicon,  the  Brenta,  the  Adda,  the  Arno,  the 
Oglio,  the  Mincio,  the  Tribia,  and  the  Panaro. 
The  principal  mountains  are  the  Alps,  which 
■on  the  north  forms  a  natural  ban-ier  from  the 
rest  of  Europe ;  the  Apennines,  which  unite  with 
the  Alps,  and  run  southward  along  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  the  peninsula.  It  is  also  famous 
for  its  lakes,  among  which,  and  conspicuous  for 
their  'beauty,  are  the  Como,  Lugano,  Lago  Mag- 
giore,  Lecco,  Perugia,  etc. 

The  climate  ia  very  delightful ;  the  moun- 
tains and  the  sea,  modifying  the  warmth  of 
■Summer,  and  the  Winter  is  very  moderate. 
Many  districts  are,  however,  unhealthy,  owing 
to  the  mcrshes,  which  emit  pestilential  vapors. 
This,  more  especially,  applies  to  the  neighbor- 
liood  of  Rome  ;  but  since  the  removal  of  the 
Italian  government  to  the  Eternal  City,  these 
morasses  will  undoubtedly  be  drained,  and  its 
miasmatic  power  destroyed.  The  forests  are 
not  very  eitetisive,  but,  small  as  they  are,  they 
contain  several  kinds  of  savage  beasts,  such  as 
the  wild  boar,  the  stag,  the  wild  goat,  the  tiger- 
cat,  the  latter  of  which  is  found  on  the  Abruzzi 
mountains.  The  nautilus,  which,  perhaps,  sug- 
gested to  man  his  first  idea  of  navigating  the 
seas  by  means  of  sails,  is  foTind  in  great  num- 
bers on  the  Italian  coast.  Coral  is  also  found 
in  many  parts. 

The  soil  of  Italy  is  very  favorable  to  fruits ; 


and  its  grapes,  olives,  and  figs  have  been  cele- 
brated by  the  poets  of  all  ages,  especially  the 
Augustan  era.  Tlieir  meadows  and  pastures 
are  so  extensive  that  grain  of  aU  kinds  is  grown 
in  profusion.  On  the  plains  of  the  Po  vast 
herds  of  cattle  are  reared,  and  from  their  mUk 
a  peculiar  kind  of  cheese  is  made. 

Their  chief  mineral  is  marblCj  and  in  the 
north,  toward  the  German  frontier,  as  well  as 
in  the  Venetian  and  Genoese  territory,  and  in 
Tuscany,  there  are  quarries  of  beautiful  marble, 
and  caverns  of  stalactites  of  marvelous  splendor. 
In  the  Apennines  are  found  alabaster,  jasper, 
agate,  rock  crystal,  clialcedony,  lapis  lazuli, 
with  other  precious  stones.  Alum,  copper  and 
iron  are  also  very  often  fovaid  in  the  moun- 
tainous parts.  Their  manufactures  consist  prin- 
cipally of  silk,  linen,  and  woolen  goods.  The 
establislied  religion  is  the  Roman  Catholic. 

The  Italian  people  are  passionately  fond  of 
music,  painting,  sculpture — in  a  word,  all  that 
cultivates  the  sensuous  part  of  our  nature. 
Tlieir  composers  are  the  favorites  of  modern 
times,  and  Verdi,  Donizetti,  Rossini,  Bellini,  and 
Pacini  are  heard  every  night  pouring  forth  their 
meljdious  thoughts  to  delighted  thousands  in 
every  part  of  the  world.  Even  the  common 
peasants  King  the  songs  of  Metastasio,  and  in 
Venice  the  gondolier  yet  trolls  the  "Lay  of 
Tasso." 

We  must  not  forget  to  add  that  there  are 
about  three  hundred  newspapers  published  in 
Italy,  but  they  are  really  rather  literary  jour- 
nals than  organs  of  public  opinion  or  news. 

So  far  as  tradition  is  worth,  we  may  add, 
that  the  Italia  of  the  ancients  received  its 
name  from  Italus,  who  came  from  Arcadia. 
There  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  a  people 
enjoying  such  a  climate,  and  endowed  with 
so  many  noble  qualities,  ■will  yet  regain  their 
lost  ascendancy,  and  make  their  power  felt  in 
the  council  of  nations. 

The  inhabitants  of  Italy  are  a  mixture  of  the 
many  different  races  who  have  successively 
obtained  the  maflery  of  tlie  country.  The  Gal- 
lic and  Roman  elements  are  the  chief  ingre- 
dients of  Italian  nationality,  but  few  traces  of 
the  Pelasgic  and  aboriginal  can  be  recognized. 
In  upper  Italy  the  German  element  has  con- 


tributed to  materially  mould  th.c  habits  of  th. 
people — even  the  word  Lombardy  ig  the  name 
of  a  Teutonic  tribe.  In  Southern  Italy  and 
Sicily  the  Arab  element  enters  into  the  mix- 
ture of  nationaJ  characteristics.  A  commoij 
language  is  the  great  bond  of  the  Italian  peo- 
ple, or,  we  should  rather  say,  their  writteu 
language,  which  binds  the  educated  classes 
together,  for  the  common  people  speak  so  many 
different  dialects,  that  the  inhabitants  of  some 
localities  cannot  understand  the  conversation 
of  others. 

The  Italian  has,  generally,  a  fine  exterioi; 
rather  slim  than  stout,  but  strong  and  active. 

When  the  military  power  of  Rome  declined, 
tlie  Italians  became  famous  for  their  triumphi 
in  literature,  art  and  science,  and  many  of  the 
most  illustrious  names  in  the  world  are  thosa 
of  her  citizens.  Their  universities,  in  the  mid- 
dle ages,  may  bo  said  to  have  kept  alive  ths 
lamp  of  learning.  Lord  Brougham  well  desig- 
nates the  Roman  Church  as  the  ark  in  which 
the  civilization  of  the  world  had  floated  down 
to  us.  The  chief  universities  are  Bologna, 
Pavia,  Satemo,  Naples,  Padua,  Rome,  Perugia, 
Pisi,  Sienna,  Turin,  Parma,  Florence,  Catania, 
Cagliari,  Genoa,  and  Modena.  Immense  lite- 
rary treasures  aie  stored  in  the'r  public  libra- 
ries. The  principal  libraries  are  the  Minerva 
and  the  Vatican,  at  Rome.  The  Borbonioa,  at 
Naples,  the  University,  at  Bologna,  the  Ambro- 
siau,  at  Milan,  the  St.  Mark's,  at  Venice,  the 
Royal  Library,  at  Turin,  and  numerous  others. 
In  addition  to  these,  immense  quantities  of 
manuscript  are  deposited  in  the  monasteries 
scattered  throughout  the  land.  The  number  of 
the  Catholic  clergy  is  very  large — some  have 
estimated  it  as  high  as  four  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  persons.  This  evil  is,  however,  being 
lessened  every  day  under  the  reign  of  King 
Humbert. 

Italy,  at  one  time,  was  the  emporium  of  the 
commerce  of  the  world.  The  merchants  of 
Genoa  and  Venice  were  the  money-changers  of 
the  traders,  just  as  England  is  now.  The  Wall 
Street  of  London  is  called  Lombard  Street,  as 
a  compliment  to  the  merchants  of  Lombardy, 
who  were  the  richest  and  most  enterprising 
traders. 


132 


THE    WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONS. 


Borne. 

Amomost  the  ancient  cities  still  left  to  us, 
•which  recall  the  memories  of  a  bygone  age, 
there  is  none  which  has  more  interest  for  the 


her  present  condition.  The  causes  which 
threw  her  from  her  high  estate  were  mani- 
fold. The  Goth,  the  Christian,  time,  war,  flood 
and  fire,  all  lent  their  aid  to  render  the 
centre  of  the  then  known  world,  a  ' '  marble 


general  traveler  than  the  Eternal  City.  Few 
more  interesting  studies  could  be  found  than 
the  varying  fortunes  of  this  seven-hilled  city, 
•which  has  passed  through  all  gradations  from 
the  proud  title  of  Mistress  of  the  World  to 


wilderness."     But  long  before  the   name   of 
Alaric  had  become  a  terror  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Italy  the  process  of  decay  had  commenced 
in  the  imperial  city. 
The  great  flre  which  took  place  just  before 


the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Augustus. 
gave  that  emperor  an  opportunity  of  display- 
ing the  grandeur  of  his  ideas  in  the  restoration 
of  the  city,  which  had  been  almost  entirely 
destroyed  by  the  flames,  and  with  such  mag- 
nificence was  this  restoration  ex- 
ecuted, that  it  was  the  boast  of 
Augustus,  "that  he  had  found 
Rome  built  of  brick,  and  that  ho 
left  it  marble." 

All  this  magnificence  was,  how- 
ever, destroyed  by  the  fire  which 
took  place  in  the  reign  of  Nero, 
and,  by  some  writers,  attributed 
to  the  emperor  himself,  which 
completely  devastated  Rome ;  tea 
out  of  the  fourteen  districts  into 
which  Rome  was  divided  being 
destroyed,  and  the  site  of  the  city 
was  converted  almost  literally  into 
a  tabula  rasa,  or  level  surface,  upon 
which  the  successive  emperors 
raised  such  gorgeous  piles  of 
architecture  as  made  the  name 
of  Rome  synonymous  with  every- 
thing that  is  grand  and  mag- 
nificent. To  remove  from  his 
own  shoulders  the  odium  of  such 
a  disgraceful  act  as  the  firing  of 
the  city,  Nero  contrived  to  lay  it 
on  the  Christians,  ■svho  were  at 
his  time  rather  numerous,  and  to 
give  color  to  the  charge  he  sub- 
jected them  to  all  manner  of 
torture. 

Perhaps  tlie  most  interesting- 
locality,  as  well  as  the  most  splen- 
did in  architecture,  is  the  Roman 
Forum,  so  called  from  comprising 
in  its  precincts  the  well  known 
Forum  Romanura,  now  called 
the  Campo  Vaccine,  or  Bullock's 
Field.  This  was  the  spot  which 
in  past  times  resounded  with  the 
polished  eloquence  of  Cicero  and 
others  of  the  Padres  Omscripti. 

Here  also  stood  the  great  marble 
temple  of  Jupiter,  and  close  at 
h'.md  were  the  temple  of  Saturn, 
the  temple  of  Fortune,  of  Janus, 
of  Castor  and  Pollux,  the  arch  of 
Tiberius,  the  temple  of  Vespasian, 
the  arch  of  Severus,  the  templa 
of  Vesta,  the  temple  of  Antoninus 
and  Faustina,  the  Julian  Bafcil^ 
ica,  etc. 

The  Forum  Romanum,  of  all 
the  remaining  localities  of  ancient 
Rome,  presents  the  greatest  con- 
trast, in  its  present  deplorable  ap- 
pearance, to  its  former  magni- 
ficence. Even  by  its  modem  nama 
A  Cow's  Field  (Campo  Vaccine), 
expressive  as  it  is  of  degradation 
and  desolation,  no  adequate  idea  is 
conveyed  of  the  utter  devasta- 
tion which  has  overwhelmed  the 
Forum,  obliterated  its  every  line- 
ament and  feature,  and  made 
exact  boundaries  a  problem,  and 
it  from  being  the  grand  central 
nucleus  of  the  splendor  and  beauty  of  the 
most  magnificent,  powerful  and  populous  city 
that   ever  existed,   to   become   an  unsightly 


even    its 
reduced 


ITALY, 


13b 


shapeless ,  baiTen  field — c 
very  wiiste  and  wilcler- 
Bess.  The  tourist,  whose 
intimate  acquaintance 
■with  classical  literature 
and  history  enables 
him  to  picture  vividly 
to  his  mind  the  Forum 
as  the  centre  of  the  ex- 
cessive and  turbulent 
-vitality  of  ancient  Rome 
in  the  days  of  Cicero,  of 
Cassar  and  Pompey,  and 
of  the  more  placid  but 
equally  intense  spirit  of 
life  which  pervaded  its 
strong  thoroughfares  in 
the  time  of  Augustus, 
can  alone  fully  estimate 
how  vast  is  the  desola- 
tion of  the  Campo 
Vaccino. 

On  the  bank   of   the 
liver  is  to  be  observed  a 

massive    circular    struc-  ~- 

tare;  this  is  the  castle 
of  St.  Angclo,  the  key 
to     the    city.     In    this 

citadel  Pope  Clement  VII.  was  besieged  by  the 
C.oths  in  the  year  1027,  at  which  time  the  city 
was  occupied  by  the  barbarians,  who  did  incal- 
ciilable  injury  to  the  buildings.  The  castle 
has,  at  various  times,  been  subject  to  many 
vicissitudes,  but,  owing  to  its  importance,  in 
the  defense  of  the  city,  it  has  always  been  kept 
in  repair. 


CASTLE  OF  ST.  ANGELO. 

The  Arch  of  Prusus.  near  the  Gate  of  St. 
Sebastian,  the  last  of  all  the  triumphal  arches 
which  sp:inned  the  noble  thoroughfare  which 
ran  through  the  ancient  city  from  the  Flam- 
inian  Way  (now  the  Corso),  southward  to  the 
Appian  Way,  was  erected  in  memory  of  Drusus, 
the  father  of  the  Emperor  Claudius,  during  the 
reign  of  the  latter,  about  a.b.  42  or  43.     Its 


appearance  is  seen  in  tlie 
engraving,  with  the  Gate 
of  St.  Sebastian  in  the 
background. 

The  Arch  of  Titns, 
which  is  in  tolerable 
preservation,  was  erected 
during  the  reign  of  Dom- 
itian,  by  the  Senate  and 
people  of  Rome,  to 
celebrate  the  triumph 
of  Titus  over  the  Jews 
and  the  destruction  of 
.Jerusalem.  It  is  situated 
on  what  was  the  highest 
point  of  the  Via  Sacra, 
thence  called  Summa 
Via  Sacra.  It  is  a 
lofty,  massive  structure 
of  white  marble,  pre- 
senting a  two-fold  fa- 
cade, looking  north  and 
south.  It  is,  however, 
only  pierced  by  one 
arch ;  the  entablature  is 
supported  by  four  co- 
lumns on  each  facade. 
There  is  no  monument, 
perhaps,  of  Imperial  Rome  still  remaining, 
which  possesses  so  much  interest  r.s  this  arch  ; 
for  amongst  the  various  bas-reliefs  upon  its 
exterior  and  interior,  executed  in  a  high  style 
of  art,  there  is  one  representing  the  triumfihal 
procession  of  Titus  to  the  Capitol,  on  his  return 
to  Rome  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
which    contains    delineations    of    the    sacicd 


THE   PANTHEON,    AT   ROME. 


134 


THE    WOBLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


ST.  rETEii'i  cirjKcu,  i;oaE. 


utensils  and  i  n  s  t  r  u- 
ments  of  -worship  ap- 
pertaining to  the 
sacrificial  rites  ami 
ceremonies  of  the  Jews, 
and  other  spoils  of  the 
Temple  of  Jerusalem, 
of  which  descriptions 
are  given  in  the  Book 
of  Holy  Writ.         ,  . 

A  part  of  the  east- 
em  side  of  the  structure 
having  been  destroyed 
in  the  lapse  of  ages,  it 
was  restored  during  the 
pontificate  of  Pius  VII. , 
and  the  whole  struc- 
ture is  now  presented 
to  view  in  its  original 
proportions. 

Beyond  the  Arch  of 
Titus,  at  less  than  a 
furlong's  distance,  rise 
the  mighty  ruins  of  the 
Colosseum,  or  Flavian 
Amphitheatre.  It  was 
commenced  by  V  e  s- 
pasian  on  the  site  of 
an  artificial  lake  con- 
structed by  Nero,  and 
it  was  afterward  con- 
tinued by   Titus,   and 

finished  by  Domitian.  It  is  of  an  oval  form, 
and  when  complete  was  able  to  contain  eighty, 
peven  thousand  spectators. 

"I  frequently  visited  these  ruins,"  says  an 


THB  PAPAL  TIARA   AND  KBTS. 

American  gentleman,  "but  on  two  occasions 
the  difference  and  contrasts  of  my  vi3itsjvere 
so  great,  that  I  should  like  to  describe  them. 
The  one  was  by  day,  and  the  other  by  night. 


The  former  occasion, 
was  on  a  Sunday  after- 
noon; the  sun  shone 
brilliantly,  though  the^ 
unclouded  sky  made  it 
unpleasantly  hot. 
When  I  entered  the> 
Colosseum,  not  a  soul, 
was  there  but  myself, 
and  I  stood  beside  a., 
crucifix,  or  image  of 
the  Virgin — I  forget 
which — which  is  placed 
in  one  of  the  vaulted 
passages  that  form  tha 
principal  entrance  at. 
this  end.  At  that  mo- 
ment a  party  of  Komaa 
peasants,  both  men  and 
women,  dressed  in  their 
very  picturesque  cos- 
tume, came  into  the 
Colosseum,  and  each 
knelt  and  prayed,  and 
kissed  the  image  before 
they  passed  into  the 
interior.  In  the  centre 
of  the  arena  stands  a 
large  wooden  crucifix, 
and  here  also  several 
of  the  party  knelt,  and: 
then  pressed  their  fore- 
heads upon  the  cross.  I  could  not  help  think- 
ing of  the  contrast  between  this  scene  and 
such  acts  of  worship  and  the  scenes  of  horror 
'  that  had  been  so  often  enacted  there,    I  thought 


ITALY. 


135 


of  the  cry  of  '  Chris- 
tianos  ad  leones  /'  -with 
which  those  walls  had 
re-echoed,  when,  whilst 
every  seat  was  crowded 
with  an  eager  multi- 
tude, not  of  men  only, 
but  women — of  all  the 
rank  and  fashion  and 
beauty  of  Imperial 
Eome — the  Christian 
martyrs  stood  on  that 
■very  spot,  awaiting  the 
spring  of  the  wild 
beasts,  whose  roar  was 
heard  i  n  the  subter- 
ranean dens,  where 
they  were  raging  for 
their  prey. 

"  The  other  occasion 
to  which  I  allude  was 
when  I  went,  with  a 
friend,  to  the  Colos- 
seum at  night,  just  as 
the  moon  was  rising 
above  the  east  wall  of 
the  ruins.  We  were 
challenged,  as  we  ap- 
proached, by  a  French 
sentry  who  is  stationed 

there,  but  were  allowed  to  enter  the  arena. 
The  silence  was  unbroken  by  any  sound  except 
that  of  the  owls,  which  hooted  in  the  most 
orthodox  manner,  and  the  whole  scene  was  in 
perfect  harmony  with  the  idea  of  the  fallen 


PONTIFICAL   MASS    IN  ST.  PETER'S,  ROME. 

majesty  of  Eome.  The  reason  why  a  sentry 
keeps  guard  at  the  Colosseum  is  on  account  of 
the  assassinations  and  robberies  which  have 
been  committed  in  its  gloomy  recesses.  A  story 
is  told  of  an  English  traveler,  who,  one  night. 


visited  it,  and,  as  he 
was  coming  out 
through  a  vaulted  pas- 
sage, suddenly  missed 
his  watch,  and  seeing 
a  person  near  with  a 
watch-chain  hanging 
from  his  pocket,  ho 
seized  it,  thinking  that 
it  was  his  own,  and 
that  the  stranger  was 
the  robber.  On  getting 
to  his  hotel,  he  dis- 
covered, to  his  amaze- 
ment, that  his  own 
watch  was  on  the  table, 
where  he  had  left  it, 
and  that  he  himself 
was  the  robber,  in 
having  forcibly  taken 
another  man's  watch. 
Next  day  he  hurried 
to  the  police  -  office 
and  there  he  found  a 
respectable  priest,  who 
had  just  made  com- 
plaint that  he  had  been 
robbed  of  his  watch, 
the  preceding  night, 
at  the  Colosseum." 
The  villas  and  palaces  of  the  modem  Ro- 
mans constitute  the  characteristic  distinction 
of  their  city  and  its  environs  which  calls  up 
the  memory  of  their  luxurious  Pagan  an- 
cestors.    They  bear  a  great  resemblance  to 


MONKS    AT    STUDY. 


136 


THE     WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONa 


ARCH  OF  TITUS. 


the  "Gardens"  of  Imperial  Borne,  by  which 
name  the  ancients  used  to  designate  their  sub- 
urban lesidences. 

The  Famese  Palace,  of  ■which  we  give  an 
illustration,  is  especially  desorving  of  notice, 
not  only  on  account  of  Ihe  elegance  of  its  plan, 
and  the  great  taste  displayed  in  its  construc- 
tion, but  also  on  account  of  its  containing 
some  of  Eafael's  most  exquisite  decorations, 
the  principal  of  which  are  the  frescoes  on  the 
ceilings  of  one  of  the  apartments  on  the  ground 
floor,  representing  the  loves  of  Cupid  and  Psyche, 
their  nuptials,  and  the  council  of  the  gods — 
the  latter  being  a  large  central  painting  of  the 
size  of  life,  around  which  are  delineated,  on  a 
smaller  scale,  the  various  incidents  of  the 
fable ;  and  the  frescoe  of  Galatea,  on  the  wall 
of  another  apartment  adjoining,  in  which 
the  nymph  is  represented  standing  in  an  ex- 
ultant posture,  in  a  shell  drawn  on  the  waters 
by  dolphins,  and  escorted  by  Nereids,  Tri- 
tons, etc.  In  this  same  chamber  of  Galatea 
the  frescoes  on  the  ceiling  by  Volterra  and 
Sebastian  Piombo  also  attract  attention  ;  and 
all  are  remarkable  for  the  freshness  which  the 
colors  preserve,  being  as  little  tarnished  as 
though  they  had  been  but  just  painted,  instead 
being  nearly  three  centuries  and  a  half  in 
existence. 

The  Famese  Palace  was  built  about  the 
year  1508,  by  Agostino  Chigi,  the  friend  and 
treasurer  of  the  Warrior  Pope,  Julius  II. 

The  arrangemeni  of  the  ornamental  grounds 
aroimd  the  mansion  is  the  same  in  the  modem 
villa  as  it  was  in  the  ancient  hortulus— viz. , 
designed  rather  to  afford  the  most  eligible'  and 
varied  jwints  of  view  from  which  to  contem- 
plate the  beauty  and  splendor  of  the  prospect 
without,  than  to  present  any  particular  attrac- 
tion in  the  scenery  within  the  limits  of  the  in- 
closure,  local  embellishments  in  groves,  walks, 
fountains,  and  pieces  of  water  decorated  with 
statuary,  being  at  the  same  time  attended  to ; 
diffiering  thus  from  our  conception  of  a  park, 
where  the  views  in  the  interior  are  the  main 
object,  just  as  the  Summer-house  of  a  grirdcn 
differs  from  the  zakm,  or  drawing-room,  where 


the  interior  beauty  is  the  great  object,  while 
the  Summer-house,  however  ornate  in  itself, 
refers  in  its  purpose  chiefly  to  the  eujoysient 
of  the  exterior  prospect. 

Pre-eminent  among  the  Christian  churches 
of  the  world  is  St.  Peter's,  of  Rome,  which 
Gibbon  calls  "  the  most  glorious  structure  that 
has  ever  lieen  applied  to  the  use  of  religion." 
Its  foundation  was  laid  by  Pope  Nicholas  V.,  in 
1450,  on  the  site  of  r.n  ancient  Basilica,  and 
after  a  period  of  construction,  carried  through 
the  reigns  of  twenty  popes,  and  directed  by 
twelve  architects,  among  whom  were  Bramante, 
Raphael,  Michael  Angelo,  Giacomo  della  Porta, 
and  Mademo,  it  was  dedicated  by  Urban  VIII., 
in  162G.  Externally,  the  work,  though  mag- 
nificent in  materials  and  dimensions,  is  disfig- 
ured by  the  prominence  of  the  front  added  by 
M.idemo,  which  almost  hides  from  the  near 
spectator  the  principal  feature,  the  vast  and 
towering  dome  ;  while,  had  the  original  plan 
of  Bramante  and  Michael  Angelo  been  followed, 
the  whole  dome  would  have  been  visible  from 


the  square  before  the  church.  But  the  dome 
itself,  and  the  interior  of  the  edifice,  are  con- 
sidered unrivaled  in  magnitude,  proportion 
and  decoration. 

In  the  church  of  St.  Peter's  the  arts  of 
sculpture,  painting  and  architecture  are  all  ex- 
hibited in  the  highest  perfection.  It  has  a 
length  of  six  hundred  and  thirteen  feet,  and  a 
breadth  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-six.  Its 
height  to  the  top  of  the  cross  is  four  hundred 
and  thirty-four  feet  nine  inches. 

The  interior  corresponds  entirely  with  its 
outward  grandeur.  The  patriarchal  chair  of 
St.  Peter  is  a  throne  elevated  to  the  height  of 
seventy  feet.  The  high  altar  has  below  it  St. 
Peter's  tomb  ;  above  it,  a  magnificent  canopy 
of  brass,  towering  to  the  height  of  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  feet. 

Few  have  ever  stood  beneath  the  dome  of 
St.  Peter's  without  having  felt  the  entliusiasm 
which  the  place  inspires.  Eustace  visited  Rome 
more  than  half  a  century  since,  and,  in  his 
"Classical  Tour,"  he  thus  describes  the  impres- 
sion which  it  made  upon  his  mind: 

"As  you  enter  you  behold  the  most  extensive 
hall  ever  constructed  by  human  art,  expanded 
in  magnificent  perspective  before  you  ;  advanc- 
ing up  the  nave,  you  are  delighted  with  the 
beauty  of  the  variegated  marble  under  your 
feet,  and  with  the  splendor  of  the  golden  vault 
over  your  head.  The  lofty  Corinthian  pilasters, 
witli  their  bold  entablature,  the  intermediate 
niches  with  their  statues,  the  arcades  with  their 
graceful  figures  that  recline  on  the  curves  of 
their  arches,  charm  your  eye  in  succession  as 
you  pass  along.  But  how  great  your  astonish- 
ment when  you  reach  the  foot  of  the  altar,  and, 
standing  in  tlie  centre  of  the  church,  contem- 
plate the  four  superb  vistas  that  open  around 
you  ;  and  then  raise  your  eyes  to  the  dome,  at 
the  prodigious  elevation  of  four  hundred  feet, 
extending  like  a  firmament  over  your  head,  and 
presenting  in  glowing  mosaic,  the  companies  of 
the  just,  the  choirs  of  celestial  spirits,  and  the 
whole  hierarchy  of  heaven  arrayed  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Eternal,  whose  '  throne,  raised  above 
all  height,'  cro^i-ns  the  awful  scene." 

A  very  severe  critic,  the  accomplished  but 
cynical  Forsyth,  who  made  his    Italian  tour 


TABHESE  PALACE. 


ITALY. 


137 


somewhat  about  the  same  time,  indulges  in  a 
burst  of  enthusiaem,  as  rare  as,  in  this  instance, 
it  was  fully  justified  by  its  object: 

"The  cupola  is  glorious.  Viewed  in  its 
design,  its  altitntJe,  or  even  its  decorations  ; 
viewed  cither  as  a  whole  or  as  a  part,  it  en- 
chants the  eye,  it  satisfies  the  taste,  it  exhausts 
the  soul.  The  very  air  seems  to  eat  up  all  that 
is  harsh  or  colossal,  and  leaves  us  nothing  but 
the  sublime  to  feast  on — a  sublime  peculiar  as 
the  genius  of  the  immortal  architectj  and  com- 
prehensible only  on  the  spot.  The  four  sur- 
rounding cupolas,  though  but  satellites  to  the 
majesty  of  this,  might  have  crowned  four  ele- 
gant churches." 

And  Billiard,  in  his  "  Six  Months  in  Italy," 
writes  with  no  less  enthusiasm  than  his  prede- 
cessor Forsyth,  whom  he  fully  equals  in  his 
appreciation  of  art  and  his  grace  of  description, 
without  being  in  any  way  marred  by  the  repell- 
ing harshness  of  his  unsparing  censure.  The 
elegant  and  fair-minded  American  writer  thus 
treats  of  this  matchless  work  of  human  art: 

"  ITie  pilgrim  is  now  beneath  the  dome.  The 
spirit  of  criticism,  which  has  hither  m  attended 
him  with  whispers  of  doubt,  goes  no  further. 
Astonishme.lt  and  admiration  break  upon  the 
mind  and  carry  it  away.  To  say  that  the  dome 
of  St.  Peter's  is  sublime,  is  a  cold  commonplace. 
In  sublimity  it  is  so  much  beyond  all  other 
architectural  creations,  that  it  demands  epithetb 
af  its  own.  There  is  no  work  of  man's  hand 
that  is  similar  or  second  to  it.  Vast  as  it  is,  it 
rests  upon  its  supporting  piers  in  such  serene 
tranquillity,  that  it  seems  to  have  been  lifted 
and  expanded  by  the  elastic  force  of  the  air 
which  it  clasps.  Under  its  majestic  vault  the 
soul  dilates.  To  act  like  the  hero — to  endure 
like  the  martyr— ^seems  no  more  than  the  natu- 
ral state  of  man." 

So  majestic,  so  holy,  did  St.  Peter's  appear  to 
.JIadame  de  Stael,  that  she  represents  Corinne 
and  Oswald  hushed  into  silence  as  Ciiey  enter 
thetemple,  and  first  comprehend  its  sublimity. 
The  Pantheon,  at  Rome,  which  takes  its  name 
from  the  Greek  word  ParUheos,  meaning  all  the 
gods,  is  the  most  famous  structure  of  the  kind 
of  ancient  times.  It  stands  near  the  centre  of 
the  Campus  Martins,  and  after  a  lapse  of  nine- 
teen centuries,  is  the  best  pr-jserved  of  all  the 
wonders  of  antiquity.  It  was  erected  by  M. 
Agrippa,  son-in-law  of  Augustus  Caesar,  20  B.C. 


ARCH   OF  DEUSUS. 


In  608  A.D.,  it  was  consecrated  as  a  Christian 
church  by  Boniface  IV.,  under  the  name  of 
Santa  Maria  ad  Martyres,  but  it  is  generally 
called  by  its  ancient  name  of  the  Pantheon. 
The  architect  is  said  to  have  been  one  Valerius 
of  Cstia.  It  consists  of  a  rotunda  with  a  noble 
Corinthi.an  octastyle  portico  attached  to  it,  and 
resembles  in  its  general  mafs  the  Colosseimi  in 
the  Regent's  Park,  London,  except  that  the  body 
of  the  latter  building  is  a  polygon  of  nixteen 
sides,  and  its  portico  (a  Grecian  Doric  hexa- 
style)  is  only  a  single  intercolumn  in  depth. 
That  the  portico  of  the  Pantheon  was  erected 
by  Agrippa,  the  son-in-law  of  Augustus,  is  tes- 
tified by  the  inscription  on  the  frieze:  "  M. 
Agrippa,  L.  F.  Cos.  Tertium  Fecit."  After 
being  robbed  of  its  rich  ornaments,  gilded 
bronze-work,  and  statues,  it  was  consecrated  as 
a  Christian  church  in  the  seventh  centuiy.  It 
is  by  far  the  largest  circular  structure  of  ancient 
times,  the  external  diauieter  being  one  hundred 
and  eighty -eight  feet,  and  the  height  of  the 
summit  of  the  upper  cornice  one  hundred  and 


two  feet,  exclusive  of  the  flat  dome,  which 
makes  the  entire  height  about  one  hundred 
and  forty-eight  feet.  The  portico,  one  hun- 
dred and  three  feet  wide,  is  octastyle,  but 
there  are  in  all  sixteen  columns.  The  columns 
are  forty-seven  English  feet  high,  with  bases 
and  capitals  of  white  marble,  and  granite 
shafts,  each  formed  of  a  single  piece.  The  in- 
terior diameter  is  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
feet,  the  thickness  of  the  wall  being  twenty- 
three  feet  through  the  piers,  between  the  ax- 
hedriE  or  recesses,  which,  including  that  of  the 
entrance,  are  eight  in  number.  The  dome  has 
a  circular  opening  in  the  centre,  which  lights, 
the  interior.  The  walls  of  the  portico  were 
covered  with  the  most  beautiful  marble  basso- 
relievos.  The  floor  was  of  blocks  of  marble 
and  porphyry,  more  than  seven  feet  in  diam- 
eter. The  inside  of  the  roof  was  covered 
with  plates  of  bronze,  which  were  removed  by 
order  of  Urban  VIII.,  to  make  the  pillars  and 
the  baldaccMno  of  the  high  altar  of  St.  Peter's. 
The  bronze  with  wnich  the  other  parts  of  the 
building  were  ornamented  had  been  carried  off 
by  Constantine  II.,  in  663,  with  the  intentior 
of  taking  it  to  ornament  Constantinople,  but 
the  vessels  which  were  laden  with  it  were  plun- 
dered by  the  Saracens,  who  carried  them  to 
Alexandria. 


COLOSSEUM   AT   KOHB — BXTEBIOO, 


Costume  of  Milanese  Ladies. 
The  people  of  Milan  were  remarkable  for  the 
richness  of  the  dress,  and  the  magnificence  of 
their  taste.  The  Milan  armor  was  famous  for 
its  temper  and  beauty  of  workmanship,  and  m 
like  manner  the  female  costumes  were  equally 
celebrated.  The  ladies  of  Lombardy  were  also 
proverbial  for  their  elegance,  as  well  as  for 
the  courtliness  of  their  manners.  A  century 
later,  French  fashions  made  their  appearance, 
and  considerably  disfigured  the  simple  d'j.Tiiti' 
of  the  Lombard  matron.  The  costumes  we 
illustrate  were  worn  at  the  palmiest  period  of 
Italian  art. 


133 


THE     WOBLD'S    GREA.T    NATIONS, 


The  Misericordia  at  Plorence.  ~^ 

Florence  is  one  of  the  most  luediEeval 
of  cities,  and  has,  since  the  days  of  the 
Medici,  heen  a  perfect  sanctuary  of  art. 
Its  glorious  galleries  have,  however,  been 
scattered  and  sold  to  the  wealthy  col- 
lectors of  England  and  France. 

The  Middle  Ages  survive  in  many 
monuments  and  institutions.  Among 
these  is  the  Misericordia,  and  confrater- 
nity for  the  care  of  those  Injured  by  ac- 
cident, or  seized  by  jiestilence  or  sudden 
disease,  and  for  their  decent  burial  in  case 
of  death.  The  funerals,  a  sketch  of  cue  of 
which  we  give,  remind  one  of  the  pes- 
tilence described  by  Boccaccio. 

The  corpse  is  carried  out  at  night  by 
members  of  the  Confraternity,  each 
enveloped  in  a  long  black  habit,  the 
head  and  face  covered  by  a  shapeless 
hood,  with  merely  apertures  for  the  eyes. 
Others,  similarly  attired,  followed  with 
lighted  torches  ;  they  move  not  at  a 
Blow  funeral  pace,  but  quickly,  chanting 
as  they  go  the  funeral  service.  The  scene 
is  strikingly  impressive. 

In  case  of  accident,  a  sumnvons  from 
a  church-bell,  a  peculiar  mournful  toll, 
is  sufficient  to  draw  the  brethren  to  the 
This  society,  which,  while  performing;  its  duties, 
thus  defies  individual  identification,  is  com- 
posed of  gentlemen  of  every  rank,  as  well  as 
members  of  the  lower  classes.  The  last  grand 
duke  was  a  brother  of  the  Misericordia,  and 
during  the  cholera  was  never  absent  from  his 
post,  although  it  was  i  mpossible,  or  nearly  so, 
to  detect  him  in  the  disguise  assumed  in  the 
work  of  charity. 


spot. 


Ancient  Venetmn  Wine-glasses. 
Venice  took  up  the  manufacture  of  glass,  the 
rudiments  of  which  were  taught  by  Greek 
workmen  coming  from  Byzantium  (Constanti- 
nople), who  in  their  turn  had  learnt  it  from  the 
ancient  Roman,  Greek  and  Phoenician  workmen. 
Even  before  the  thirteenth  century  began,  the 
Venetians  were  in  full  activity  supplying  the 
markets  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, principally 
with  ornamental  ar- 
ticles, such  as  beads  and 
imitation  jewels.  The 
island  of  Murano  was 
given  up  to  the  glass- 
workers,  and  remains, 
indeed,  to  this  day  the 
place  where  the  Vene- 
tian glass  is  still  to  ba 
seen  being  manufac- 
tured, though  not  in 
the  same  state  of  finish 
and  taste  for  ornament, 
nor  to  the  same  extent, 
and  was  maintained  up 
to  the  eighteenth 
century,  when  Bohe- 
mian workmen  became 
rivals  in  the  art  and 
competitors  in  com- 
merce. Murano  gra- 
dualy  lost  its  trade, 
and    the   glasoworkers 


.    ANCIENT  VENETIAN   WINE-GLASSES. 

those  exclusive  privileges  which  had  been 
granted  them  by  the  old  republic  of  Venice. 
At  present  it  is  occupied  in  prwlucing  very 
clumsy  imitations  of  the  beautiful  old  latti- 
cinio  (lace  glass)  and  miUe-fiore  (flowered-glass), 
■with  occasionally  some  new  application  of 
spun-glass,  such  as  the  pretty  basket-work 
articles  -which  have  recently  been  introduced 
into  our  chops. 

In  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  the 
great  masters  in  the  glassworks  of  Venice  were 
so  esteemed  that  they  were  the  rivals  of  the  old 
nobility,  and  filled  tlie  highest  positions  in  the 
State.  The  art  was  not  confined  to  making 
vessels  for  domestic  use,  such  as  those  shown  in 
our  ili'lstration,  but  the  largest  chandeliers 
were  made,  and  these  were  ornamented  with 
the  most  elaborate  devices  in  flowers  of  every 
color  and  form,  with  fantastic  branches  and 
pendents  in  imitation  of  crystals  and  jewels 


A  BOMAN   BIOA,  OR   TWO-HORSE   CHARIOT. 


Occasionally  these  magnificent  chan- 
deliers arc  seen  in  the  salerooms,  and 
many  are  still  used  in  the  old  halls  of 
the  nobility  ;  there  are  also  several  in 
South  Kensington  Museum,  London, 
<!ome  of  which  belonged  to  the  Soul- 
ages  Collection,  as  the  spedmenB  of  wine- 
glasses did  which  we  have  selected. 

The  peculiarity  of  the  Venetian  glass 
is  its  remarkable  lightness,  the  elegance 
of  its  form,  and  the  purity  of  the  col- 
ored portions,  especially  where  flowers 
are  imitated  in  opaque  glass.  A  good 
example  is  the  wine-glass  with  the  stem 
formed  in  spikes  and  flowers,  with 
scrolls.  The  bowl  of  these  glasses  was 
mide  always  as  delicate  as  possible,  and 
there  was  a  superstitious  notion  that  if 
poison,  which  in  those  days  of  Venice 
was  not  uncommon,  were  in  the  wine 
the  glass  would  detect  it  by  instantly 
bursting.  These  glasses  were  much 
larger  than  ours,  being  generally  from 
—  eight  inches  to  a  foot  or  more  ia 
height. 

The  Venetians  were  fond  of  grotesques, 
and  frequently  made  vessels  in  the  shape- 
of  animals,  sometimes  molded,  but  more 
commonly  blown  into  form.  The  goblet  with 
the  stag  is  one  of  these,  and  it  also  shows  a 
contrivance  like  a  syphon,  of  which  the  body 
and  neck  of  the  stag  are  the  short  limb, 
communicating  witli  (hi  central  tube  by  the 
legs,  through  which  the  wine  would  flow  by 
the  mouth  of  the  stag  into  a  small  glass  when 
the  goblet  was  slightly  tilted,  the  object, 
perhaps,  being  to  obtain  the  wine  without 
disturbing  any  dregs  there  might  be  in  the 
liquor. 

Large  bowls  or  tazze  were  also  made  in  various 
ornamental  shapes,  and  on  these,  frequently, 
very  beautiful  patterns  were  painted  in  enamel 
colors,  some  of  the  best  being  a  very  good  imi- 
tation of  the  eye  of  the  peacock's  feather, 
beautifully  arranged  in  circles  round  the  vessel, 
and  giving  a  very  charming  etfect.  But  a  most 
pleasing  kind  of  glasswork  is  that  by  which  the 
appearance  of  white  or  colored  network,  like 
lace,  is  given,  inclosed 
in  the  transparent  glass 
which  foims  the  vessel, 
and  leaving  a  small 
air-bubble  in  th< 
meshes. 

Another  effect  is  giveui 
by  inclosing  slices  of 
colored  strips,  formed 
of  several  different 
colors  melted  together. 
All  these  kinds  of 
glass  manufacture  have 
been  recently  very 
successfully  revived 
principally  through  the 
researches  of  Mr.  Aps- 
ley  Pellat,  the  well, 
known  manufacturer ; 
but  the  characteristic 
delicacy  of  thi-  old 
Venetian  g  1  a  o  s  has 
never  yet  been  equaled. 
The  first  glass  factory 
in  England  appears  to 


ITALY. 


13» 


have  'been  established  in  1557,  it  the  Savoy- 
House,  in  the  Stnmd,  and  ia  1G35  a  patent  was 
prrantcd  *o  Sir  Robert  Mansell  for  glassmaking, 
and  empowering  him  to  import  Venetian  glass. 
In  IGVO,  also,  the  second  Duke  of  Buckingham 
brought  over  some  Venetian  glassworkers  to 
settle  ill  London  ;  but 
the  great  adranceo  in 
glassworii  have  been 
made  by  our  own 
manufacturers  during 
the  last  thirty  yeara, 
tliough  principally  in 
the  direction  of  large 
plate  and  every  kind 
of  molded  and  cu '; 
glass  in  pure  crys- 
'tal. 

The  colored  glass 
manufacture  is  still  in 
the  hands  of  the  French 
and  Germans  for  all 
the  superior  kinds. 


Eastern  Lanterns  and  Torches. 
It  is  very  probable  that  the  lanterns  men- 
tioned in  the  Bible  were  such  as  are  now  used 
in  Western  Asia.     These  are  of  a  very  simple 
construction.     They  consist  of  a  round  top  of 


Pontifical  Mass 
St.  Peter's. 


in 


On  Christmas  Day, 
the  religious  cere- 
monies observed  in  the 
basilica  of  St.  Peter'a 
were  of  a  peculiarly 
exalting  character. 
The  ecclesiastical  dig- 
nitaries of  the  Catholic 
world — venerable  ser- 
vants of  God  —  were 
assembled  within  hear- 
ing of  their  aged 
chief,  who  intoned, 
with  his  rich  and 
still  powerful  voice, 
the  prayers  and  gospel 
lessons  that  formed  the 
ante-communion  ser- 
vices. The  engraving 
includes  only  that  part 
of  the  hall  in  which 
the  archbishops, 
bishops,  etc.,  are  as- 
sembled. Before  the 
administration  of  the 
communion,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  service, 
the  Pope  retired  from 
the  altar,  and  walking 
to  the  throne,  knelt 
there,  until,  with  the 
Bicred  vessels  contain- 
ing the  consecrated 
water  and  wine,  the 
sub-deacon  and  cardi- 
nal deacon  advanced, 
when  he  partook  of 
the  sacrament.  Sub- 
sequently he  adminis- 
tered the  rite  to  the 
cardinals,  archbishops, 
bishops,  senators,  etc.,  etc.,  in  attendance 
the  close  oi  the  Mass  he  retire.  1. 


bottom  and  the  cover,  bo  that  the  candle  rises 
through  it,  remaining  as  exposed  as  a  candle  in 
a  broad-bottomed  candlestick.  When  raised  by 
the  hand,  however,  the  cloth  cylinder  is  un- 
folded, and  the  size  of  the  lantern,  which  is 
from  two  to  three  feet  in  height,  by  a'oout  nine- 
inches  round,  is  then 
seen.  Such  lanterns  as 
these  are  used  in  Egypt 
and  Persia.  Speaking 
of  the  traveling  of  the 
people  in  the  former 
country,  Pococke  says, 
"  By  night  they  rarely 
make  use  of  tents,  but 
lie  in  the  open  air, 
having  large  lanterns 
made  like  a  pocket 
paper  lantern,  the  bot- 
tom and  the  top  being- 
of  copper  tinned  over ; 
and  instead  of  paper, 
they  are  made  with 
linen,  which  is  ex- 
tended by  hoops  of 
wires,  so  that,  when  it 
is  put  together,  it  serves 
as  a  candlestick,  etc.,- 
and  they  have  a  con- 
trivance to  hang  it  up. 
abroad,  by  means  of 
three  staves." 

Of  Oriental  forchesi 
it  may  be  said  that 
those  in  modem  uso 
may  also,  like  lanterns, 
be  such  as  were  used, 
anciently.  They  •con- 
sist of  a  kind  of  grate, 
iu  the  form  of  a  cup,, 
for  containing  the  com- 
bustibles, sometimes, 
with,  but  more  fre- 
quently without,  a  re- 
ceptacle below  fcr 
receiving  whatever  par- 
ticles might  fall  from 
the  grate.  They  ara 
mounted  sometimes 
(and  more  especially 
when  used  in  caravans 
during  an  encamp- 
ment) on  very  tall 
poles,  which  are  stuck 
upright  in  the  ground; 
thus  serving  at  once  r.a 
beacons,  and  for  afford- 
ing light  to  the  ca- 
ravan. 


At 


Pkovbrbial  wisdom  teaches  more  In  one  hour 
than  a  largo  volume  of  morality. 


tinned  copper,  furnished  with  a  handle,  and  a 
similar  bottom,  also  provided  with  a  stand  for 
a  candle.  Between  these  is  a  cylinder  of  waxed 
cloth  or  white  paper,  extended  over  rings  of 
wire.  When  rested  on  the  ground,  these  rings 
Iccome  pressed,  or  folded  down,  between  the 


A  Eoman  Eiga. 
The  Eoman  chariot- 
is  a  vehicle  with  whose 
form  ancient  coins  and 
sculptures  have  made- 
us  more  familiar  thaar 
those  of  other  nations. 
The  biga,  or  two-horse  chariot,  and  quadriga, 
or  four-horse  chariot,  was  so  often  represented 
on  their  coins,  that  with  the  ancient  Germans 
these  were  the  test  of  genuineness,  and  as  the- 
Chinese  would  recognize  only  the  Spanish  pillar 
dollar,  so  the  flaxen-haiied  warriotsof  Hennann 


14U 


THE    WOELD'a    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


lehook  their  heads  at  any  Roman  coin  without 
a  chariot,  and  at  least  a  pair  of  prancing  steeds. 
.Still  we  cannot  but  wonder  that  ancient  inge- 
nuity was  never  employed  to  give  greater 
•comfort  to  a  vehicle  which  must  have  been 
clumsy  and  unwieldy  for  the  horses,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  terribly  uncomfortable  to  the 
rider.  One  of  our  fine  modern  ladies  would 
certainly  die  of  shattered  constitution  after  a 
drive  round  Central  Park  in  the  finest  Roman 
chariot  ever  built  for  a  Roman  empress:  which 
induces  the  belief  that  the  fashionable  ladies 
of  the  days  of  the  Caesars  were  strong-nerved 
if  not  strong-minded  women. 


Pountain  at  the  Villa  Aldobrandini, 

at  Frascati. 
In  a  country  like  Italy,  abounding  in  the 
finest  productions  of  ancient  art,  we  should 
expect  to  find  pure  taste  prevailing  in  modem 
works,  as  nothing  further  would  be  required 
than  to  work  in  the  spirit  of  the  ancient  mod- 


VBNECIAN  COSrUlCB   IN   SIXTEENTH  CENTCKY. 


are  not  of  very  recent  proauction,  but  belong, 
for  the  most  part,  to  the  last  century,  when 
taste  throughout  Europe  was  at  its  lowest  ebb. 
A  slow  but  gradual  improvement  characterizes 
the  works  of  art  produced  during  the  last  five- 
and-twenty  years,  and  signs  of  still  further 
improvement  are  evident. 

Taste  has  become  more  catholic,  and  artists 
are  no  longer  infatuated  with  one  period  of  art, 
but  complacently  identify  themselves  with  the 
genius  and  fancy  of  all  ages.  A  complacent 
disposition  is  always  a  very  judicious  thing,  for 
we  deprive  ourselves  of  many  pleasures  in  de- 
ciding that  it  is  rational  to  .indulge  in  only 
a  single  kind  of  pleasure. 

Among  the  fantastic  things  stigmatised  by 
travelers,  some  are  really  very  ugly  when  ex- 
amined closely  ;  but  the  general  efiect  is  almost 
always  agreeable  and  amusing  to  the  eye.  It 
is  in  their  gardens,  especially,  that  the  Italian 
signiors  display  their  wealth  of  puerile  inven- 
tion, which  we  could  not  see  disappear  without 
regret:  the  great  fountains— immense  construo- 


COSTUME  OF  MILAKBSR  LADIES. 

els  constantly  present,  although  we  might  not 
liope  to  equal  them.     But  the  mind  seems  to 
grow  insensible  to  the  higher  influences,  and 
itakes  pleasure   in    reveling    in 
its  own  puerile  ties.     Bad  taste 
prevails  even  to  the  extent  of 
mixing    up    puerile    and    gro- 
tesque modem  productions  with 
the  excellencies  of  ancient  sculp- 
ture. 

There  is  a  fashion,  too,  in 
these  vagaries :  at  one  time 
Chinese  models  are  followed,  at 
others  Swiss  or  Dutch  ;  then  a 
classic  period  prevails,  and 
■everything  constructive  is  Greek 
or  Roman,  caricatured  ;  but  the 
so-called  Gothic  afforded  the 
greatest  scope  for  eccentricities, 
and  the  absurdities  perpetrated 
Tinder  this  name  afford  an  un- 
bounded field  lor  amusement 
and  criticism  on  the  part  of 
those  whose  taste  is  cultivated. 

Tourists  in  Italy  think  it  in- 
cumbent upon  them  to  rail  at 


FEMALE   P.IDUAN   C0STDME3 — SIXTEEKTH   CENTCRT. 


the  bad  taste  displayed  in  the  accessories  of 
Italian  country  villas ;  but  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  the  objects  of  their  indignation 


VEEONA  COSTUMES  IN  THE   FIFTEENTH  OKNTCJlT. 


tions  of  lava,  mosaic,  and  cement — which  frcjes 
^  the  height  of  a  mountain  pour  down  the  wateis 
I  of  a  torrent  in  a  thousand  rills  and  cascades 
flowing  past  the  very  door  oi 
the  house  ;  or  the  large  interior 
courts,  a  kind  of  country  mu- 
seum, where,  alongside  a  vase 
brought  from  the  villas  of  Ti- 
berius, grins  a  triton  of  the  ag-> 
of  Louis  XIV.,  and  where  th.* 
Madonna  smiles  in  a  chapel 
surrounded  by  mythological 
fawns  and  dryads  ;  or  the  laby- 
rinth of  splendid  staircases  ii 
the  style  of  Watteau,  wbicl 
seem  intended  for  some  cere- 
mony of  a  triumphant  people, 
but  which  lead  to  a  Summer^ 
house  that  appears  astonished 
and  ashamed  of  its  gigantk 
pedestal,  or  to  a  bed  of  common 
tulipS;  or  the  flower-beds  —  a 
work  of  patience,  which  con- 
gists  in  designing  upon  the 
pavement  of  a  vast  court,  oi 
•'Don  the  immense  terraces  of  a 


ITALY. 


141 


VIOL  DE  GAMBA. 

pardon,  arabesques,  designs  of  hangings,  and  es- 
pecially the  family  arms,  with  compartments  of 
flowers,  dwarf  plants,  marbles,  china,  slate,  and 
brick  ;  or  hydraulic  concerts,  or  figures  in  stones 
and  bronze  playing  upon  various  musical  instru- 
ments, by  means  of  the  waters  of  the  fountains  ; 
lastly,  grottoes  of  shells,  Saracenic  castles  in 
ruins,  gardens  in  granite,  and  a  thousand  other 
drolleries,  which  excite  laughter  by  the  thought 
that  they  have  made  a  generation  more  simple 
than  ours  laugh  heartily. 

The  finest  fountains  to  the  Campana  di  Roma 
are  in  the  gardens  of  the  Villa  Aldobrandini, 
at  Frascati.  These  gardens  were  designed  and 
adoraei  by  Fontana  in  the  sides  of  a  mountain, 
admirably  planted,  and  watered  by  running 
streams.  In  a  corner  of  the  park,  the  rock  has 
been  cut  into  the  form  of  a  mask,  and  the 
mouth  of  this  Polyphemus  made  into  a  cavern, 
in  which  many  persons  at  a  time  might  find 
Shelter.  The  pendent  branches  and  parasitic 
plants  serve  to  form  the  eyebrows  and  beard  of 
this  fantastic  face  reflected  in  the  pool  below. 

The  decay  of  these  princely  decorations,  and 
the  state  of  neglect  into  which  many  of  them 
have  been  allowed  to  fall,  impart  to  them  a 
great  charm,  and  from  playful  buffooneries  all 
these  allegories  and  surprises  have  become  mel- 
ancholy and  austere. 

Ivy  frequently  embraces  the  shapeless  ruins, 
giving  them  a  most  antique  aspect,  escaping 
from  their  stone  prisons  to  chant  their  per- 
petual youth  over  the  ruins  of  a  luxury  which 
a  day  has  seen  bom  and  die. 


AETiFinE. — A  man  of  sense  may  disdain  arti- 
fice as  a  rich  man  may  wear  a  plain  coat. 


Viol  de  Gamba,. 

The  viol  is  an  ancient  musical  stringed  in- 
strument, long  suparseded  by  the  violin,  and 
other  instruments  of  that  family,  of  which  it 
may  be  considered  the  parent.  Its  general 
shape  was  that  of  the  violin,  and  it  was  furnished 
with  six,  and  sometimes  with  more,  strings,  the 
tones  of  which  were  regulated  by  being  brought 
by  the  fingers  into  contact  with  frets  placed  at 
regular  intervals  along  the  neck,  and  was 
played  on  by  a  bow. 

Viols  were  of  three  kinds:  the  treble,  called 
also  the  viola  alto,  or  viola  de  braccia,  which  bore 
some  resemblance  to  the  modern  violin.  The 
viol  de  gimha,  or  viol  of  the  leg,  so  called  because 
it  was  held  by  the  performer  between  the  legs, 
was  the  survivor  of  its  numerous  kinds,  and  re- 
mained in  use  until  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  nearly  one  liundred  years  after  all  other 
viols  had  disappeared.  Tliis,  in  turn,  has  been 
superseded  by  the  violinccUo. 


ITALIAN   SEBVANTS  IN   THE   SIXTEENTH   CENTUEY. 


Verona  Costumes. 
Verona  for  several  centuries  remained  under 
the  rule  of  Venice,  and  partook  of  the  magnifi- 
cent and  festive  character  of  that  City  of  the 
Sea.  Our  illustration  represents  costumes  com- 
mon in  the  fifteenth  century. 


Female  Paduan  Costumes  —  16tli  Century. 

Padua,  the  birth-placa  of  Livy,  the  historian, 
and  Belzoni,  the  traveler,  has  likewise  the 
honor  of  having  educated  Tasso  and  Columbus, 
since  at  its  far-famed  university  those  great 
names  in  poetry  and  discovery  finished  their 
academical  career.  It  has,  also,  long  been 
celebrated  for  the  beauty  and  elegance  of  its 
women.  How  nearly  the  fashions  of  three  cen- 
turies ago  resemble  those  now  in  vogue 
reader's  glance  will  at  once  discover. 


Venetian  Costume  in  tlie  16th  Century. 

Italian  costumes  were  by  far  the  most  pictur- 
esque in  the  Middle  Ages,  whether  this  is  to  be 
ascribed  to  greater  artistic  taste,  or  to  the  influ- 
ence of  a  few  whose  ideas  guided  the  masses. 
Our  modem  garb  which  has  invaded  all  Euro- 
pean nations — even  the  Turks,  displacing  their 
flowing  robes — has  in  its  favor  neither  beauty, 
convenience,  nor  working  utility.  Women  fare, 
perhaps,  worse  than  men,  and  are  doomed  to 
dresses  utterly  unsuited  to  their  general  duties. 
The  dress  of  the  olden  time  seems  certainly  to 
have  been  adapted  to  exertion  and  health.  But 
fashion  has  its  vagaries,  and  there  is  no  redress. 

Just,  for  instance,  as  the  Turks  abandon  the 
loose,  short  trowsers  for  the  more  closely-fitting 
pantaloon,  and  the  coat  for  a  looser  jacket  or 
robe,  the  French  army  takes  up  the  discarded 
dress,  and  gives  us  Zouaves  and  Turcos. 


Italian  Servants  in  the  Sixteenth  Century. 
We  question  if  the  social  mind  of  Europe  ever 
moved  in  a  brighter  circle  than  in  the  sixteenth 
century.  It  was  the  epoch  of  most  of  Shakes- 
peare's plots,  when  the  tendency  of  the  age  was 
to  adventurous  intrigue  and  daring.  The  con- 
sequence was,  that  those  echoes  of  their  masters, 
1  the  vtdela  and  confidantes,  were  really  men  of  mark, 


inasmuch  as  they  represented  their  masters,  and 
consequently  were  the  embodiments  of  the  age. 
All  readers  of  Shakespeare  will  look  with  inter- 
est upon  our  sketch  of  the  Italian  servants  of 
the  sixteenth  century. 


Etruscan  Vases. 

The  Greek  and  Roman  vases  serve  a  most 
useful  and  valuable  purpose  ;  they  inform  us  of 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  ancients,  especi- 
ally the  Greeks.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  deli- 
cacy of  the  design  and  the  beauty  of  the  coloring, 
which  retains  its  freshness  undimmed  to  the 
present  time.  Prom  the  fact  that  a  very  large 
proportion  of  these  vases  were  found  in  the 
cemeteries  of  Etruria,  tliey  were  formerly  called 
Etruscan,  although  they  more  properly  belong 
to  the  Greeks,  the  Egyptians,  and  the  Phoeni- 
cians, from  the  two  last  nations  of  whom  the 
Greeks  receive  1  the  art. 

The  paintings  on  the  vases  afford  the  greatest 
amount  of  interest.  The  earliest  decorations 
were  exceedingly  simple,  consisting  mainly  of 


rOLXTAIX    at    THE    VILLA    ALDOBRANDINI. 

double  bands,  the  more  prominent  parts  being 
ornamented  with  lines  variously  drawn ;  then 
animals  were  attempted,  and  next  the  human 
form ;  in  short,  the  progress  of  vase  painting 
was  about  concurrent  with  the  advancement  in 

sculpture. 

<i^i> 

Naples  and  Mount  Vesuvius. 

Naples,  witli  its  unrivaled  beauty,  its  climate 
unsurpassed,  a  sky  that  is  a  type  of  all  that  is 
lovely — Naples,  which  the  proverb  says  we  may 
see  and  then  die,  is,  after  all,  one  of  those  strange 
contrasts  of  beauty  and  hideoiisness,  life  and 
death. 

The  three  hills  on  which  the  city  stands,  to  say 
nothing  of  Vesuvius  on  one  side,  the  Solfatara 
on  the  other,  together  with  Agnano  and  Astruni, 
are  really  three  exhausted  and  worn  down  craters, 
which  may  any  day  resume  their  o!d  career, 
and  atoning  for  the  sleep  of  centuries,  hurl 
Naples,  her  churches  and  nobles,  her  convents 
and  lazzaroni  as  summarily  from  their  presence 


142 


THE    WOKLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


■as  the  Neapolitans  recently  did   their  na- 
tional existence. 

Like  Egypt,  Naples  seems  doomed  never 
to  have  native  rulers.  France  and  Spain 
for  centuries  battled  for  the  crown  of  the 
Two  Sicilies,  and  when  the  Bourbons  at 
last  ruled  France  and  Spain,  revolution  and 
a  new  race  in  France  combined  to  hurl 
the  last  Bourbon  from  the  throne  of 
Naples,  and  the  two  kingdoms  sunk  into 
provinces  of  the  new  realm  brought  to- 
gether for  a  moment  by  the  heir  of  the 
Duke  of  Savoy. 

As  you  tread  the  streets  of  Naples,  every- 
"thiag  recalls  these  natural  and  moral 
(Convulsions.  Every  street  is  paved  with 
broad  flags  of  dark  lava ;  volcanic  dibris 
enter  into  the  material  of  the  houses,  and 
the  working  of  lava  into  articles  for  use 
and  ornament  gives  employment  to  the 
people. 

The  city  rises  like  an  amphitheatre  at 
the  back  "of  a  magnificent  bay  more  than 
thirty  miles  in  circumference,  which,  from 
the  beauty  and  luxuriance  of  ita  shores, 
£,Qd  the  picturesqueness  of  its  scattered 
islands,  is  unrivaled.  The  view  of  the  city 
from  the  head  of  the  bay,  when  seen  for 
the  first  time,  appears  too  lovely  to  be  real. 
It  runs  in  a  long,  gentle  curve  around  the  sea- 
chore,  rising  inland  up  the  declivities  of  the 
gentle  hills,  which,  above  the  line  of  the  city, 
are  covercl  with  vineyards  and  gardens,  and 
speckled  with  villas  and  monasteries.  To  the 
Tight  of  the  city,  four  miles  distant,  rises  the 
conical  shape  of  Vesuvius,  with  Portici  and 
Kesina  reposing  at  its  foot  upon  the  grave  of 
Herculaneum. 

Vesuvius,  our  readers  are  aware,  is  not  an 
ever-burning  volcano,  and  history  records  its 
first  known  outburst.  The  last  violent  eruption 
■WAS  in  1872.  We  give  a  view  of  the  mouths 
feeding  the  great  stream  that  ran  down  by 
Hosiua.  Few  sights  could  exceed  in  grandeur 
that  of  the  two  great  streams  of  liquid  lava 
blowing  down  on  each  side  of  a  ridge  on  which 
stands  the  Observatory  and  Hermitage.  'Ihat 
on  the  left,  after  running  to  a  certain  distance, 
fell  into  a  gigantic  ravine,  known  as  the  Fosso 
di  Faraone,  and  thence  coursed  on  toward  Massa 
di  Somma  and  several  other  towns  and  villages. 
That  one  on  the  right,  equally  destructive  in 
effect  and  terrible  in  form,  dashed  through  the 
Piano  delle  Ginestre,  and  falling  over  cascades, 
descended  into  the  Fosse  Grande,  which  is  traced 
through  cultivated  grounds  down  to  Kesina. 

On  no  evening  has  the  eruption  been  so  fine 


a  fire  that  it  might  have  issued  from  an 
iron  furnace ;  and  so  it  continued,  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  carrying  with  it 
ruin,  poverty,  and  all  but  death. 


ANCIENT  KOMAN   COUCH. 


ETRUSCAN  VASE. 

as  it  was  when  sketched.  The  fouutaius  of  the 
fiery  deep  seemed  to  have  opened  up  with  fresh 
vigor,  and  when  the  artist  visited  the  fatal  spot, 
the  work  of  destruction,  a  little  above  Eesiua,  at 
not  more  than  an  hour's  distance,  was  going  on 
at  a  rapid  rate.  The  vines  were  scorching  and 
lighting  up  like  matches,  whib  the  tall  trees 
shook  like  giants  overcome  with  fear.  There 
was  a  perfect  calm  around,  and  yet  the  trees 
waved  backward  an;l  forward  as  though  struck 
by  a  heavy  wind.  The  peasantry  were  running 
about,  some  of  them  cutting  down  timber,  and 
taking  up  poles  from  the  very  edge  of  the  fire, 
for,  with  the  sanguinencss  of  hope,  they  liad 
left  it  to  the  last  moment ;  most,  however,  stood 
by  silent  and  overwhelmed  with  grief. 

The  width  of  the  living  stream  was  here  about 
eight  hundred  palms.  It  was  black  on  the  sur- 
face for  the  most  part,  for  a  slight  exposure  to 
the  air  hardens  and  darkens  the  exterior,  but, 
rolling  on,  the  fragments  fall  off  from  the  top 
and  face  of  the  stream,  and  then  the  fire  is  seen, 
and  the  intensity  of  heat  is  felt.  Over  this  vast 
black  bed  there  ran,  moreover,  wide  streams  of 
liquid  fire,  so  rel  as  to  dazzle  the  eyes,  and  so 
fluid  as  to  appear  like  gullies.  On  mounting 
they  passed  by  a  house  imbedded  in  the  stream. 
Close  by  it  was  a  handsome  villa,  at  the  foot 
of  which  ran  the  re  I  river,  des- 
troying all  the  grounds.  Higher 
up  was  a  house  which  fell  at 
midday,  and  now  could  only  be 
discovered  by  the  massive  white 
fragments  intermingled  with  the 
black  masses.  A  short  distance 
higher,  and  they  stood  on  the 
spot  of  spots,  from  which  one 
could  look  downward  on  the  roll- 
ing streams  of  fire — for  there 
were  two  in  the  Fosso  Grande — 
and  upward  to  the  sources  which 
fed  them.  The  lava  was  running 
with  the  rapidity  of  a  race-horse  ; 
it  was  running  down  in  the  form 
of  cascades,  of  so  pure  and  liquid 


The  AmpHtheatre  at  Milan. 
Tills  city  was  originally  called  Medio- 
lanum,  and  was  the  capital  of  Liguria,  now 
called  Lombardy ;  it  is  said  to  have  been 
built  by  the  Gauls,  four  hundred  and 
eight  years  before  Christ.  It  was  plundered 
ly  Attila  in  452  a.d.  ;  in  1101  it  became  an 
i.idependent  republic,  but,  in  1158,  the 
Emperor  Frederick  I.,  sumamed  Barba- 
rossa,  took  the  city,  and  appointed  a  po- 
desta.  Four  years  afterward  it  rebelled, 
when  it  was  retaken  by  the  emperor,  and 
totally  destroyed.  Seven  years  afterward 
it  was  rebuilt,  and  fortified.  Since  then 
it  had  a  checkered  existence,  till,  in  1395, 
John  Visconti  assumed  the  title  of  Duke 
of  Milan.  In  1499  it  was  conquered  by 
Louis  XII.  of  France,  who  was  expelled 
by  the  Spaniards  in  1525,  and  soon  after- 
ward annexed  to  the  crown  of  Spain,  under 
whose  rule  it  remained  till  1714,  when  if; 
was  ceded  to  Austria.  It  was  afterward 
retaken  by  the  French,  and,  in  1805,  Na- 
poleon I.  was  here  crowned  as  King  of  Italy. 
At  the  peace  of  Villafranca  it  was  transferred 
to  Victor  Emmanuel,  and  now  forms  part  of  the 
United  Kingdom  of  Italy.  The  Amphitheatre 
was  built  by  the  First  Napoleon,  and  has  been 
devoted  to  public  games  and  spectacles,  for 
which  it  is  admirably  adapted.  Its  vast  area 
can  easily  be  flooded  with  water,  and  naval 
exhibitions  have  often  been  given  there.  It  is 
said  to  have  been  the  site  of  a  Boman  amphi- 
theatre, which  is  very  probable. 


Ancient  Oouches. 


OcR  fashionable  ladies  will  find  it  difficult  to 
realize  how  the  women  of  ancient  times  could 
taste  the  repose  of  sleep  on  the  apparently 
uncomfortable  couches  of  their  time,  yet  on 
such  as  we  represent  did  the  Lucretias  and  Cleo- 
patras  rest  their  weary  limbs.  In  those  days 
the  wealthy  citizens  reclined  at  their  meals,  and 
to  accommodate  these  recumbent  epicurian?, 
the  cups  out  of  which  they  drank  were  made  in 
the  shape  of  a  horn,  out  of  whose  small  end  they 
took  their  "potations  pottle  deep."  The  an- 
cient writers  abound  in  descriptions  of  their 
costly  workmanship,  many  of  them  being  made 


B0MAI7  I.ANTEEN   AND  TOBCHES. 


ITALY. 


143 


of  ivory  an<!  clonj-,  elab'j- 
Tately  carved  and  brilliiantly 
gilt.  LucuUus  liad  his  ban- 
quetin;^  room  surrounded 
with  couclies  of  the  most 
■expensive  manufficture,  and 
those  devoted  to  his  most 
illustrious  guests  wore  orna- 
mented witli  i)recious  stones. 


ii 


Open-Air  Barber-stop. 

The  Ghetto,  at  Home,  is 
the  Jewish  quarter  where 
ihat  race  has  long  enjoyed 
such  privileges,  that  the  act 
of  1848,  which  threw  it  open 
at  night,  and  brought  it 
under  the  same  rules  as  the 
rest  of  the  city,  while  viewed 
abroad  as  a  creat  act  of 
liberality,  was  deplored  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Ghetto 
Jis  an  abridgment  of  their 
liberties.  Rome  permits  the 
Jews  to  keep  their  stores 
open  on  Sunday,  and  does 
not  prevent  Christians  from 
frequenting  their  shops,  or 
going  to  the  Piazza  Monta- 
nara,  to  get  shaved  at  one  of 
those  open-air  barber-shcps, 
•ill  the  more  agreeable  in 
■tliat  climate,  where  men  so 
patiently  wait  their  turns, 
v.hile  gathering  from  the 
lips  of  the  inexhaustible 
Figaro  the  news  of  the  dis- 
trict, cr,  for  that  matter,  the 
news  of  the  world. 

These  open-air  shops  are 
formed  by  a  primitive  awn- 
ing, supported  by  a  couple  of 
poles,  and  anchored  solidly 
by  some  fragment  of  Rome's 
pristine  greatness.  A  chair 
for  the  patient,  and  one  more, 
constitute  the  furniture  ;  the 
barber's  implements,  easily 
carried,  take  up  little  room. 
Signs,  glasses,  and  luxuries, 
p.re  dispensed  with,  and,  like 
the  ambulant  Chinese  barber, 
he  does  his  work  and  goes 
away. 

Manufacture  of  Comba 
in  Italy. 

The  manufacture  of  combs 
in  Italy  is  carried  on  prin- 
cipally in  Lombard)',  Tus- 
cany, and  the  Neapolitan 
provinces.  In  Tuscany,  es- 
pecially at  Florence,  Lcg- 
liiorn,  and  Arezzo,  they  are 
made  chiefly  of  iron  and 
1x)ne.  At  Naples  they  manu- 
facture excellent  articles  from 
the  hoofs  of  bullocks  and 
liorses,  and  also  from  tortoise- 
shell.  In  Lombardy  the  ma- 
nufacture of  ivory  and  tor- 
toiseshell    combs    is   very 


limited,  whilst,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  great  trade  is  carried 
on  in  combs  of  bone.  Milan 
may  be  said  to  be  the  chief 
seat  of  this  manufacture, 
supplying  not  only  Lom- 
bardy, but  the  whole  of 
Italy. 

This  industry  has  been 
carried  on  in  this  city  for 
more  than  thirty  years. 

Formerly  there  were  only 
a  few  small  manufactories, 
where  this  industry  was 
carried  on  in  a  most  primitive 
manner,  and  the  produce 
was  either  bad  or  costly. 

At  the  present  time  there 
are  two  large  manufactories 
of  combs,  occupying  about 
two  hundred  workmen,  and 
eight  smaller  ones,  occupy- 
ing from  six  to  eight  men 
each,  and,  besides,  there  are 
many  artisans  who  work  at 
their  own  homes  for  th3 
manufactories. 

The  total  number  of  work- 
men employed  in  this  in- 
dustry is  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty.  In  the  other  pro- 
vinces of  Lombardy  there 
are  several  small  manu- 
factories. 

At  Milan  four  thousand 
horns  are  used  per  week — 
that  is  to  say,  two  hundred 
and  eight  thousand  yearly, 
representing  the  value  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  The 
total  value  of  the  produc- 
tion is  estimated  at  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  principal  part  of  the 
raw  material  is  purchased  in 
the  country,  but  some  is 
obtained  from  South  Amer- 
ica, Brazil,  Montevideo,  and 
Buenos  Ayres.  The  refuse  of 
the  manufacture,  such  as  the 
tips  of  the  horns  and  the 
Dcrapings,  are  used  by  turn- 
ers, and  also  are  employed 
for  manure  for  the  cultiva' 
tion  of  olives  and  oranges. 

The  Oapuchin  Cemetery 
at  Palermo, 

Amono  all  the  receptacle^ 
of  human  mortality  none  is 
more  strange  than  that  be- 
neath the  Capuchin  convent 
at  Palenno.  A  sketch  by 
Francesco  Paolo  Priola  re- 
presents it  as  it  appears  on 
All  Souls'  Day,  the  second 
of  November,  when  many 
visit  to  pray  for  their  de- 
parted relatives. 

This  convent  was  erected 
in  1621,  but  the  vaults  have 
been  gradually  enlarged,  till 
tbey  are  now  a  vast  series  ot 


14i 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


THE    CBATER    OF  MOUNT   VESUVIUS. 


ITALY. 


145 


colonnades  lighted 
from  above.  A  flight 
of  marble  steps  leads 
you  down,  and  then  a 
curious  and  wonderful 
spectiicle  meets  the 
eye. 

Ima-;inc  thousands 
of  corpses  in  a  mum- 
my state,  ranged  along 
the  walls  in  three 
rows,  one  above  the 
other,  all  dressed  uni- 
formly in  gray,  liold- 
hig  in  their  hands 
labels  designating 
their  name,  birth  and 
death. 

Coffins  of  mahogany 
and  other  woods, 
covered  with  velvet 
and  satin,  with  gdid 
a.id  silver  trimmings, 
coats  of  arms,  etc.,  are 
piled  up  on  the  floor. 
These  hold  the  illus- 
trious dead  jjrinces, 
nobles,  great  officers. 
But  on  All  Souls'  Day  even  these  are  opencil  to 
(he  public  gaze  Among  others  is  the  crowned 
mummy  of  Ajoja,  son  of  Amida,  Kin^j  of  Tunis, 
vv'ho  became  a  Christian,  and  died  at  Palermo, 
Sept;-mber  20tli,  1052. 

One  hall  contains  fjmales.  Uerc  dead  ladies, 
under  glass-ease3,  will  sport  their  court-dresses 
or  ball-costumes,  or  more  modest  attire-     Tlieso 


OPEN-AIR   BAnCER  S    flloP    IS   Ti:::   PIAZZA   MOXTANARA,  rO.ME. 


bodies  preserve  the  skin,  hair,  beard,  and  nails, 
and  have  no  effluvia  whatever. 

To  prepare  them,  the  dead  body  is  placed  in 
a  perfectly  dark  vavdt  on  a  wooden  frame  over 
a  stream  of  water,  and  this  vault  is  walled  up 
with  lime  for  eight  months.  The  body  is  then 
drawn  out  perfectly  dry  The  expense  is  about 
ten  d  )llar.; 


Eel  Market. 
Eels  are  a  favorite 
Neapolitan  food,  and 
in  Italy  fish-culture 
has  long  been  prac- 
ticed to  insure  a  supply 
of  this  kind  at  least. 
The  eel-bree<!ers  of 
Comacchio  have  long 
been  noted.  The  in- 
come here  derived 
from  this  one  fish  is 
said,  by  a  late  writer 
on  the  "  Harvest  of 
the  Fea,"  to  be  some- 
thing wonderful,  em- 
ploying a  population 
of  seven  thousand. 

The  fish  season  is 
opened  with  great  so- 
lemnity of  prayers, 
and  many  of  those 
cei  cmonies  o  i  the 
Cliurch  peculiar  to 
r.oman  Catholic  com- 
m  u  1 1  i  t  i  e  s — o  n  e  of 
v.hich  is  the  consecra- 
tion of  the  lagoon.  Tlie  labyrinths,  which  have 
Ijeen  constructed  from  hurdles  in  each  watery 
field,  are  crowded  with  fish,  so  that  there  is 
comparatively  little  tnmble  in  the  capture,  and 
the  Salter  waters  of  the  sea  being  let  in,  the 
migratory  instinct  of  the  animal  is  excited,  so 
that  it  becomes  soon  after  an  easy  prey  to  the 
fls'.'.onnc-.i. 


THB   AMPHITilEATRE  OP  JIILAK 


146 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Q 


O 
to 


O 

d 


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w 

o 
P 

P-. 
o 
o 


g 


fa 
o 


Ed 


POMPEII. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

BXOATATED  STBEEnS-  COSIMENCINQ  AN  KXCAVATION— THE   HOUSE  OF  THE  HUNTEB— POKTABLE   KITOHEN-GRECIAN  TOILkT  BASIN— TEPlDASIom 
BAKEBS      Shop— VASES— UBNS— LAMPS— KITCHEN    UTENSILS-SWOKD— STEEL    HELMET— WINE-PITCHEB-GLASS  VESSELS  —  UKN    FOB  WABM, 

INQ  DBiNKS— The  QniESTOR's  HOUSE— Amphitheatee—Plastee  Casts  of  Victims— Pompeian  Lady's  Boudoib-Baths— Candelabra- 
Female  Jewelry  and  Ornaments— Mirboes,  etc roof  of  House— intebioe  — atrium  in  the  House  of  Pansa— Steelyakd - 

WKroHTs,  etc.— Triclinium  ok  Dining-room— Bird  Chariot- BniLDisa  Tools— Public  eoad»— Tomb  of  Scaubcs— Bound  Tomb- 

ToMli  OF  CALVESTIUS  QutETUS— MOSAIC  OF  BATTLE  OF  ISSUS. 

vius.  I  cannot  give  a  more  exact  description 
of  its  figure  than  by  resembling  it  to  that  of 
a  piue-tree,  for  it  shot  up  a  great  height  in  the 
form  of  a  truuk  which  extended  itself  at  the 
top  into  a  sort  of  branches  ;  occasioned,  I  imag- 
ine, either  by  a  sudden  gust  of  air  that  impelled 
it,  the  force  of  which  decreased  as  it  advanced 
upward,  or  the  cloud  itself  being  pressed  back 
again  by  its  own  weight,  expanded  in  this  man- 
ner: it  appeared  sometimes  bright  and  some- 
times dark  and  spotted,  as  it  was  more  or  less 
impregnated  with  earth  and  cinders.  This  ex- 
traordinary phenomenon  excited  my  uncle's 
philosophical  curiosity  to  take  a  nearer  view  of 
it.  He  ordered  a  light  vessel  to  be  got  ready, 
and  gave  me  the  liberty,  if  I  thought  proper,  to 
attend  him.  1  rather  chose  to  continue  my 
studies  ;  for,  as  it  happened,  he  had  given  me 
an  employment  of  that  kind.  As  he  was  coming 
out  of  the  house,  he  received  a  note  from  Rec- 
tina,  the  wife  of  Bassus,  who  was  in  the  utmost 
alarm  at  the  imminent  danger  which  threatened 
her  ;  for  her  villa  being  situated  at  tlie  foot  of 
Mount  Vesuvius,  there  was  no  way  to  escape 
but  by  sea ;  she  earnestly  entreated  him, 
therefor«^  to  come  to  her  assistance.  He  accord- 
ingly changed  his  first  design,  and  what  he 
began  with  a  philosophical,  he  pursued  with  an 
heroical,  turn  of  mind.  He  ordered  the  gallies 
to  put  to  eea,  and  went  himself  on  board, 
with  an  intention  of  assisting  not  only  Rectina, 
but  several  others ;  for  the  villas  stand  ex- 
tremely thick  upcn  chat  beautiful  coast.  When 
hastening  to  the  place  from  whence  others  fled 
with  terror,  he  steered  his  direct  course  to  the 
point  of  danger,  and  with  so  much  calmness 
and  presence  of  mind  as  to  be  able  to  make 
and  dictate  his  observations  upon  the  motion 
and  figure  of  that  dreadful  scene.  He  was  now 
so  nigh  the  mountain,  that  the  cinders,  which 
grew  thicker  and  hotter  the  nearer  he  ap- 
proached, fell  into  the  ships,  together  with 
pumice-stones,  and  black  pieces  of  burning 
rock:  they  were  liicewise  in  danger,  not  only 
of  being  aground  by  the  sudden  retreat  of  the 
sea,  but  also  from  the  vast  fragments  which 
rolled  down  from  the  mountain,  and  obstructed 
all  the  shore.  Here  he  stopped  to  consider 
whether  he  should  return  back  again  ;  to  which 


AILS  most  interesting  city,  which,  after 
a  burial  of  eighteen  centuries,  has 
l.ttely  raised  its  form  from  the  grave, 
like  an  architectural  Lazarus,  was 
totally  de-itroyed  on  the  24th  of  August,  a.d.  7'.). 
It  is  so  graphically  descrilied  by  the  younger 
Pliny  in  a  letter  to  the  illustrious  historian, 
Tacitus,  that  we  quote  part  of  it  : 

"Your  request  that  I  would  send  you  an 
account  of  my  uncle's  death,  in  order  to  trans- 
mit a  more  exact  relation  of  it  to  posterity, 
deserves  my  acknowledgments ;  for,  if  this 
accident  shall  bo  celebrated  by  your  pen,  the 
glory  of  it,  I  am  well  assured,  will  be  rendered 
forever  illustrious.  And  notwithstanding  he 
perished  by  a  misfortune,  which,  as  It  involved 
at  the  sime  time  a  most  beautiful  country  in 
ruins,  and  destroyed  so  many  populous  cities, 
seems  to  promise  him  an  everlasting  remem- 
brance ;  notwithstanding  he  has  himself  com- 
posed many  and  lasting  works  ;  yet  I  am  per- 
suaded the  mentioning  of  him  in  your  immor- 
tal works  will  greatly  contribute  to  eternize  his 
name.  Happy  I  esteem  those  to  be  whom  Provi- 
dence has  distinguished  with  the  abilities  either 
of  doing  such  actions  as  are  worthy  of  being  re- 
lated, or  of  relating  them  in  a  manner  worthy 
of  being  read  ;  but  doubly  happy  are  they  who 
are  blessed  with  both  these  uncommon  talents  ; 
in  the  number  of  which  my  uncle,  as  his  own 
writings  and  your  history  will  evidently  prove, 
may  justly  be  ranked.  It  is  with  extreme  wil- 
lingness, therefore,  I  execute  your  commands ; 
and  should  indeed  have  claimed  the  task,  if  you 
had  not  enjoined  it. 

"  He  was  at  that  time  with  the  fleet  under 
his  command  at  Misenum.  On  the  24th  of 
August,  about  one  in  the  afternoon,  my  mother 
desired  him  to  observe  a  cloud  which  appeared 
of  a  very  unusual  size  and  shape.  He  had  just 
returned  from  taking  the  benefit  of  the  sun, 
and  after  bathing  himself  in  cold  water,  and 
taking  a  slight  repast,  was  retired  to  his  study. 
He  immediately  arose  and  went  out  upon  an 
eminence,  from  whence  he  might  more  dis- 
tinctly view  this  very  uncommon  appearance. 
It  was  not  at  that  distance  discernible  from 
what  mountain  this  cloud  issued,  but  it  was 
found  afterward  to  ascend  from  Mount  Vesu- 


the  pilot  advising  him.  '  Fortune,"*  said  be, 
'  befriends  the  brave  ;  cany  me  to  Pompo- 
nianus.'  Pomponianus  was  then  at  Htabias, 
separated  by  a  gulf,  which  ihesea,  after  several 
insensible  windings,  forms  upon  the  shore.  He 
had  already  sent  his  baggage  on  board ;  for 
though  he  was  not  at  that  time  in  actual  dan- 
ger, yet  being  within  the  view  of  it,  and,  indeed, 
extremely  near,  if  it  should  in  the  least  increase 
he  was  determined  to  put  to  sea  as  soon  as  the 
wind  should  change.  It  was  favorable,  however, 
for  carrying  my  uncle  to  Pomponianus,  whom 
he  found  in  the  greatest  consternation.  He  em- 
braced him  with  tenderness,  encouraging  and 
exhorting  him  to  keep  up  his  spirits,  and  the 
more  to  dissipate  his  fears,  he  ordered,  with  an 
air  of  unconcern,  the  baths  to  be  got  ready ; 
when,  after  having  bathed,  he  sat  down  to  sup- 
per with  great  cheerfulness,  or  at  least  (what  is 
equally  heroic)  with  all  the  appearance  of  it. 
In  the  meanwhile,  the  eruption  from  Mount 
Vesuvius  flamed  out  in  several  places  with  much 
violence,  which  the  darkness  of  the  night  con- 
tributed to  render  still  more  visible  and  dread- 
ful. But  my  uncle,  in  order  to  soothe  the 
apprehensions  of  his  friend,  assured  him  it  was 
only  the  burning  of  the  villages,  which  the 
country  people  had  abandoned  to  the  flames; 
after  this  he  retired  to  rest,  and  it  is  most  certain 
he  was  so  little  discomposed  as  to  fall  into  a 
deep  sleep  ;  for  being  pretty  fat,  and  breathing 
hard,  those  who  attended  without,  actually 
heard  him  snore.  The  court  which  led  to  his 
apartment  being  now  almost  filled  with  stones 
and  ashes,  if  he  had  continued  there  any  time 
longer,  it  would  have  beei  impossible  for  him 
to  have  made  his  way  out ;  i';  was  thought 
proper,  therefore,  to  awaken  him.  He  got  up, 
and  went  to  Pomponianus  and  the  rest  of  his 
company,  who  were  not  unconcerned  enough  to 
think  of  going  to  bed.  They  consulted  together 
whether  it  would  be  most  prudent  to  trust  to 
the  houses,  which  now  shook  from  side  to  side 
with  frequent  and  violent  concussions  ;  or  fly 
to  the  open  fields,  where  the  calcined  stones 
and  cinders,  though  light  indeed,  yet  fell  in 
large  showers,  and  threatened  destruction.  In 
this  distress  they  resolved  for  the  fields,  as  the 
less  dangerous  situation  of  the  two ;  a  resolu- 


148 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


tion  which,  while  the  rest  of  the  company  were 
hurricl  into  by  their  fears,  my  uncle  embraced 
upon  cool  iiud  deliberate  consideration.  They 
went  out  then,  having  pillows  tied  upon  their 
lieads  with  napkins  ;  and  this  was  their  whole 
defense  against  the  Gtorm  of  stones  that  fell 
around  thorn.  It  was  now  day  everywhere  else, 
but  tliero  a  deeper  darkness  prevailed  than  in 
the  most  obscure  ni'^iit ;  which,  however,  was 
in  some  degree  dissipated  by  torches  and  other 
lights  of  various 
kin  Is  They  thought 
prop3r  tj  go  down 
furlher  upon  the 
shore,  to  observe  if 
they  mi'jrht  safely  put 
out  to  sea ;  but  they 
founl  ths  waves  still 
run  extremely  high 
and  boisterous. 

"There  my  inide, 
having  drunk  a 
draught  or  two  of 
cold  water,  threw 
himself  down  upon  a 
cloth  which  was 
spread  for  him,  when 
immediately  the 
flames,  and  a  strong 
smell  of  sulphur, 
which  was  the  fore- 
runner of  them,  dis- 
per.-^ed  the  rest  of 
the  company,  and 
obligel  him  to  rise. 
He  raised  himself  up 
with  the  assistance 
of  two  of  his  ser- 
vants, and  instantly 
fell  down  dead  ;  suffo- 
catel,  as  I  conjecture, 
by  some  gross  and 
noxious  vapor,  having' 
always  had  weak 
lung.-i,  and  being  fre 
queutly  subject  to  a 
difficulty  of  breath- 
ing. As  soon  as  it 
was  light  a. 'ai  11,  which 
was  not  till  tlie  third 
day  after  tlys  melan- 
choly acci'Jent,  his 
body  was  found 
entire,  and  without 
any  marks  of  violence 
upon  it.  exactly  in  the 
same  posture  that  he 
fell,  and  looking  moie 
like  a  man  asleep  than 
dead.  During  all  this 
time  my  mother  and  ^„     :' 

myself  were  at  Misc- 
num.  But  as  this  has 
no    connection    with 

your  history,  so  your  inquiry  went  no  further 
tlian  concei-ning  my  uncle  s  death  ;  with  that, 
therefore,  1  will  put  an  end  to  my  letter: 
suffer  me  only  to  add  that  1  have  faithfully 
related  to  you  what  I  was  either  an  eye-witness 
of  myself,  or  received  immediately  after  the 
accident  happened,  and  before  there  was  time 
to  viry  the  truth.  You  will  choose  out  of 
this  narrative  such  circumstances  as  shall  be 
•nost  suitable  to  your  purpose  ;  for  there  is  a 


great  difference  between  what  is  proper  for  a 
letter   and    a    history ;    between  writing   to   a 
friend  and  writing  to  the  public.     Farewell  !  ' 
*  Ci  o  o  o 

"  The  letter  which,  in  compliance  with  your 
request,  I  wrote  to  you  concerning  the  death  of 
my  uncle,  has  raised,  it  seems,  your  curiosity 
tc  knovf  \7h^vt  terrors  and  dangers  attended  me 
while  1  continued  at  Misenum  ;  for  there,  I 
think,  the  account  in  my  former  broke  oflf. 


BXCAVATION   IN    A   STKBET  AT  POMPEII. 

"My  uncle  liaving  left   us,  I  pursue  1   the 
studies  which  prevented  my  going  with  him,  ' 
till  it  was  time  to  bathe.     After  which  I  went 
to  supper,  and  from  thence  to  bed,  where  my  , 
sleep  was  greatly  broken  and  disturljed.    There  | 
had  been,  for  many  days  before,  some  shocks  of  j 
an  earthijuake,  which  the  less  surprised  us  as 
they  are  extremely  frequent  in  Campania ;  but  | 
they  wee   so   jiarticularly  viohiut   tlieit    night,  j 
that  tlicy  not  only  shook  everythin;,'  about  us,  ' 


but  seemed  Indeed  to  threaten  total  destruction. 
My  mother  flew  to  my  chamber,  whce  she 
found  me  rising,  in  order  to  awaken  her.  We 
went  out  into  a  small  court  belonging  to  the 
house,  which  separated  the  sea  from  the  build- 
ings. As  I  was  at  that  time  but  eighteen  years 
of  age,  I  know  not  whether  I  shordd  call  my 
behavior,  in  this  dangerous  junt  re,  courage 
orrashness;  butltookup  "  Livy,"  ,  ud  amused 
myself  with  turning  over  that  author  and  even 
making  extracts  from 
him,  as  if  all  about 
-^3C>  me  had   been  in  full 

security.      While    we 
were  in  this  posture, 
'  afriend     of     my 

uncle's,  who  was  just 
cc  me  from  Kpain  to 
pay  him  a  visit,  joined 
us  ;  and  oViserving  me 
sitting  by  n)y  mother 
with  a  book  in  my 
hand,  greatly  con- 
demned her  calmness, 
at  the  same  time  he 
repro\ed  nie  for  my 
carelrsa  Eecurity. 

"Nevertheless, 
I   still  went  on  with 
rny  author.     Though 
it  was  now  morning, 
the  light  was  exceed- 
int;ly  faint  and   lan- 
guid ;    the    buiidingf 
all  around  us  tottered , 
and  though  we  stood 
upon    open     ground, 
yet,  as  the  place  was 
narrow  and  confined, 
there  was  no  remain- 
ing     there     without 
certain  and  great  dan- 
ger: we  therefore  re- 
solved    to    quit    the 
town.    The    people 
followed    us    in    the 
utmost  constercntion 
and  as  to  a  mind  dis- 
tracted   with     terror, 
every     suggestion 
seems  more    prudent 
than  its  own,  pressed 
in  great  crowds  about 
us   in    our  way   out. 
3eing  got  at   a  con- 
venient distance  from 
the  houses,  we  stood 
still,  in  the  midst  or 
I  most  dangerous  and 
dreadful   scene.     The 
chariots  which  we  had 
ordered   to   be  drawn 
out  were  so  agitated 
backward     and     for- 
ward, thoL  ^  \.,jon  the  most  level  ground,  that 
we  could  not  keep  them  steady,  even  by  sup 
porting  them  with  large  stones.    The  sea  seemed 
to  roll  back  upon  itself,  and  to  be  driven  from 
i  s  hmks    by  tlie   convulsive   motion  of   tha 
ei-rth  ;  it  is  certiin  at  least  the  shore  was  con- 
siderably enlarged,  and  severa  sea  animals  were 
left  upon  it.     t)n  the  other  side  a  l)la<k    and 
dreadful  cloud,  liursting  with    an  igneous  ser- 
pentine vapor,  darted  out  a  long  train  of  tira 


pompeh 


uy 


a 
< 


o 

2! 

> 
1^ 


ITS 

M 

I 

O 
O 

*^ 

!z! 
O 

'A 


M 


g 


150 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


resembling  flashes  of 
lightning,  but  much 
larger.  Upon  this  our 
Spanish  friend,  whom 
I  mentioned  before, 
addressing  himself  to 
my  mother  and  me 
with  great  warmth  and 
earnestness  :  '  If  your 
brother  and  your 
uncle,'  said  he,  '  is 
safe,  hfc  c  er  t  a  i  n  1  y 
wishes  you  may  be  so 
too  ;  but  if  he  perished, 
it  was  bio  desire,  no 
doubt,  that  you  might 
both  survive  him:  why, 
therefore,  do  you  delay 
your  escape  a  moment  ?' 
We  could  never  think 
of  our  own  safety,  we 
Slid,  while  we  were 
uncertain  of  his.  Here- 
upon our  friend  left 
us,  and  withdrew  from 
the  danger  with  the 
utmost  precipitation. 
Soon  afterward  I  he 
cloud  83emed  to  de- 
scend, and  cover  the 
whole  ocean ;  a  8 
indeed  it  entirely  hid 
the  island  of  Capreae 
and  the  promontory  of 
Misenum.    My  mother 


PORTABLE   KITCHEN. 


APARTMENT  IN  THE  "  HOUSE  OF  THE   HUNTER. 

now  began  to  fall  upon  us,  though  in  no  great 
quantity.  I  turned  my  head,  and  observed 
beliind  us  a  thick  smoke,  which  came  rolling 
after  us  like  a  torrent.  I  proposed,  while  we 
hid  yet  any  light,  to  turn  out  of  the  high 
road,  lest  she  should  be  pressed  to  deatli  in  the 
dark  by  the  crowd  that  followed  us.  We  had 
soiree  stepped  out  of  the  path,  when  darkness 
overspread  us,  not  like  that  of  a  cloudy  night, 
or  when  there  is  no  moon,  but  of  a  room  when 
it  is  shut  up,  and  all  the  lights  extinct.  Nothing 
then  was  to  be  heard  but  the  shrieks  of  women, 


the  screams  of  chil- 
dren, and  the  cries  of 
men  ;  some  calling  for 
their  children,  others 
for  their  parents,  others 
for  their  husbands, 
and  only  distinguish- 
ing each  other  by  their 
voices  :  one  lamenting 
his  own  fate,  another 
that  of  his  family  ; 
some  wishing  to  die 
from  the  very  fear  of 
dying;  some  lifting 
their  hands  to  the  gods; 
but  the  greater  part 
imagining  that  the 
last  and  eternal  night 
was  come,  which  was 
to  destroy  the  gods 
and  the  world  together. 
"Among  these  were 
some  who  augmented 
the  real  terrors  by 
imaginary  ones,  and 
made  the  frighted  mul- 
titude falsely  believe 
that  Misenum  was  ac- 
tually in  flames.  At 
length  a  glimmering 
light  appeared,  which 
v^e  imagined  to  be 
rather  the  foreruimcr 
of  an  appoaching 
burst  of  flames,  as  in 
truth  it  was,  than  the 
return  of  day.  However,  the  fir?  fell  at  a  dis- 
tance from  us  :  then  again  we  were  immersed 
in  thick  darkness,  and  a  heavy  shower  of  ashes 


A  QREOIAJf   TOILET   BASIN. 


strongly  conjured  me 
to  make  my  escape 
at  any  rate,  which,  as 
1  was  young,  I  might 
easily  do:  as  for  her- 
self, she  said,  her  age 
and  corpulency  ren- 
dered all  attempts  of 
that  sort  impossible. 
However,  she  would 
willingly  meet  death, 
if  she  could  have  the 
Batisfaction  of  seeing 
she  was  not  the  occa- 
sion of  mine.  But  I 
absolutely  refused  to 
leave  her,  and,  taking 
her  by  the  hand,  I 
led  her  on :  she  com- 
plied with  great  re- 
iuctance,  and  not 
without  m  a  n  y  re- 
proaches to  heiself 
for  retarding  my 
flight,    Thti    ashes 


TEPn>ARIDH,  OR   BEATKD  ROOM- 


rained  upon  us, 
which  we  were 
obliged  every  now 
and  then  to  shake 
off,  otherwise  we 
should  have  been 
crushed  and  buried 
in  the  heap.  I  might 
boast  that,  during  all 
this  scene  of  horror, 
not  a  sigh  or  expres- 
sion of  fear  escaped 
from  me,  had  not  my 
support  been  founded 
in  that  miserable, 
though  strong,  con- 
solation, that  all 
mankind  were  in- 
volved in  the  same 
calamity,  and  that  I 
imagined  I  was 
perishing  with  the 
world  itself  !  At  last 
this  dreadful  dark- 
ness was    dissiDiited 


POM^Elt 


i5i 


by  degrees,  like  a  cloud  of  smoke  ;  the  real  day 
returned,  and  even  the  sun  appeared,  though 
very  faintly,  and  as  when  an  eclipse  is  coming 
on.  Every  object,  that  presented  itself  to  our 
eyes  (which  were  extremely  weakened)  seemed 
changed,  being  covered  over  with  white  ashes, 
as  with  a  deep  snow. 

•'  We  returned  to  Misenum,  where  we  re- 
freshed ourselves  as  well  as  we  could,  and 
passed  an  anxious  night  between  hope  and 
fear  ;  though,  indeed,  with  a  much  larger  share 
of  the  latter ;  for  the  earthquake  still  con- 
tinued, while  soveral  enthusiastic  people  ran 
liP  and  down,  heightening  their  own  and  their 
friends'  calamities  by  terrible  predictions. 
Hcwever,  my  mother  and  I,  notwithstanding 


great  quantity  of  marbles,  columns,  and  statues 
for  the  adornment  of  Rome,  but  from  that  period 
down  to  the  middle  of  the  last  century  the  buried 
city  seems  to  have  been  entirely  forgotten  by 
the  Italian  people. 

Some  traces  of  old  buildings  were  found  in 
the  year  1592,  by  Dominico  Fontana,  an  eminent 
architect,  who  had  been  employed  to  construct 
a  subterraneous  canal  under  the  site  of  Pompeii, 
but  no  discoveries  were  made  of  sufficient  inter- 
est to  awaken  public  curiosity. 

In  the  year  1748,  Don  Kocco  Alcubiere,  a 
Spanish  colonel  of  engineers,  was  employed  by 
Charles  III.,  the  first  Bourbon  King  of  Naples, 
to  examine  the  subterranean  canal  constructed 
by  Fontana,  and  while  engaged  in  that  work  he 


medan  slaves  taken  from  Barbary  pirates,  who 
were,  of  course^  strictly  superintended.  Th6 
more  valuable  articles  in  gold,  silver,  and  othef 
metals  were  diligently  searched  for,  to  enrich 
the  royal  collections,  and  great  secrecy  wag 
maintained  at  the  works,  no  strangers  being 
admitted  to  the  ruins  without  paying  most  ex 
orbitant  fees.  Nothing  was  done  in  a  liberal 
spirit,  or  from  a  real  love  of  art ;  in  fact,  the 
excavations  were  a  mere  source  of  jobbing  and 
peculation.  An  improvement  took  place  in 
1806,  when  the  French  occupied  Naples.  It  was 
at  this  time  that  M.  Mazios  began  his  splendid 
work  on  Pompeii,  under  the  patronage  of  Queen 
Caroline.  After  the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons, 
however,  the  works  were  continued  very  much 


BAKERS  SHOP — HANDINa   OUT   THE   LOAVES  BAKED. 


the  danger  we  had  passed,  and  that  which  still 
threatened  us,  had  no  thoughts  of  leaving  the 
place  till  we  should  receive  some  account  from 
my  uncle. 

"And  now  you  will  read  this  narrative  with- 
out any  view  of  inserting  it  in  your  history,  of 
which  it  is  by  no  means  worthy ;  and  indeed 
you  must  impute  it  to  your  own  request  if  it 
shall  deserve  the  trouble  of  a  letter ;  fare- 
well."   


Pompeii— The  Excavations, 

PoMPEn,  though  buried,  was  not  immediately 

forgotten.      In    the   early  part   of   the    third 

century  the  Emperor  Alexau'ier  Severus  made 

Pompeii  a  sort  of  quarry,  from  which  he  drew  a 


was  told  that  the  remains  of  a  house,  containing 
statues  and  other  valuable  relics,  had  been  dis- 
covered in  the  neighborhood.  He  naturally 
conjectured  that  one  of  the  buried  cities  lay 
there,  and  having  obtained  permission  to  under- 
take certain  excavations  at  the  spot  where  the 
ruined  house  had  been  discovered,  he  soon  made 
several  important  discoveries,  althongh  he  was 
ignorant  of  the  name  of  the  place  in  which  the 
explorations  were  carried  on. 

It  was  not  till  the  latter  end  of  1756  that  the 
fact  of  its  being  Pompeii  was  first  ascertained, 
and  even  after  this  discovery  was  made  the  ex- 
cavations were  conducted  foi  'many  years  on  a 
very  limited  scale.  The  workmen  employed 
were  chiefly  condemned  criminals,  and  Sloham- 


in  the  same  spiritless  manner  as  they  had  bee» 
during  the  last  century, 

When  Garibaldi  became  dictator  of  Naples,  iB 
1859,  he  ridiculously  made  the  novelist  DuraaK 
director  of  the  museums  and  excavations.  Tho 
author  of  "Monte  Christo"  lived  in  princely 
style  at  Naples,  but  visited  Pompeii  only  once, 
and  therefore  great  satisfaction  was  felt  when 
Victor  Emmanuel  bestowed  the  place  of  director 
of  the  scav!  upon  Cavaliere  Giuseppe  Fiorelli,  a 
distinguished  scholar  and  antiquary. 

With  this  appointment  a  new  era  commenced 
at  Pompeii.  Hitherto  the  excavations  had  been 
carried  on  without  definite  or  intelligent  plan. 
The  aim  of  those  who  directed  them  was  to  find 
as  many  objecis  of  value  as  possible,  to  add  to 


m 


THi;    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATlONa 


"Vases,    Urns,    X^a,m]}s    and    JMlscellaneous    Articles. 


SWOBB  AND  HELMET. 

the  already  magnificent  collection  in  the  royal 
museum.  No  very  accurate  observations  were 
consequently  made  whilst  the  earth  and  rubbish 
were  being  hastily  and  carelessly  removed. 

Many  important  in- 
cidents were  left  unre- 
corded, and  the  means 
of  restoring  many  of 
the  architectural  de- 
tails of  the  buildings 
discovered  were  ne- 
glected. Signor  Fiorelli 
had  percai  ved  how 
much  could  be  done 
by  removing  the  vol- 
canic deposits  with 
care,  and  upon  a  re- 
gular system,  taking 
note  of  every  appear- 
anceor  fragment  which 
might  afford  or  suggest 
a  restoration  of  any 
pirt  of  the  buried 
edifices.  The  plan  he 
pursues  is  this:  The 
excavations  are  com- 
menced by  clearing 
away  from  the  surface 
the  vegetable  mold,  in 
which  there  are  no 
remains.  —- 

The  volcanic  sub- 
stances, either  lapiJlo, 
or    hardened     lava 

mud,  in  which  ruins  of  buildings  may  exist,  are 
then  very  gradually  removed.  Every  fragment 
of  bricliwork  is  kept  in  the  place  where  it  is 
found,  and  fixed  there  by  props.    When  '  larred 


BRONZE   KITCHEN   VESSELS. 


wood  is  discovered,  it  is  replaced  by  fresh  timber. 
By  tlius  carefully  retaining  in  its  original  position 
what  still  exists,  and  by  replacing  that  which 
has  perished,  but  has  left  its  trace,  Signor  Fio- 


WINE   PITCHEB. 


VAKIOUS  FORMS  OF  LAMPS. 

relli  has  been  able  to  preserve  and  restore  a 
large  part  of  the  upper  portions  of  the  buried 
houses. 

One  of  the  first  and  most  interesting  results  of 
the  improved  system  upon  which  the  excava- 
tions are  tlius  carried  on,  has  been  the  discovery 
and  restoration  of  a  Pompeim  house,  and  es- 
pecially of  the  menianum,  a  projecting  gallery  or 
balcony  overhanging  the  street.  This  part  of  a 
Roman  building,  which  is  frequently  represented 
in  the  wall  paintings,  but  the  existence  of  which 
at  Pompeii  had  been  doubte.l  or  denied,  was 


built  of  brick,  and  sup ;x)rted  by  strong  wooden 
beams  and  props.  The  masonry  is  still  in  many 
places  preserved.  The  carbonized  wood  had  to 
be  removed.  Some  oi  these  galleries  seem  to 
have  been  open,  like  a 
modern  balcony,  and 
as  they  are  represented 
in  the  frescoes  ;  others 
formed  part  of  the 
upper  chambers  of  the 
house,  and  were  fur- 
nished  with  small 
windows,  from  which 
the  inmates  could  see 
She  pa.ssers-by.  In  the 
narrow  streets  of  Pom- 
peii these  projecting 
g.illeries  must  have 
approached  so  nearly 
as  almost  to  exclude 
the  rays  of  even  the 
midsummer  sun,  and 
to  throw  a  grateful 
shade  below.  The 
upper  stories,  which 
appear  to  have  been 
sometimes  more  than 
one  in  number,  were 
reached  by  stairs  ol 
brick  or  wood.  Some 
of  those  in  brick  are 
still  partly  preserved. 
Those  in  wood  have 
perished  ;  but  the 
holes  for  the  beams  are  tdere,  and  the  diarred 
beams  themselves  can  be  -enewed. 

By  Signor  Fiorelli's  careful  and  ingenious  re- 
storations, we  can  now,  for  the  first  time,  picture 
to  ourselves  the  appearance  of  a  Roman  town. 
Previously  we  had  only  tiie  bare  walls,  forming 


mNA    n>K   WARM  DBINKS. 


POMPEIt 


158 


nothing  b«t  a  collection  of  s'lapeless 
ruins.  Had  his  plan  been  adopt-d  from 
the  commencement  ;  had  the  position  of 
every  fragment  been  noted  at  the  timi. 
of  its  discovery  ;  and  h  :d  the  dooi  s,  win 
dows,  and  other  woodwork  V)een  restored 
by  the  process  we  shall  de  ;cribo,  Instead 
of  wanderhig  amidst  a  confused  mass  of 
crumliling  walls,  we  should  have  found 
ourselves  in  a  Eoman  town,  the  houses 
of  which  might  still  have  almost  har- 
bored its  population.  As  far  as  we  can 
now  judge,  Pompeii  mu;  t  have  nearly 
tesemble.l,  in  its  principal  features,  a 
modern  Eastern  city.  The  outside  of 
the  houses  gave  but  little  promise  of  the 
beauty  and  richness  of  the  inside.  The 
Budden  i;hange  from  the  naked  brick 
walls  facing  the  narrow  street  to  the 
spacious  courtyard,  adorned  with  paint- 
ings, statues,  and  colored  stuccoes,  orna- 
mented with  flower-beds  and  fountiiins. 
and  surrounded  by  alcoves  and  porticos, 
from  which  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun 
wjre  warded  off  by  rich  tapestries  and 
embroidered  hangings,  will  remind  the 
E  istern  tr<iyeler  of  Damascus  or  Ispahan, 
overhanging  galleries,  with  small  windows  ;  the 
moan  shops — mere  recesses  in  the  outer  walls  of 
the  houses;  ths  brick-built  counter,  with  the 
earthern  pans  and  jars  let  into  it  ;  the  marble 
slabs  on  which  th3  tradesman  exposed  his  ware.j 
and  received  his  cash ;  the  awning  stretched 
across  the  street  (the  hoies  by  which  it  was 
fastened  are  still  visible) ;  the  caravauserai  or 
khan,  outside  the  city  gate,  with  its  many  small 
rooms  opening  into  a  stable  behind,  and  a  court- 
yard in  f  .-ont  (the  skeletons  of  horses  and  their 
metal  trappings  were  tbund  in  such  an  hostelry 
on  the  Herculean  way),  are  all  characteristics  of 
a  modern  Eastern  town. 

One  of  the  first  private  dwellings  excavated  at 
Pompeii  was  discovered  in  April,  1769,  in  the 
presence  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  II.,  who  was  ac- 
companied by  his  celebrated  Minister,  Count 
Kausnitz  ;  the  King  and  Queen  of  Naples  ;  Sir 
William  Hamilton,  the  English  ambassador  at 
Kaples,  and  several  distinguished  antiquaries. 

The  pereons  employed  are  chiefly  women,  of 


COTJRT   OF  Qn.«STOES'HDUSS. 


Tlio 


the  beautiful  Grecian  type  of  ;iouthern  Italy, 
graceful  and  striking  even  in  the  lowest  ranks, 
and  this  seems  to  elevate  the  labor,  not  degrade 
them  ;  they  are  thus  far  difl'erent  from  the  de- 
based mining-women  of  England,  or  the  coarse 
laborers  in  other  lands.  The  ashes  and  hardened 
mud  are  carefully  taken  up,  so  as  not  to  disturb 
the  f  jrms  of  bodies,  wood-work,  etc.,  and  carried 
off  in  baskets.  The  illusfc-atioa  will  give  an 
idea  of  a  Pompeian  street,  narrow  and  gloomy, 
with  its  tall,  ima  lorned  walls,  made  narrower  in 
reality  by  overhanging  galleiues. 

The  pavement,  ma  le  of  lava,  or  irregularly- 
shaped  blocks  of  lava  ingeniously  fitted  together, 
seems  to  solve  one  of  our  problems,  a  good  pave- 
ment. These  Pompeian  streets  are  deeply  worn 
with  tracks  of  wheels,  aul  tlie  only  difficulty 
seems  to  have  been  the  wearing  into  ruts  where 
several  sharp  angles  met.  Whenever  this  oc- 
curred, the  place  is  found  to  be  repaired  with 
iron. 

Many  streets  were  so  narrow  as  to  allow  only 
one  vehicle  to  go  through,  and  at  the  crossings 


AJiPtUTUEATKE   AI   FOMFEII. 


a  stone  or  stones  were  raised  to  the  level  of  tho 
sidewalk  for  the  accommodation  of  pedestrianp, 
the  horses  being  trained  to  avoid  them.  The 
workers  seen  in  this  illustration  seem  to  hava 
come  upon  a  piece  of  statuary,  which  they  arc 
carefully  raising.  As  the  discovery  of  ancient 
objects  is  one  great  end,  these  are  sought  per- 
sistently, and  not  a  handful  of  dust  escanes 
scrutiny. 

» <  ♦  > « 

Plaster  Oasts  of  the  Victim-s— An  Ovenfi:' 
of  Bread. 
Some  of  the  latest  discoveries  at  Pompeii  ar  1 
among  the  most  interesting  of  all.  i  if  these,  tho 
greatest  is  that  due  to  the  ingenuity  of  Bign<  j; 
Eiorelli. 

The  showers  of  lapillo,  or  pumice-stone,  ly 
which  Pompeii  was  overwhelmed  and  buried, 
were  followed  liy  showers  of  thick,  tenacious 
mud,  which,  filling  up  the  crannies  and  inter- 
stices in  the  coarser  material,  completed  tho 
destruction  of  the  city.  This  mud  enveloped 
objects  like  a  plaster  mold,  and,  as  it 
hardened  very  speedily,  and  solid,  the  ob- 
jects thus  buried,  when  perishable  like 
human  bodies,  have,  in  tho  course  of  cen- 
turies, crumbled  into  dust,  but  still  l:ave 
left  a  cavity  in  which  their  forms  are  aa 
accurately  preserved  as  in  the  mold  pre- 
pared for  casting  a  bronze  statue.  In 
some,  traces  of  wood,  with  bronze  orna- 
ments, show  the  object  to  have  been  a 
piece  of  furniture  ;  in  others,  a  skeleton, 
and  articles  of  personal  adornment,  show 
it  to  be  the  grave  of  a  human  being. 

It  occurred  to  Rignor  Fiorelli  to  fill  up 
these  cavities  with  liquid  plaster,  and  thus 
obtain  casts  of  the  objects  as  enclcsed  by 
the  fatal  mud. 

The  first  expriment  was  made  in  a 
street  leading  from  the  Via  del  Balconc 
Pensile  toward  the  Forum.  The  bodiej 
were  on  the  lapillo,  about  fifteen  feet 
from  the  level  of  the  ground.  Evidently 
they  perished  while  trying  to  climb  ever 
the  pile  of  pumice-stone  in  the  street, 
barinj  lingered  late,  indeed.     Tbe  xacai 


154 


Tfii;    WORLD'S    GREAT    KATIONS, 


Interesting  casts  are  thoee  Bhown  in  our  illus- 
tration :  two  women,  probably  mother  and 
daughter,  lying  feet  to  feet.  Their  garb  marks 
them  out  as  of  the  poorer  class.  The  older 
woman  lies  quietly  on  her  side.  Stifled  at  last 
by  the  noxious  gases,  she  fell,  and  died  without 
a  struggle.  Her  limbs  are  extendeJ,  her  left 
arm  dropped  loosely.  On  one  finger  is  still 
seen  a  coarse  iron  ring.  The  other — a  girl  of 
fifteen— had  evidently  struggled  hard  for  life, 
and  died  in  agony.  Her  legs  are  drawn  up  con- 
vulsively ;  her  little 
hands  clinched.  One  of 
them  still  clasps  a  vail, 
a  part  of  her  dress 
with  which  she  sought 
to  cover  her  head,  to 
shield  herself  from 
the  ashes  and  smoke. 
The  form  of  her  head 
is  perfectly  preserved. 
Tlie  texture  of  her 
coarse  linen  garments 
can  be  traced,  and 
even  the  fashion  of 
her  dress,  with  long 
sleeves  down  to  the 
wrists.  Here  and  there 
where  it  had  been 
torn  the  smooth 
young  skin  appears  on 
the  plaster  like 
polished  marble.  On 
her  feet  may  still  be 
seen  her  small  em- 
broidered sandals. 

Thus  we  are  brought 
fiice  to  face  with  the 
fearful,  unutterable 
death-throes  of  the 
victims  of  that  ancient 
catastrophe. 

Less  saddening,  bu.'' 
not  less  interesting, 
is  fiorelli's  discovery 
of  bread  in  a  bakeshop. 
The  most  comp'ete 
bakery  is  in  Hcrcul- 
aneum  Street  —  occu- 
pying the  whole  house, 
with  four  mills  in  the 
interior  court.  Not 
long  since,  he  came 
upon  an  oven ,  herme- 
tically closed,  so  that 
not  a  grain  of  ashes 
had  entered,  and 
■within  were,  in  their 
rows,  eighty-one 
loaves,  shrunken, 
hard  and  black,  butj 
entire,     arranged     as 

they  where  l>y  the  baker  on  November  23d,  79. 
Pignor  Fiorelli  went  into  the  oven  himself, 
and  handed  out  these  precious  relics,  'fhey 
weigh  about  a  pound  each,  are  round,  depressed 
in  the  centre,  and  made  in  eight  lobes,  in  the 
form  still  used  in  Sicily. 

Our  illustration  gives  this  interesting  scene. 
The  hour-glass-shaped  objects  at  the  right 
are  the  hand-mills — about  six  feet  high,  made 
of  rough  gray  volcanic  stone,  full  of  crystals 
of  leucite.  The  upper  stone  was  two  hollow 
cones,  the  one  above  being  the  hopper.     The 


lower  moved  on  a  solid  cone  at  the  base,  crush- 
ing the  grain  as  it  moved  around.  The  whole 
rude  affair  gives  us  some  idea  of  the  toil  of 
Eoman  slaves.  On  the  walls  of  bakeshops  are 
always  guardian-serpents,  and  they  can  be  seen 
here. 

We  have  thus  led  our  readers  through  this 
city  of  the  past,  and  given,  with  description  and 
illustrations,  a  better  ide  i  than  can  be  obtained 
from  any  but  the  most  expensive  foreign 
works. 


A  lOMPEIAN   LADY   OF  FASHION   AT  HER  TOILETTE. 

Eoman  Lady's  Boudoir. 

Despite  all  that  cynics  and  old  bachelors  say, 
there  is  no  truth  more  firmly  rooted  in  the 
human  heart  than  this:  that  woman,  and  not 
man,  is  the  crownin'r  work  of  the  Creator  ;  and 
that  what  the  sun  is  to  the  earth,  woman  is  to 
the  human  race.  Without  the  glorious  orb  of 
day,  the  earth  would  be  a  sterile  mass  of  rock 
and  ice,  and  without  the  softening  and  refining 
Influence  of  women,  men  would  only  be  wild 
beasts  ypun   two   legs,  instead  of  four.     In 


every  age  woman  has  ruled  man  —  the  good, 
by  her  virtues  —  the  frivolous,  common-place 
and  sensual,  by  her  charms.  There  is  scarcely 
an  instance  of  any  man  becoming  great,  except 
those  who  had  good  mothers.  A  good  woman 
is  truly  the  gravitating  principle  which  keeps 
home  in  order ;  but  for  woman,  society  would 
become  a  Pandemonium. 

The  force  of  woman  is  as  different  from  that 
of  man  as  the  Damascus  scimitar  is  from  that 
of  the  crowbar.  She  does  not  crush — she  wins. 
In  all  ages  she  has, 
therefore,  made  the 
adornment  of  her  per- 
son a  science,  and  a 
history  of  fashion  is 
the  mere  record  of  how 
woman  rules  the 
world. 


Pompeian  Baths. 

Italian  cities  in  an- 
cient times  had  their 
public  buildings,  of 
great  architectural 
beauty ;  but  as  the 
open  Forum  was  the 
great  legislative  hall, 
the  temples  and  baths 
and  ampitheatres  are 
the  buildings  whose 
ruins  most  frequently 
survive  to  give  us  an 
idea  of  their  ancient 
splendor 

The  baths  at  Pom- 
peii were  long  objects 
of  anxious  search, 
curiosity  having  been 
stimulated  by  the 
discovery,  in  1749,  of 
an  inscription  record- 
ing the  fact  that 
January,  a  freedman, 
supplied  the  baths  at 
Crassus  with  fresh  and 
salt  water. 

When  at  length  the 
process  of  excavation 
revealed    these    long- 
buried      structures, 
there  was   a   burst  of 
admiration.     Near  the 
Forum  were  a  suite  of 
public    baths     admir- 
ably    arranged,      spa- 
cious, well    decorated, 
and  superior    to    any 
even  in  the  most  con- 
siderable     of    our 
modem  cities.    In  care 
for  cleanliness  we  are  behind    the  Italians  of 
eighteen  centuries  ago.    Fortunately,  too,  these 
baths    are   in   good   preservation,    and   enable 
us  to  understand,  at  once,  passages   in  Latin 
writers,  as  to  which  the  learned  had  wrangled 
themselves  into  the  most  profound  absurdities. 
These  baths  could  not  have  been  completed 
long  before  the  ruin  of  the  city,  as  the  notices 
were  still  up  announcing  the  shows  in  the  am- 
phitheatre on  the  occasion  of  their  opening. 

These  baths  occupy  an  entire  block,  in  front 
one  hundred  and  sixty-two  feet,  md  in  depth 


POMPEIt 


156 


POMPEIAN    CANDELABRA —FEMALE    ORNAMENTS    AND    JEWELS?, 


15b 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


one  hundred  and  seventy-four.  Of  the 
three  separate  compartments,  one  was 
appropriated  to  the  fire-places  and  ser- 
vants ;  while  the  others  contained  sets 
of  baths  supplied  from  the  same  re- 
servoirs and  boilers,  and  evidently  in- 
tended on(!  for  each  of  the  sexes. 

The  apartments  and  passages  are  paved 
with  white  marble  and  mosaic.  The 
larger  reservoir  was  in  an  arijoining 
square  or  block,  and  the  water  was 
brought  across  the  street.  Within  the 
baths  the  smaller  reservoir  of  cold 
water,  and  tlie  copper  boilers  for  luke- 
warm and  hot  watci',  were  between  the 
men's  and  women's  baths,  supplying 
both.  In  the  furnace-room  dry  pitch 
was  found,  evide  itly  used  for  firing-up. 
Three  entrances  led  to  the  men's  baths, 
end  at  one  entrance  were  found  the 
sword  and  money-lio.\  which  evi<lently 
belong 'd  t)  the  keeper. 

The  Apodyterium,  or   dressing-room, 
was  in  sood  preservation,  with  its  lava 
seats  and  foot- rests,  at,  v.  all  as  the  holes 
which  onoe  held   the  pfJr.;  to   hang  up 
the   clothes.     It   was   hgidy   decorated 
and    lighted    from    abov.-!    by   a    large 
plate  of   ground  glass,   ol  which  many 
fragments  were    found.      From   it    one 
passage  led  to  the  Frigidarium,  or  cold 
i)ath,  a  round  chamber,  with  a  beautiful  marlile 
."lathin^j-tuli,  nearly  tlnrteen  feet  long  an  1  three 
ieet  deep.    Another  passage  led  to  the  beautiful 
t'epidarium,  shown  in  our  illustration. 

This  was  a  heated  room  to  prepare  the  bather 
cor  the  hot  or  vapor  baths,  and  receive  him  on 
Coming  from  them.  The  walls  are  of  stucco, 
with  figures  of  relief,  and  all  highly  painted. 
&.  long  bronze  brazier  and  a  bench  are  still 
there.  This  led  into  the  Caldarium,  or  vapor 
bath,  anl  the  Lavacrum,  or  hot  bath.  In  this 
last  a  large  white  mirble  basin  stood  in  the 
centre,  at  wliich  the  bathers  washed.  A  batli- 
ing-tub  was  not  used,  l.ilie  the  others,  it  is 
hanilsomely  decorated.  The  women's  baths 
are  smaller,  but  almost  ruined. 

These  bath"  are  so  well  arranged,  with  so 
prudent  an  econ- 
omy of  room  and 
(onvenient  dlstri- 
hutiou  of  their 
parts,  and  are 
adorned  with  such 
appropriate  3  1  e  - 
gance.  as  to  show 
the  work  of  excel- 
1  e  n  t  and  expe- 
rienced architects 
and  engineers. 


Bird  Chariot, 
This  charming 
littlj  b  i  t  from 
Pompeii,  in  wliic!i 
a  bird  like  a  canary 
is  drawing  a  cha- 
riot driven  by  a 
cicada,  is  one  of  the 
pretty,  graceful 
trifles  that  take  ui 
„.ack  at  onoe  to  the 
{Btibionable  liaijons 


EOOF  OF   A   HOCSK   AT  POMPEII. 

of  that  luxurious  city,  and  the  rich  boudoirs 
of  the  ladies.  Exquisite  taste  seems  to  have 
prevailed.  Everything  that  art  could  devise 
to  please  and  gratify  the  fancy  was  there,  but 
amid  the  sybarite  life,  with  its  pleasures  and 
aspirations  knowing  no  object  higher  than 
this  life,  came  the  terrible  sentence  that  en- 
tombed it  alive. 


Pompeian  Vases,  Glassware,  Tools,  Swords, 

Kitchen,  and  Tombs. 

The  variety  of  vases  in  metal  and  terra-cott  i 
found  at  Pompeii  is  endless,  and  afford  many 
hints  for  modern  use.  Among  these  we  select 
a  few  to  give  general  ideas  Our  seventh  illus- 
tration shows  the  arrangement  of  a  beautiful 


IKTEBIOB  OF  A  H0D8B  AT  POUFBn. 


urn,  used  for  watm  decoctions — in  fact, 
a  Pompeian  tea-urn,  for  the  name  of  the 
herb  alone  is  to  be  changed.  In  the 
centre  is  a  hollow  cylinder,  tc  receive 
hot  coals,  the  bottom  represente  I  beneath 
having  four  holes,  to  allov/  the  ashes  to 
drop  through  into  a  receptacle.  A  funnel- 
shaped  mouth  at  the  side  enabled  them 
to  our  in  the  hot  water.  The  faucet  and 
its  tube,  placed  quite  high,  were  on  (he 
opposite  side.  Beneath  the  outer  cover 
was  a  smaller  one,  to-.e'-ing  tlie  ]ii|uid, 
but  with  an  opening,  lor  tht;  liic-chamber 
Nos.  2,  8  and  4,  on  page  152,  were 
bronze  kitchen  vesse's,  but,  tborgh  com- 
mon, are  not  without  a  certain  degree 
of  elegance,  both  ;u  form  and  work- 
manship. 'Ihe  last  especi  lly  attracts 
attention  by  its  massive  leaves  and 
volutes  beneath  the  rings  and  the  ovolo 
molding.  No.  3.  it  will  be  observed,  has 
a  double  handle,  one  of  which  Pes  on 
the  rim.  No.  5  is  quite  curious.  T'he  lip 
is  e]  gantly  finished  with  a  double  row 
of  ovoli.  'Hie  handle,  mo.iele  1  after  a 
flower-stalk,  is  clal  orate  and  elegant. 
It  divi  'es  and  ends  on  a  cornucopia  on 
each  side.  Here  two  goats  face  each 
other.  At  the  bottom,  the  handle  ends 
in  acanthus-leaves,  around  which  a 
winged  child  holds  a  wine-skin.  It  is  a 
handsome  pitcher  for  wine  or  water,  and,  if 
plated  with  silver,  by  a  brief  stay  in  a  battery, 
would  pass  in  any  house  for  a  new  style  of  ice- 
pitcher.  No.  1  is  an  ivory  carving  represent- 
ing helmet,  sword,  and  armor.  No.  0  is  acuriout 
specimen,  indeed— ornamental  drinking-glafses, 
evidently  cast  in  a  mold.  'Phe  art  of  glass- 
blowing  was  known,  but  these  Show  the  mold. 
The  ancients  undoubtedly  had  attained  great 
perfection  in  glass-working.  The  Portland  vase 
lon.g  deceived  antiquaries,  who  pronounced  it 
cut  from  stone,  and,  when  a  madman  broke  it, 
and  proved  it  to  be  really  glass,  men  began  to 
think  that  there  might  be  some  truth  in  the 
story  told  by  Dio  Cassius,  of  a  man  who  made 
a  flexible  glass  goblet,  which  he  daslie  1  to  the 
ground  in  the  presence  of  the  Kmperor  Tiberiu;; 
and  immediately 
took  up  and  res- 
tored to  its  former 
shape.  I  be  Ro- 
mans stained  glass, 
knew  the  power  of 
the  prism  to  divide 
a  ray  of  light,  and 
the  magnifying 
I)ower  of  spheres  of 
glass. 

The  tombs  at 
Pompeii  afford  an 
interesting  study. 
(.Hir  illustration  on 
page  159  gives  a 
view  in  a  street  of 
tombs.  On  t  h  e 
right  is  the  tomb 
of  Calventius 
Quietus ;  on  the 
left,  that  of  Scau- 
rus.  The  bas- 
reliefs  are  very 
remarkable.    One, 


POMPEII. 


157 


w 

o 

CO 

H 
O 


H 

O 

•-c 


168 


THE    WOKLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


of  a  woman  depositing  a  funeral-fillet  on 
Uie  skeleton  of  a  cliild,  has  touched  all. 
The  tCirJj  of  Calventius  has  a  bell- 
«haped  sepulchral  chamber,  reached  by  a 
narrow  staircase.  The  tomb  of  Scaurus 
is  coverei  with  bas-reliefs  of  combats  in 
the  amphitheatre,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
aids  to  understand  those  shows.  The 
sepulchral  chamber  was  vaulted,  aud  the 
pier  has  niches  closed  with  glass. 

These  tombs  had  numerous  niches  to 
receive  urns  containing  the  ashes  of  the 
deceased,  after  they  had  been  consumed 
by  fire. 


The  Koman  Triclinium. 

CoNTBART  to  what  wc  consider  comfort, 
several  ancient  nations,  the  Persians,  the 
Romans,  and  after  a  time  the  Jews,  re- 
3line<l  at  table.  The  arrangement  of  the 
tables  for  this  purpose  may  be  seen  in  our 
illustration.  A  table  was  flanked  on 
three  sides  by  couches,  the  fourth  side 
bein;^  left  open.  From  the  fact  of  the 
couches  being  limited  to  three,  the  dining- 
room,  such  as  we  .show  from  one  found  at 
I'ompeil,  was  called  triclinium.  In  many 
cases  the  couches  were  much  higher 
among  the  Romans,  while  the  Asiatics 
preferred  them  low.  On  these  couches 
were  spread  mattresses,  at  first  clumsy 
bags  filled  with  straw  or  rushes,  but  in 
later  days  such  homely  articles  were  su- 
perseded by  cusliioiis  covered  with  the 
most  expensive  cloths,  and  stuffed  with 
feathers  or  iraportod  substitutes  sutficiently 
soft  and  dear  to  be  f  :shionable. 

Among  the  Romans  each  couch  held 
three,  who  reclined  on  the  left  elbow,  leav- 
ing the  right  hand  at  liberty.  The  head  was 
a  little  raised,  the  back  being  supported  by 
cushions  ;  but  the  lower  part  of  the  body  was 
e.xtendel  at  f-ill  length,  inclining  outward  so 
lu  to  give  place  to  the  one  reclining  below. 


STEELYABD  FIIOM   l-OMPEII. 

The   place  of  honor  was    the   centre  of    the  i 
couch  at  the  head  of  the  table. 

The  Jews  adopted  this  custom  from  either  the 
Persians  or  the  Romans,  and  In  our  Saviour's 
time  it  was  the  prevailing  custom  ;  this  shows 


how  Magdalen  anointed  his  feet  as  he 
sat  at  the  table,  and,  passing  behind  up  the 
side  of  the  couch,  anointed  on  another 
occasion  his  head.  Even  in  the  important 
religious  feast  of  the  Passover,  or  Pasch, 
in  which  the  law  required  them  to  eat 
standing,  staff  in  hand,  like  travelers  girt 
for  a  journey,'  the  progress  of  refinement 
and  ease  seems  to  have  gone  so  far  that 
the  Jews  all  reclined:  and  there  is  in  the 
gospels  no  word  of  censure  at  the  de- 
parture from  the  letter  of  tlie  law,  a 
departure  sanctioned  by  the  practice  of 
Christ. 

Some  writers,  indeed,  assert  that  at  the 
Passover  it  was  made  imperative  on  all 
that  they  should  recline  on  couches  in  the 
manner  we  have  described.  T'he  reason 
for  this  was,  that  their  posture  should 
indicate  the  condition  of  ease  and  freedom 
into  wliich  they  passed  after  thoy  had  been 
delivered  from  Egyptian  bondage.  Ihey 
held  that,  in  every  generation,  a  man  was 
obliged  to  behave  at  the  Passover  as  if  he 
had  himself  been  delivered  from  thral- 
dom ;  and,  therefore,  that  at  that  feast  a 
man  was,  above  all  things,  bound  to  eat, 
drink,  and  sit  in  a  posture  of  freedom. 

Hence  they  were  at  this  time  even  stu- 
dious to  devise,  as  they  lav  on  their  cou. 
dies,  new  forms  of  ease,  and  to  obviate  the 
least  show  of  standing  to  attend,  or  ol 
readiness  to  proceed,  on  any  business,  desii 
ing  in  every  way  to  indicate  the  condition 
of  freedom  to  which  they  had  arrived 


Interior  of  a  House  at  Pompeii. 
TuE  houses  would  appear  to  our  ideas  to 
be  very  uncomfortable  ;  but  you  must  re- 
member how  very  different  the  climate  of  Italy 
is  to  what  ours  is  now,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  it  differed  still  more  two  thousand  years 
ago,  when  Pompeii  was  a  flourishing  c.ty.  Thf 
great  peculiarity  in  the  houses  is  evidently  tt. 


PLA.9TKR  CASTS  OF  TirE  VICTIMS. 


POMPEIL 


169 


method  in  which 
they  were  lit — 
namely,  chiefly  at 
the  top,  a  plan  now 
followed  very  ex- 
tensively in  erect- 
ing large  halls. 

Although  most  of 
the  housei  were  in 
a  very  dilapidated 
condition  when 
they  emerged  from 
their  sliroud  of 
ashes  and  rubbish, 
yet  from  pictures, 
and  judging  from 
architectural  sym- 
metry, it  is  merely 
a  work  of  art  and 
calculation  to  re- 
store them  to  their 
original  condition. 
The  domestic  ar- 
cliitecture  of  Pom- 
peii is  in  keeping 
with     that    of 

its  public  buildings,  a  mixture  of  the  Greek 
and  Roman  methods  wiUi  respect  to  external 
features  and  internal  arrangements.  Tliey  r.re, 
for  (he  most  part,  small  and  low,  few  exceeding 
two  stories  i:i  height.  But  it  should  be  borne 
i:i  mind  that  the  Pompeians  passed  very  much 
of  their  time  in  the  open  air.  The  front  room 
on  (he  ground-floor  of  many  or  most  of  the 
houses,  especially  in  the  most  frequented  streets, 
was  very  often  used  as  a  shop  for  the  sale  of 
various  commodities.  The  upper  stories  of  most 
of  the  houses  being  of  wood,  were  speedily 
ci-nsumed  by  the  heated  ashes,  their  being  flat 
re  iderin^  them  all  the  more  liable  to  such  an 
acc'  lent. 

Pompeian  Oandelabra.— Pemale  Ornaments 
and  Jewelry. 

One  of  the  most  elegant  articles  of  furniture 
in  ancient  times  was  the  candelabrum  —  the 
t;dl,  slender  stand  on  which  a  lamp  was  placed. 
Pompeii  has  proved  a  rich  mine  of  these.  1'hey 
are  of  bronze  or  iron,  on  three  lion's  cr 
griffin's  feet,  and  often  of  very  beau- 
tiful design  and  workmanship.  Some 
had  p.  sliding  shaft,  so  as  to  raise  or 
lower  it  as  required. 

Hmaller  ones,  intended  to  set  on  a 
table,  have  been  fcund,  damasked  or 
inlaid  with  precious  metftls,  and  remark- 
able for  the  profusion  of  delicate  orna- 
ments bestowel  upon  them. 

The  Candelabrum  marked  11  on  page 
155,  and  bearing  heads  of  Mercury 
and  Perseus,  is  made  so  as  to  take 
apart  readily  for  removal,  and  could  bo 
raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  Nos.  9 
and  10  are  also  beautiful  specimens, 
while  13,  17  and  21,  represent  stan-Is  or 
brackets  adapted  for  lamp,  statuette  ot 
flower  vase. 

No  articles  of  ancient  manufacture  are 
more  common  than  lamps.  They  are 
found  in  every  variety  of  form  and  size, 
in  ciay  and  metai,  from  the  cheapest  to 
the  most  costly.  In  the  corridor  at  the 
entrance  lo  the  baths,  upward  of  five 


IJJTEKIOR   OP  A  HOUSE  AT  POMPEII. 

liundred  lamps  were  discovered,  and  as  many 
more  in  various  i)art8  of  the  same  structure, 
mostly  of  terra-cotta,  inferior  in  workman- 
ship A  large  and  handsome  gold  lamp,  found 
in  18(3.!,  is  preserved  in  the  museum  at  Naples. 

Some  of  these  lamps  were  suspended,  others 
placed  on  tripods  or  tables.  They  liad  the  ordi- 
n  iry  twisted  wick,  and  no  chimney,  so  that  the 
light  must  have  boon  very  poor.  They  are 
generally  oval,  and  when  not  made  to  suspend 
have  a.i  oriiamenteJ  handle. 

Our  illustration  introduces  us  into  a  lady's 
Ijoudoir.  No.  28  represents  to  us  a  toilet-table, 
wit'.i  doer-leg  supports ;  No.  l-j,  a  beautiful 
claw-foot  stanrj  to  rest  on  it,  with  some  fevorite 
work  of  art,  a  charming  statuette,  or  a  mirror 
like  that  shown  in  No.  24.  Nos.  6,  8,  and  25 
sliow  other  mirrors,  such  as  laflies  used,  of  pol- 
ished metal,  covered  at  times  with  glass,  to 
preserve  the  lustre.  Nos.  4  and  7  show  us  the 
ornamental  combs ;  but  the  racre  was  not  for 
coml;s,  but  for  hair-pins,  of  which  t!ie  variety 
is  infinite,  and  the  woric  often  charming.    Some 


are  comparativel5 
plain,  with  well 
known  cmblematii 
heads  ;  others, 
beautiful  female 
figures.  No.  12  is 
quite  curious —  a 
bacchantic  figure, 
with  bat's  wings, 
holding  a  glass 
and  a  patera,  and 
two  cross-belts 
with  bunches  of 
grajjes.  Her  odor- 
boxes  and  cosmetic 
apparatus  stand  on 
Clie  table. 

The  earrings  are 
plain ;  the  bracelet 
of  gold,  weighing 
nearly  a  pound, 
found  in  tlie  House 
of  the  Faun.  Thg 
serpent  enters,  too, 
into  rings;  the 
form  of  No.  19 
is  quite  common  ;  No.  20  was  found  with  pearl 
earrings  near  the  skeleton  of  a  lady.  No.  3 
is  a  ring  with  an  engraved  stone  found  in  the 
street  of  the  Augustals. 


SOMAN  lEICLINIUH,  OB  DrniNG-BOOK. 


Court  of  the  Qusestor's  Housb. 
One  of  the  houses  most  noted  at  Pompeii  is 
that  found  on  the  street  of  Mercury,  and  called 
by  some  the  Quaestor's  House,  because  a  large 
chest  of  money  was  found  there,  and  by  others 
styled  the  House  of  Castor  and  Pollux,  from 
the  pictures  of  those  deities  in  the  vestibule. 
Its  atrium,  shown  in  our  illustration,  is  one 
of  the  few  examples  of  what  Vitruvius  calls 
the  Corinthian.  The  roof  was  supported  by 
twelve  columns,  placed  around  the  impluvium. 
They  were  formed  of  tuf<\,  and  covered  with 
stucco.  These  columns  were  twelve  feet  high, 
and  about  twenty  inches  in  diameter — the  lower 
half  colored  red,  the  upper,  white.  In  the  cen- 
tre was  a  small  marble  fountain,  with  a  hand- 
somely-carved water-plant  covered  with  frogs 
and  lizards.  The  flow  of  water  was  re- 
gulated by  a  bronze  key  ;  and  the  basin 
was  so  shallow  that  when  the  water  was 
turned  off,  it  became  part  of  the  marble 
floor.  The  little  square  block  is  the  altar 
of  the  Lares 

i<::>^ 

Amphitheatre  at  Pompeii. 

The  Amphitheatre  at  Pompeii,  of 
which  we  give  a  fine  view,  was  an  oval  ; 
the  greatest  length  was  430  feet,  and 
the  greatest  breadth,  335.  The  tickets 
were  marked  and  numbered  for  the 
seats  Those  who  occupied  the  lower 
ranges  of  seats  passed  through  the  per- 
forated arcades,  while  stairs  between  the 
seats  and  the  outer  wall  led  to  the  upper 
seats,  and  women  went  still  higher  to 
the  boxes  in  the  upper  tier  reserved  for 
them. 

Here  in  fid!  view  of  Vesuvius,  when 
It  was  not  necessary  to  extend  the 
awning  from  its  posts  in  the  stone  hooku. 
the  public  sat  to  enjoy  jierhaps  tie  death 


160 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


BIRD  CHARIOT  FIIOM   I'OMl'EII. 

throes  of  Roiijo  primitive  Cliri  tian  in  t!-e 
orena  below  ;  while  perfumed  waters  from  a 
thousand  carved  heads  in  the  wall  filled  tlic 
nir  with  a  delicate  aroma. 

Here  the  f;ay  voluptuous  sat.  eagerly  looking 
to  the  end  of  the  oval  for  combatants  to  issue, 
when  Vesuvius,  like  the  trump  of  the  arch- 
angel  crave  its  blast  of  warning  and  cf  woe. 


Pompeian  Art. 

The  raost  remarUahle  objects  with  which  the 
labors  at  Pompeii  are  rewarded  are  paintings  and 
mosiics.  Tnese  last  must  hive  heen  produced 
in  such  profusion  as  to  be  witliin  the  reach  of 
IKsrsons  of  moderate  means,  whiU;  tho:e  in  the 
l)etter  houses  are  amon;.;  the  fniest  s;>eeimens  of 
ancient  art.  Tlie  mosaic  lloors  were  called  litli- 
ostrotos.  The  material  is  marble  or  glass.  7'l,e 
most  remarkal)lc  mosaic  pavement  discovered  i;i 
that  in  the  House  of  the  Faun,  of  which  we  give 
a  correct  illustration.  It  ii  now  in  tho  museum 
r.t  Naples,  and  is  eighteen  feet  long  by  nine. 

The  broad  subject  is  the  liattlc  of  Issus,  be- 
tween Alexander  the  Great  and  I'arius.  On  the 
loft  is  seen  Alexander — drawn  with  great  beauty 
and  vigor- charging  bareheaded  in  the  fight. 
His  lance  has  just  pierced  a  Persian  general, 
whose  horse  has  already  fallen  by  a  wound.  The 
agony  of  the  wounded  man  as  he  clutches  the 
Gpear  is  well  shown.  D.irius,  from  his  chariot 
bahokU  in  disraiy  the  fall  of  his  general  and 
the  coi:  e  pient  loss  of  the  day.  Flight  alone  re- 
mains. The  charioteer  urges  the  horses  to  their 
utmost  to  save  the  king,  while  the  Koldier  who 


had  brought  up  a  fresh  horse  to 
the  fallen  general  looks  like  a 
true  soldier,  ready  to  face  all 
odds.  The  Persian  spears  are 
all  lowering  to  check  the  fierce 
onset  of  the  (iroeks,  but  all 
shows  a  day  lost. 

The  border  represents  a  river 
—apparently  the  Nile  with  the 
crocodile,  hippojiot  imus,  ichneu- 
mon, ibis,  and  lotus. 

We     know     tint     Vespasian 

brought  t)  Rome  an  Egyptian 

artist     named     Helena,    who 

painted  this  very  battle,  and  the  mosaic  may 

be  a  copy  of  her  work. 

Of  the  paintings  we  need  say  little;  and  give 
a  specimen  of  a  decorated  room,  which  will  not 
need  any  further  description. 

Ihe  Greek  and  Roman  painters  had,  as  Sir 
Humj)hry  D.ivy  assures  us,  almost  all  the  same 
colors  as  these  employed  by  the  great  Italian 
masters  at  the  revival  of  art.     Indeed, 
painting  seems  to  have  been,  like  I'om- 
[)!ii,  dormant  {>t  centuries,  suddenly  to 
l);'.r,:t  forth  and  dazzle  the  world. 


The  "House  of  the  Huuter." 

Tub  edilice  called  the  House  of  tl.o 
Hunter,  discovered  in  18-16.  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  mural  paintings.  It  was 
evidently  tho  abode  of  a  man  cf  wealth, 
addicted  especially  to  field  sports,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  frescoes  on  tho 
w.dls.  One  large  and  fine  one  shows  a 
Icn  chasing  a  bull.  Others  contain 
fjstoons  and  vases  of  flowers,  with 
birds ;  another  fresco  shows  a  Summer 
h;)use,  and  a  gayly  paintel  column  stiU 
standing  shows  in  its  red  and  yellow  festcj 
the  txsto  of  the  owner. 


was  evidently  made  for  roasting  upon  it,  while 
at  the  end  a  raised  stand  with  holes  was  6V\ 
dently  intended  to  receive  pots  for  boiling. 

Koof  of  a  House  at  Pompeii. 
KooFS  seldom  occur,  having  generally  Ijeeii 
crushed  by  the  ma -s  of  ashes  and  scoria  heapeij 
suddenly  upon  them.  The  one  we  mustrate  is 
formed  of  tiles  exactly  one  fo  t  cquare,  laid 
with  coping  tiles  iietween  them,  the  crest  being 
similarly  protected  and  well  cemented,  thT 
whole  being  as  complete  and  durable  a  roof  as 
modern  art  can  furnish. 


fublic  Eoads  Streets  of  Pompeii. 
In  going  from  Naples  to  Pompf;''  the  visitoi 
follows  the  road  to  Noccra,  through  Portici 
llesina.  and  Torre  del  Gieco,  uritil  lit  comes  'a) 
Torre  dell'  Anniinziata,  distant  anout  eleven 
miles  from  Naples,  and  one  mile  and  a  h'llf 


Portable  Kitchen. 
Our  illustration,  taken  from  among  the  culi- 
nary articles  at  Pompeii,  is  a  curious  portable 
kitchen.     It  is  an  iron   bed,  on  which  the  fire 


»OMB  OF  SCAUBC8,  ROUND  TOMB,  AND  TOMB  OF  CALVENTTOS  QUnTTCS   AT   POMPEH. 


POMPEIAN    BUTLBTXG  TOOLS. 

from  the  object  of  his  curiosity.  From  hence  he 
may  proceed  either  by  the  new  road  to  Salerno, 
which  runs  close  paot  the  southern  wall  of  the 
city,  or  go  across  the  country  to  the  northern 
suburb,  called  the  Street  of  Tombs.  The  latter 
route  is,  in  all  respects,  preferable,  and  the  more 
so,  liecause  it  was  the  ancient  route  from  Home 
and  Herculaneum,  and  the  chief  entrance  of 
. .  _  Pompeii.    From  Torre  dell' AnBunziata 

giK  he  walks  aero,  s  irrigated  cotton  fields. 
p;irtially  shaded  from  the  burning  sun 
of  Italy  by  patches  of  the  tall  Indian 
corn,  or  sheltered  by  umbrageous  wil- 
lows on  the  banks  of  a  water- course, 
which  conducts  the  stream  of  the  Sar- 
nus  to  fertilize  these  fields,  and  supply 
the  wants  of  Torre  dell'  Annunziata. 
Following  this  watercourse,  he  arrives 
at  the  Street  cf  Tombs,  now  completely 
excavated,  which  rises  by  an  easy  ascent 
up  to  the  city  gate.  The  first  striking 
object,  at  the  very  commencement  of 
the  excavations,  is  a  htrse  supposed  to 
have  belonged  to  cne  Arrius  Dirmedes ; 
it  is  of  considerable  extent,  and  is  singu- 
lar and  interesting  r s  the  only  perfect 
specimen  of  a  suburban  villa. 

From  hence  to  the  gate,  called  ttie 
Gate  of  Herculaneum.  the  road  is  lined 
by  tombs  <  f  much  beauty  and  interest, 
and  ether  buildings,  among  which  we 
may  specify  an  inn  or  hostelry  of  con- 
siderable  extent,    and    another     villa 


POMPEIL 


161 


162 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


called  the  suburban  villa  of  Cicero.  This  has 
been  in  jxirt  filled  up  again.  Opposite  is  a  large 
exhedra,  or  covered  seat,  of  a  semi-circular  form ; 
and  a  little  further  on  there  are  others,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  road,  and  behind  them  the 
tomb  of  Mamia,  who  erected  them  for  the  pub- 
lic convenience.  Adjoining  these,  and  close  to 
the  city  gate,  is  a  niche  for  a  sentinel.  On 
entering,  the  visitor  finds  himself  in  a  street, 
running  a  little  east  of  south,  which  leads  to  the 
Forum.  To  the  right,  stands  a  house  formerly 
owned  by  a  musician  ;  to  the  left,  a  Thermopo- 
lium  or  shop  for  hot  drinks ;  beyond  is  the 
house  of  the  Vestals ;  beyond  this  the  custom- 
house, and  a  little  further  on,  where  another 
street  runs  into  this  one  from  the  north  at  a 
very  acute  angle,  stands  a  public  fountain.  In 
the  last-named  street  is  a  surgeon's  house  ;  at 
least  one  so  named  from  the  quantity  of  surgi- 
cal instrumen'.s  found  in  it,  all  made  of  bronze. 
On  the  right  or  western  side  cf  the  street  by 
which  we  entered  the  houses  are  built  on  the 
declivity  of  a  rock,  sloping  down  to  where  the 
Bea  formerly  came,  and  are  several  ftcrics  high. 
The  fountain  is  at)Out  one  liundrcd  and  fifty 
yards  from  the  city  gate.  About  the  same  dis- 
tance, further  on,  the  street  divideu  into  two: 
the  right-hand  turning  seems  a  by  street,  and 
is  but  partially  cleared,  the  left-hand  turning 
conducts  you  to  the  Forum.  Tlie  most  impor- 
tant feature  iu  this  space  is  a  house  called  the 
^ouse  of  Sallust,  or  of  Actason,  from  a  painting 
in  it  representing  that  hunter's  death.  It 
stands  on  an  area  about  forty  yards  square, 
and  is  encompassed  on  three  sides  by  streets, 
by  that  which  we  have  been  describing,  by 
another  nearly  parallel  to  it,  and  by  a  third, 
perpendicular  to  these  two.  East  of  this  island 
of  houses  is  an  unexcavated  space,  beyond 
which  is  another  broad  street,  running  parallel 
to  the  first,  the  limit  of  the  excavations  in  this 
quarter.  Between  these  two  are  indications  of 
another  street,  which  is  cleared  out,  south  of 
the  transver  e  street.  Still  farther  south  these 
streets  all  terminate  in  another  transverse 
street.  Thus  the  whole  quarter  already  de- 
scribed is  divideJ  by  four  longitudinal  and  two 
transverse  streets,  into  what  the  Romans  called 
islands,  or  insulated  masses  of  houses.  Cneof 
these  is  entirely  occupied  by  the  house  of  Pansa, 
which  witli  its  court  and  garden  is  about  one 
hundred  yaidis  long  by  forty  wide.  The  average 


interval  between  the  western  and  eastern  street 
is  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards. 
The  islmd  immediately  east  of  the  house  of 
Pansa  has  tliree  housvs  of  considerable  interest, 
called  the  house  of  the  tragic  poet,  from  dra- 
matic paintings  on  the  walls ;  the  cloth-dyer's 
house,  from  paintings  illustrating  the  processes 
and  utensils  of  that  trade ;  and  the  house  of 
the  mosaic  fountains. 

From  the  transverse  street  which  bounds  these 
islands  on  the  south,  two  streets  lead  to  the 
two  corners  of  the  Forum  ;  between  them  are 
the  baths,  occupying  nearly  the  whole  island. 
Among  other  buildings  are  a  milk-shop  and 
gladiatorial  school.  At  the  north-east  corner 
of  the  Forum  was  a  triumphal  arch.  At  the 
end  of  the  broad  eastern  street,  and  higher  up 
in  the  same  s'.reet,  another  triumjihal  arch  is 
still  to  1:0  made  out,  so  that  this  was  plainly 
the  way  of  state  into  the  city.  The  Forum  is 
distant  from  the  gate  of  Herculaneum  about 
four  hundred  yards.  Near  the  south-eastern 
corner  two  streets  enter  it,  one  running  to  the 
south,  the  other  to  the  east.  We  will  follow 
the  former  for  about  eighty  yards,  when  it  turns 
eastward  for  two  hundred  yards,  and  conducts 
us  to  the  quarter  of  the  theatres.  The  other 
street  which  runs  eastward  from  the  Forum,  is 
of  more  importance,  and  is  called  the  Street  of 
the  Silversmiths.  About  two  hundred  yards 
in  length  have  been  excavated,  at  the  end  of 
which  a  short  street  turns  southwards,  and 
meets  the  other  route  to  the  theatres.  On  both 
these  routes  the  houses  immediately  bordering 
on  the  streets  are  cleared  ;  but  between  them  is 
a  large  rectangular  plot  of  unexplored  ground. 
Two  very  elegant  houses  at  the  south-west 
comer  of  the  Forum  were  uncovered  by  the 
French  general  Championnet,  while  in  command 
at  Naples,  and  are  Imown  by  his  name.  On  the 
western  side  of  the  Forum  two  streets  led  down 
towards  the  sea ;  i:h.c  excavations  here  consist 
almost  entirely  of  public  buildings. 

The  quarter  of  the  theatres  comprises  a  large 
temple,  called  the  Temple  of  Hercules,  a  tem- 
ple of  Isis,  a  temple  of  iEsculapius,  two  thea- 
tres, and  two  spacious  porticoes,  inclosing  op  n 
areas.  On  the  north  and  east  it  is  bounded  by 
streets  ;  to  the  south  and  we.-t,  it  seems  to  have 
been  inclosed  partly  by  the  town,  partly  by  its 
own  walls.  Here  the  continuous  excavation 
ends,  and  we  must  cross  vineyards  to  the  amphi- 


theatre, distant  from  the  theatre  about  flVft 
hundred  and  fifty  yards,  in  the  south-east  cor 
ner  of  the  city,  close  to  the  walls,  and  in  an 
angle  formed  by  them  ;  on  the  other  sides  are 
traces  of  walls  supposed  to  have  belonged  to 
cattle-markets.  Near  at  hand,  a  considerable 
building,  called  by  the  Italians  the  palace  of 
Giulia  Felice,  has  been  excavated  and  filled  up 
again.  A  considerable  distance  to  the  westward 
is  the  first  excavation  made  near  the  centre  of 
the  city  ;  it  ie  surrounded  by  vines,  which  hang- 
in  festoons  from  the  poplars  on  which  they  are 
trained  ;  it  is  small,  and  appears  to  have  been 
abandoned  on  account  of  the  few  coins  and 
vessels  discovered.  From  the  amphitheatre, 
we  will  return  along  the  Street  cf  Silversmiths, 
towards  the  Forum  ;  but  before  we  arrive  at  the 
latter,  turn  up  a  street  running  parallel  to  it. 
Arriving  at  the  end  of  it,  we  turn  to  the  right, 
and  soon  reach  the  tiiumphal  arch  of  the  Fo- 
rum, having  now  traversed  the  whole  excavated 
portion,  except  a  few  insignificant  streets. 

The  city  was  anciently  surrounded  by 
walls,  of  which  the  greater  portion  has  been 
traced. 

Six  gates  and  twelve  towers  may  be  counted. 
At  the  gate  of  Nola,  the  third  westward  from 
that  of  Herculaneum,  part  of  the  street  has 
been  excavated ;  but  the  houses  proved  to  be 
of  the  lower  class,  and  it  was  not  prosecuted. 
The  general  figure  of  the  city  is  something  like 
that  of  an  egg,  v.'hose  .--.pex  is  at  the  amphi- 
theatre :  its  circuit  is  neirly  two  miles,  the 
greatest  length  little  more  than  three-quarters 
of  a  mile,  and  the  breadth  less  than  half  a  mile. 
The  area  of  the  city  is  about  one  hundred  and 
sixty-one  acres ;  the  excavated  part,  which 
forms  a  slip  along  the  western  side,  is  about 
a  quarter  of  the  whole,  and  has  been  eighty- 
three  years  in  excavating.  Portions  have  been 
begun  and  finished  with  energy  and  rapidity  at 
different  times,  especially  by  the  French,  who, 
during  their  occupation  at  Naples,  made  great 
exertions  ;  and  to  them  we  are  indebted  for  the 
most  interesting  parts  yet  discovered. 

What  remains  of  interest  we  know  not ;  but 
it  i  5  reasonable  tr>  hoiic  that  houses  in  size  and 
elegance  equal  to  any  yet  found  may  exist  to 
reward  the  inquirer  :  for  public  buildings,  it  is 
probable  that  nny  still  to  be  discovered  are 
equal  in  splendor  to  those  around  the  Forum 
and  the  theatres. 


St^^ 


BIUCS  rBOU  THE  RUINS, 


SPAIN. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND    HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

Votwo  BTTLL-noHTERS— The  Gralla  House;— The  cockt  of  lions— Eock  op  gibbaltab— the  fandanoo— burial  of  the  poor— Thf.  castui 
OF  Seoovia- Bull  FiOHT  in  a  Village— Dominique  the  Espada— The  Girl  of  Cadiz— Madrid  Street  Characters  :  Crockery  Mer- 
chant, Chair-seller,  Bird-fancier,  Tratelinq  Tinker,  Broom  Merchant,  Fruit  -  seller,  Orange  girl.  Pipe  seller  Pie-man, 
Game  seller— The  Esourial— A  Catalonian  Venta— The  Gipsy  Girl— Mountain  Traveling— The  Gipsy  Sisters— Granada  and  its 
Balconies— The  Leaning  Tower  of  zabaqoza— Shooting  flamingoes— Visit  to  Madrid. 


THIS  romantic  land,  which  for  a  time 
occupied  nearly  the  same  position  which 
England  does  now,  as  the  conqueror 
and  colonizer  of  new  countries,  occupies, 
■with  Portugal,  the  southwestern  portion  of 
Europe,  being  bounded  by  the  Pyrenees  on 
the  east,  by  the  British  Channel  on  the  north, 
.  by  the  Mediterranean  on  the  south,  and 
westward  by  the  Atlantic.  Its  greatest  length, 
north  and  south,  from  Cape  Peftas  in  Asturias 
to  Tarifa  Point  on  the  Strait  of  Gibraltar,  is 
about  five  hundred  and  forty  miles.  Its  great- 
est breadth,  east  and  west,  is  about  six  hun- 
dred and  twentj'  miles.  In  extent  it  holds  the 
sixth  place  in  European  States. 

Three  centuries  ago  it  was  the  dominant 
power  in  Europe,  but  the  indolence  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  the  debasing  effects  of  priestly  rule, 
have  made  the  kingdom  which  sent  forth  the 
Invincible  Armada  a  power  of  very  little  influ- 
ence ;  indeed  it  really  now  subsists  merely  by 
the  sufferance  of  stronger  nations. 

By  the  latest  statistics,  the  population  in 
Europe  amounted  to  sixteen  millions,  with 
about  six  millions  of  colonial  possessions. 

In  ancient  times  Spain  was  a  very  densely 
populated  country,  for  the  Komau  historians 
ranked  it  in  the  days  of  Caesar  at  about  forty 
millions. 

The  temperature  is  subject  to  extremes — the 
Summers  being  burning,  and  the  Winters 
piercingly  cold  ;  but  the  weather  of  the  Spring 
and  Autumn  is  very  delicious. 

Spain  is  eminently  a  region  of  lofty  ridges 
and  broad,  elevated  plateaus.  From  near  the 
Mediterranean  to  the  Atlantic,  the  whole  pen- 
insula is  traversed  by  successive  mountain  belts, 
including  between  them  high  lands,  watered 
by  numerous  small  streams. 

The  Spaniards  are  a  vigorous  race.  The  men 
are  generally  tall  a»d  thin,  and  their  figures 
well-proportioned.  Their  behavior  is  measured 
and  solemn.  Their  hair  is  black,  and  their 
dark  eyes  flash  with  intelligence  and  passion. 
From  the  Roman  the  Spaniard  inherited  his 
pride  and  solemn  austerity,  while  from  the 
Moor  he  got  his  passionate  temperament  and 
his  love  of  vengeance. 

Their     national    amusements   are    singing. 


dancing,  and  bull-fights.  Their  chief  dances 
are  the  fandango  and  the  bolero.  The  women 
are  beautifully  formed,  and  distinguished  for 
their  graceful  carriage.  But  both  sexes  display 
a  jealous  and  vindictive  spirit,  which  forces 
them  into  the  most  terrible  crimes.  Besides 
the  Spaniards  proper,  there  arc  three  other 
races — the  Basques,  the  Modijars,  and  the 
Gipsies.  The  Basques  are  probably  the  de- 
scendants of  the  ancient  Iberians. 

The  first  settlers  are  supposed  to  have  been 
the  progeny  of  Tubal,  fifth  sou  of  Japhet. 

The PhcEuieians and Carthageuians  (360  B.C.) 
planted  colonies  on  the  coasts,  and  the  Romans 
conquered  the  whole  country  (206  B.c).  Car- 
thagena  was  founded  by  Hasdrubal,  the  father 
of  the  celebrated  Hannibal.  It  was  from  this 
point  that  he  marched  upon  Italy. 

On  the  fall  of  Carthage,  Scipio  Africanus 
took  New  Carthage,  or  Carthagena,  and  drove 
the  Carthageuians  out  of  Spain  (207  b.c). 

For  nearly  seven  hundred  years  Iberia,  as 
Spain  was  then  called,  remained  under  the  rule 
of  the  Romans,  when  the  Vandals  wrested 
it  from  them.  In  427  they  passed  over  to 
Africa. 

The  invasion  of  the  Moors,  about  a.d.  1090, 
ingrafted  an  element  on  the  national  character 
which  had  more  visibly  improved  their  archi- 
tecture than  their  national  manners,  although 
physiologists  maintain  that  their  physique  has 
been  materially  modified  by  the  blood  of  Mauri- 
tania. The  Moors  had  been  originally  called 
in  to  assist  the  Saracens,  but,  as  in  other 
similar  cases,  they  seized  upon  the  possessions 
of  the  ally  they  came  to  defend. 

In  1238,  the  Kingdom  of  Granada  was 
founded  by  the  Moors  ;  but  iu  the  year  1492, 
the  City  of  Granada,  the  last  stronghold  of  the 
Moors,  was  taken,  after  a  two  years'  siege,  and 
the  reign  of  the  Moors  was  at  an  end. 

This  year  was  also  more  memorable  from 
being  that  in  which  Columbus  sailed  from 
Palos,  iu  Spain,  on  that  famous  voyage  which 
resulted  in  the  discovery  of  America. 

In  1510,  a  prince  of  the  House  of  Austria 
ascended  the  throne  of  Spain,  under  the  title 
of  Charles  T.  Three  years  later,  he  was  elected 
Emperor  of  Germany.     In  1554,  Philip  II.  of 


Spain  married  Queen  Mary  of  England,  and 
two  years  later,  Cliarles  V.  retired  from  the 
world  to  a  monastery.  In  1562,  Philip  com. 
menced  the  building  of  the  Escurial,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  victory  over  the  French,  at  Saint 
Quentin,  in  1557.  In  1580,  Portugal  ieoame 
a  part  of  Spain,  by  conquest ;  and  in  1583  their 
renowned  Armada,  commonly  called  the  "In- 
vincible Armada,"  was  totally  destroyed  by  the 
English.  In  1640,  Spain  lost  Portugal,  which 
since  then  has  remained  an  independent  king- 
dom, under  the  protection  of  England. 

In  1704,  the  Spaniards  sufi'ered  another  hu- 
miliation from  the  hands  of  the  English,  in  the 
taking  of  Gibraltar,  which  has  since  remained 
a  dependency  of  the  British  crown. 

In  1805,  the  battle  of  Trafalgar  destroyed 
the  last  of  the  Spanish  n.avj',  and  from  this 
blow  her  naval  power  may  be  said  to  be  all  but 
extinct. 

In  1807,  the  French  crossed  the  Pyrenees, 
and  soon  afterward  Ferdinand  was  depoeed, 
and  Joseph  Bonaparte  proclaimed  King  of 
Spain. 

In  1813,  the  French  were  entirely  driven  out 
of  Spain  by  the  combined  British  and  Spanish 
armies,  under  the  command  of  the  Duke  of 
Wellington,  and  the  infamous  Ferdinand  was 
restored.  In  1833,  he  died,  and  his  wife  Chris- 
tina was  made  Regent  till  their  eldest  child, 
Isabella,  should  be  of  age.  In  1868,  an  insur- 
rection  occurred  which  resulted  in  the  banish- 
ment of  Queen  Isabella  and  her  family,  and 
the  establishment  of  a  Regency ;  but,  after  in- 
effectual attempts  to  induce  several  princes,  of 
"blood  royal,"  as  they  are  called,  to  accept  the 
crown,  it  was  finally  offered  to  a  son  of  the 
King  of  Italy,  who  accepted  the  same  ;  Chris- 
tina now  rules  as  Queen  Regent.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  remind  our  readers  that  the  offer 
of  the  Spanish  crown  to  a  prince  of  the  House 
of  Hohenzolleru  was  the  ostensible  cause  of 
the  war  between  the  French  and  Germans, 
which  commenced  in  July,  1870,  and  ended  in 
the  surrender  of  Paris. 

Spain  has  long  had  more  or  less  -ciouble  from 
insurrections  in  Cuba,  and  the  time  will  come, 
no  doubt,  when  that  island  will  become  a  part 
of  the  territorj-  of  the  United  States. 


164 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Spanish  Boys  Playing  Bull-figlit. 
CinLDREN  invariably  imitate  tlicir  seniors ;  the 
little  girl  will  begin  to  go  through,  with  her 
doll,  all  the  operations  she  sees  her  mother  per- 
form for  "baby";  the  boy  must  ride,  re-enact 
the  battles  he  reads  of,  or  rehearse  the  part  cf 
firamin  or  soldier — noise  and  motion  being  es- 
83!itial  ingredients  in  a  boy's  felicity.  Imitating 
his   fellows   in  other   lands,  the   Spanish  boy 

exults  to  rehearse  the 

attraction  of  his  land, 
the  scene  of  danger  and 
prowess,  the  bull  fight. 
We  give  a  fine  sketch 
by  Gustave  Dore',  the 
iVench  artist,  now  so 
deservedly  popular, 
where  a  group  re-enact 
the  flprht  of  the  arena. 
The  father  plays  the 
bull ;  one  boy,  on  the 
shoulders .  of  another, 
is  the  mounted  bull- 
fighter; wliile  another, 
on  foot,  mimics  the 
pose  and  thrust  of  a 
genuine  matador. 


greatest  architectural  marvels,  must  at  once 
occur  to  every  reader.  Specially  worthy  of  ad- 
miration is  the  Court  of  Lions,  btlonging  to  this 
edifice — a  quadrangle  ninety-eight  feet  by  siity- 
five  feet. 

Ihis  court  is  surrounded  by  a  peristyle  of 
light  columns,  ornamented  on  two  sides  by  ad- 
vanced porticoes,  like  the  bald  portals  of  some 
Gothic  churches  ;  and  is  carved  with  wonderful 
accuracy,  skill,  and  elegance. 


The  Gralla  House, 

The  Gralla,  or  Me- 
dina Celi  House,  at 
Barcelona,  erected 
about  1530,  is  more 
remarkable  for  taste 
and  richness  of  ite 
adornments  than  for 
the  beauty  or  extent 
of  its  proportions.  It 
is  much  too  little  for  a 
palace,  and  moch  too 
large  for  a  house.  I  he 
people  generally  call 
it  the  Gralla  House, 
although  the  family 
of  that  name,  its 
original  owners,  has 
long  been  extinct. 
The  actual  proprietor 
is  the  Duke  of  Me- 
dina Celi ;  but  it  is 
not  his  resi  lence. 

The  old  Spanish 
palaces  have  under- 
gone the  fate  of  those 
in  Italy.  The  nobility, 
no  longer  able  to  fur- 
nish and  maintain 
them  in  style,  let  them 
out. 

This  fine  ancient 
structure  is  occupied 
by    the    clerks    of   a 

French  piano-maker.  The  opening  of  a  new 
street,  a  few  years  ago,  menaced  this  fine  monu- 
ment of  architecture,  but  a  young  Catalan  ar- 
chitect saved  it. 


before  the  eyes  of  the  traveler,  and  across  the 
long  vaults  of  the  porticoes  he  perceives  other 
labyrinths  and  new  enchantments.  The  beauti- 
ful azure  of  the  heavens  reveals  itself  between 
th3  columns  that  sustain  a  chain  of  Gothic 
arches.  The  walls,  covered  with  arabesques, 
seem  to  the  view  like  those  cloths  of  the  East 
which  are  broidered  in  the  leisure  of  the  harem 
by  the  industrious  hands  of  a  female  slave. 
Evevything  luxurious,  religious,  warlike,  seems 
to  breathe  in  this 
magnificent  edifice. 
It  is  a  sort  of  a  bower 
of  love  in  a  myste- 
rious retreat,  in  which 
the  Mocrish  kings  en- 
joyed all  the  pleasures 
and  forgot  all  the  cares 
of  life." 

The  decorations  of 
the  Alhambra  consist 
of  varnished  tiles  of 
ail  colors — yellow,  red, 
black,  green,  and  white 
— forming  mosaics 
which  covered  the 
walls  with  i  kind  of 
carpet-work  in  flowers, 
knots,  zigzags,  and  ia- 
Bcriptions,  sculptured 
in  low  relief  upon  the 
stucco  and  plaster. 
Ivothing,  for  instance, 
could  be  more  charm- 
ing than  the  walls  of 
the  Halls  of  the  Am- 
bassKdors,  inscribed 
with  verses  of  the 
Koran,  and  stanzas  of 
poetry  in  the  Arabic 
caligraphy ;  while  the 
ceiling  of  cedar- 
wood,  a  marvel  of 
carpentry,  presents  an 
actual  problem  of 
geometric  forms. 

If  we  except  a  num- 
ber of  columns,  some 
flags,  vases,  basins, 
and  little  niches  for 
placing  Turkish  slip- 
pers, there  is  not  per- 
hops  a  single  piece 
of  marble  employed 
in  the  interior  decora- 
tions of  the  Alhambra. 


The  Oourt  of  Lions  in  the  Alhambra. 

NowHEBE  have  the  Arabs  left  greater  proof  of 

their  architectural  genius  than  in  Spain,  where 

their  civilization  flourished  for  seven  centuries. 

The  Alhambra,  which  is,  perhaps,  one  of  their 


YOUNQ   BULL-FIGHTERS. 

In  presence  of  innumerable  vistas  of  courts 
and  chambers,  fantastic  decorations  of  struc- 
tures resembling  the  tents  of  the  desert,  and 
terminating  in  conical  vaults,  the  spectator 
stands  immovable  and  mute,  and  thinks  him- 
self transported  to  the  entrance  of  one  of  those 
fairy  palaces  of  which  we  read  in  Arabian  tales. 

"Airy galleries,"  says Chateaubriant,  "canals 
constructed  of  white  marble,  and  bordered  by 
citrons  and  flowering  orange-trees,  fountains  and 
solitary  courts,  present  themselves  on  all  sides 


Bull-fight 
The  air  of  Spain, 
and  especially  of  An- 
dalusia, teems  with 
tauromachy.  It  in- 
fuses into  the  people, 
from  early  youth,  in  hamlet  as  in  city,  a  taste 
and  passion  for  the  combat  between  man  and 
the  sturdy  bull.  The  gentle  maiden  of  hiahest 
birth  and  frailest  organization  cannot  escape 
the  influence  of  the  climate. 

Large  cities  have  their  arenas  fitted  up  for 
the  thousands  of  eager  spectators  ;  but  every  vil- 
lage will,  at  times,  extemporize  an  amphithea- 
tre for  the  great  national  combat.  The  Imll- 
fights  given  under  such  circumstances  are  called 
"  Novilladas  de  lugar,"  the  bulls  being  young 


SPAIN. 


165 


ones,  styled  "novil- 
los."  These  "  novilla- 
das"  are  local  enter- 
tainments, in  which 
city  foUv  rarely  take 
part. 

To  gratify  the  in- 
herent taste,  a  village 
square  will  he  Bar- 
ricaded with  carts  and 
vehicles  of  every  kind 
that  can  be  forme  1 
into  barriers.  The 
fences,  windows  and 
balconies  overlooking 
the  narrow  space, 
afford  ample  accom- 
modation for  the 
spectators,  and  the 
applause  is  given  as 
heartily  and  more 
unstudied  than  in  the 
more  fashionable 
gathering  within  the 
Capital  No  one  can 
attend  one  of  these 
"novilladas"  without 
amazement  at  the 
agility  of  the  Andalu- 
sian  peasants,  who, 
in    their    contracted 

sphere  of  action,  always  contrive  to  avoid  the 
bull,  either  by  jumping  up  and  grasping  some 
neighboring  balcony,  or  by  darting  under  some 


r^« 


THE   BOCK   OF  OIBKALTAR,  mOK   THE  SIGNAL   STATION. 

wagon  or  other  defense.  Such  a  scene  Dor6, 
the  most  popular  artist  of  the  day  in  Europe, 
depicts,   in    the    sketch  which   we    give    our 


readers,  and  in  which, 
with  all  that  writers 
tell  us  of  Andalueian 
agility,  we  cannot  but 
feel  some  c(  ncern  for 
the  one  who  has  fallen 
beftre  the  bull. 


The  Pandango, 
This  illustration  of 
the  Fandango  ia 
from  a  '-Voyage  to 
Spain,"  by  Gustave 
Dore  and  Ch.  Davil- 
lier,  from  wliich  the 
following  accoint  is 
translated: 

"  At  the  commence- 
irent     of     the     last 
century    the     '  sara- 
band' and  the  'cha- 
B    ccne '  were  completely 
abandoned,  as  well  as 
the  other   dances    of 
the  same   kind.      At 
this     time     appeared 
new  steps,  which  may 
be  considered  as  the 
types   of  the    dances 
now    in    vogue,    the 
'  sequidillas,'    'fandango,'    and    'bolero.'      It 
was  during  the  early  years  of  the  last  cen- 
tury that  the  sequidillas  was  first  danced. 


THE  OKAIXA  HOUSB.  AT  BAHCEtONA. 


1«6 


THE    WORLDS    GREiT    NATIONS. 


"The  Bequidillas  differs  hardly  any  from  the 
bolero ;  it  has  the  same  steps  (passadas),  the 
same  refrains  (eitribillo'i) ,  and  the  same  steps 
{lieu  parados) ;  the  principal  difference  between 
these  two  dances  consists  in  the  fact  that  the 
first  is  a  quicker  movement  than  the  holero, 
which  now  is  almost  entirely  abandoned,  except 
on  the  stage.  The  name,  which  is  sometimes 
■written  voUro,  is  derived,  it  is  said,  from  the 
fact  that  it  requires  so  much  lightness,  that  tlie 
dancer  seems  to  fiy  ;  now  the  male  and  female 
professional  dancers  who  render  it  upon  the 
stage  are  cilled  also  boleros  and  bokras. 

"The  Fandango  is  celebrated  among  all  the 
Spanish  dances . " 

"What  barbarous 
country,"  says  Toinas 
de  Triarte,  "is  there 
whose  inhabitants  do 
not  become;  animated 
when  hearing  the  airs 
of  their  n  a  ti  o  n  a  1 
dances?  The  most 
popular  air  among  the 
Spanish  people  is  tliat 
of  the  graceful  fan- 
dango, which  enchants 
us,  as  well  as  foreigners, 
by  its  gaiety,  and 
transports  the  most  se- 
vere old  men  even." 

An  author  of  the 
time  of  the  Restora- 
tion describes  the 
same  dance  as  one,  fit 
to  be  performed  at 
Paphos  or  (Jnidos,  in 
the  Temple  of  Venus. 
"The  national  air  of 
the  fandango,  like 
an    electric    spark 


THE  COURT  OF  LIONS,  IN  THE  ALUAMDIIA. 

strikes  and  animates  ail  hearts  ;  women,  girls, 
the  young,  the  old,  all  seem  to  be  revived, 
all  repe.it  thi.i  air,  which  has  such  power  over 
tlie  ears  and  the  soul  of  a  Spaniard.  The 
dancers  commence,  some  of  them  with  casta- 
nets, and  tha  others  snapping  tlieir  lingers  to 
imitate  their  sound  ;  the  wome.i  especially  are 
distinguished  by  the  tenderness,  the  lightnvss, 
the  tiexibility  of  their  movements  and  thj 
voluptuousness  of  their  attitudes  ;  they  mark 
the  time  with  great  correctness  by  striking  the 
floor  with  their  feet. 

"The  two  dancers  tease  each  other,  flee  and 
pursue  in  turn ;  often  the  woman,  with  an  air  of 


languor,  by  glances  full  of  lire,  seems  to  an 
nounce  lier  defeat.  The  lovers  appear  on  the 
point  of  falling  into  each  other's  arms,  but  all 
of  a  sudden  the  music  stops,  and  the  art  of  the 
d.,ncer  is  to  rem  lin  mi  tioiile.ss  ;  v.'hen  the  music 
recommences,  the  fandango  Icgns  ag,:in  also. 
Finally,  the  guitar,  tho  \iolina,  the  taps  of  the 
feet  (tucoi.eos),  tl.c  clicking  of  tlie  castanets 
and  the  fingers,  (ha  iii;pple  and  voluptuous 
movements  cf  the  dancers,  til  (he  assembly 
with  a  delirium  cf  joy  and  pleasure. 

"During  thirty  or  forty  years  (he  fandango 

has  been  somewhat  abandoned  ;  but  formerly 

there  was   not  a  single   province    of  Spain  in 

which  this  dance  was 

unknown." 


BURIAL  OF  THE  POCK   AT  SBVILIE. 


Segovia  —  Its  Castle. 
Built  in  a  most 
beautiful  situation 
among  the  mountains, 
Segovia  has  suffered 
less  ficm  foreign  in- 
vasicn  or  civil  war 
(ban  Kny  other  city  in 
the  peninsula  ;  it  lives 
within  itself  among 
tlie  mcuntains,  sepa- 
rated fcr  a  quaiter  of 
the  year  almost  from  all 
inti  rcouri-e,  standing 
as  it  does  tliree  thou- 
sand three  hundred 
feet  above  the  level 
of  the  !oa.  It  was  a 
favorite  towii  with  the 
Romans,  whn,  under 
Adrinn  i  r  Vespasian, 
built  the  noble  aque- 
duct  now    called    the 


SPAIN. 


lei 


168 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


DOMINIQUE  THE  ESPADA. 

Bridge  of  Segovia,  wliose  dark-gray  granite 
blocks  still  fit  closely  together,  not  a  blade  of 
grass  springing  from  the  joints. 

The  cathedral,  commenced  at  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  contains  many  beauties.  The 
choir-stalls,  carved  by  Bartolomeo  Fernandez, 
the  altar-screens  by  Diego  de  Urbano,  and 
paintings  by  Pantoja  de  la  Cruz,  are  remark- 
able. Besides  this  are  the  remarkable  churches 
of  La  Vera  Cruz  and  Smto  Christo  ;  but  the 
most  noteable  building  is  the  Alcazar,  founded 
by  Alonzo  el  Sal)io,  rising  picturesquely  from 
the  summit  of  an  immense  rock  near  the  aque- 
duct, and  overlooking  the  deep  ravine  of  the 
Eiver  Eresma.  In  the  valley  below  are  home- 
steads and  convents,  and  the  traveler's  eye  rests 
on  a  group  of  cypresses,  marking  the  spot  where 
Marie  del  Salto  alighteil.  This  heroine,  of 
Jewish  birth,  having  secretly  become  a  Chris- 


UASBID  CBOCKERT  MEltCHANT. 


tian,  was  accused  of  adultery,  and  no  Danie! 
arising  to  save  this  new  Susannah,  she  was  con- 
demned to  be  thrown  from  the  top  of  the  Alca- 
zar rock.  By  her  faith,  says  the  legend,  she 
was  preserved  from  injury  and  reached  the 
ground  in  safety,  and  a  church  erected  on  the 
spot  commemorates  tlie  event. 

Herrera,  the  architect  of  the  Escunal,  restored 
and  adorned  the  Alcazar,  but  as  it  was  alter- 
nately in  the  hands  of  Christian  and  Moorish 
artists,  it  shows  the  double  impress.  From  a 
window  in  one  of  these  elegant  rooms,  a  lady, 
in  1326,  let  the  Infante  Don  Pedro,  son  of 
Heriy  III.,  fall  from  her  hands,  to  dash  to 
pioces  on  the  rocl^B  of  the  winding  Eresma. 

Palace  as  it  is  the  Alcazar  has  been  a  prison, 
too.  Here  thr  strange  Duke  of  Eiperda  was 
confined,  unde   Philip  V.,  and  Carlists  after  the 


THE  GIRt  OF  CADZ. 

convention  of  Vergara.  It  has,  too,  for  a  time 
been  a  military  school,  and  a  few  years  ago  the 
students,  in  a  freak  of  boyish  folly,  set  fire  to  a 
portion  of  one  of  the  rooms.  Tlie  fire  spread, 
and  all  that  is  now  left  of  this  matchless  palace 
is  a  ruined  shell,  the  faoade,  the  beautiful 
Moorish  towers  and  battlements,  one  or  two 
sculptured  arabesque  ceilings,  and  the  portcul- 
lised  gateway,  each  and  all  testifying  to  its 
former  greatness  and  splendor. 

Segovia  is  famous  for  its  flocks  and  for  the 
beauty  of  its  wool.  The  water  of  the  Eresma 
is  supposed  to  possess  pecidiar  virtues. 


MADRID   BIRD  FANCIER. 

in  the  person  of  Dominique,  the  rival  of  Cu' 
chares  in  celebrity  at  Madrid,  looks  at  us  in  one 
of  our  current  illustrations.  Though  his  busi- 
ness is  the  deadly  one  of  striking  the  death- 
blow  to  the  tortured  and  maddened  bull,  which 
demands  both  extraordinary  skill  and  almost 
superhuman  courage — yet  Dominique  comes 
into  the  ring  as  neatly  dressed  as  if  going  to  a 
ball,  even  though  he  goes  out  dirty,  bloody, 
soiled  and  draggled.  A  strange  people,  the 
Spaniards,  altogether,  and  stranger  in  nothing 
else  than  their  Ijull-fights,  and  their  bull  fight- 
ers, of  whom  the  espada  is  necessarily  the  lead- 
ing person. 


Dominique  tlie  Espada. 
Few  more  picturesque  figures  are  to  be  found, 
than  the  espada  (literally  "swordsman")  or  makh 
dor,  of  the  Spanish  bull-fights,  one  of  whom 


MADRID  CHAIR-9EIXI&. 


THE    SPANISH    FANDANGO    AT    SE  VILLA. 


170 


THE    WOKLDS    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


The  EscTirial. 

The  pilace  and  monastery 
of  the  Escarial  is  situated 
about  tweiiCy-four  miles  from 
Madrid,  in  tlie  village  of  the 
same  name,  anl  U  one  ol  the 
finest  and  most  romarkal)Ie 
Ijuildings  in  the  world.  The 
palace  was  built  by  Phiiip  II,. 
of  Spain,  after  the  plan  of  St 
Peter's  at  Rome,  and  in  me- 
mory of  his  victory  over  the 
French  at  St.  Quenthi  in  1563. 
It  contains  a  celebrated  cloister, 
a  college,  a,  world-renowned 
library  and  gallery  of  pxint- 
ings,  several  studios  for  artists, 
innumerable  apartments,  with 
a  magnificent  pirk  an  1  girdens 
adorned  with  fountain;,  sane 
of  which  are  the  work  of 
eminent  sculptors.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  rugged  mountains, 
and  built  of  gray  stones, 
which  are  found  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

The  Escurial  is  often  the 
Summer  residence  of  the  mo- 
narchs  of  Spain,  and  is  reached 
by  a   railroad,   the  fir  t    that  ~ 

was  established  in  that 
country.  Its  form  is  that  of 
a  gridiron,  on  rxcaunt  of  its 
being  dedicated  to  St.  Law- 
rence, who  was  burnt  on  that  ancient  instru- 
ment of  torture,  the  battle  alluded  to  being 
fought  on  the  day  of  that  saint's  fele. 

It  took  twenty-two  years  to  l/uild  this  palace, 


COUUT   OF  THE   LIONS. 


which  cost  G,nOO,000.000  crowns. 
800  pillars,  11,000  square  windows, 
doors.     With  reason  tlie  Spaniards 
of  this  fine  building. 


It  contains 

and  14,000 

are  proud 


A  Oatalonian  Venta,  or  Inn. 
A  u£CE.\T  traveler  thus  de- 
scribes a  visit  to  one  of  those 
Spanish  ventas,  that  look  more 
romantic  from  without  than 
comfortable  within: 

"It  was  now  time  to  be 
thinking  of  night  ([uaiters,  and 
having  heard  of  a  hamlet  in 
this  direction,  called  La  Hi- 
mera,  we  inquired  of  the 
people,  to  whom  both  the 
venta  and  feiry  belonged.  La 
Himera,  they  told  us  was  about 
a  mile  and  ahalf  distant  on 
that  side  of  the  river ;  but  natu- 
rally desiroTis  to  take  in  so 
large  a  party,  they  used  their 
best  powers  of  pei  suasion  to 
convince  us  we  should  be  much 
better  off  under  the  roof  of  the 
venta  than  if  we  went  on 
further. 

"  Being  decidedly  skeptical 
on  this  point,  as  the  whole 
premises  appeared  to  contain 
no  more  than  two  rooms,  and 
these  on  the  ground-floor,  like 
most  Spanish  houses  of  ordi- 
nary description,  we  declined 
their  invitation  (at  any  rate 
for  the  present,  until  we  had 
made  a  reccnnaissance),  and 
diverging  from  the  bridle-road 
about  half  a  mile  below,  were  not  long  in 
reaching  La  Himera,  which,  in  its  breezy  posi- 
tion, upon  a  steep  brow  under  a  range  of  high 
hills,  had  a  far  drier  and  healthier  aspect  than 


XHB  ESCCBIAIo 


SPAIN. 


171 


INTERIOR    OF   CATHEDRAL,  TOLEDO. 


112 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


that  damp  and  squalid  verUa,  close  to  the  water's 
edge,  suggestive  of  nothing  but  mosquitos, 
malaria,  and  low  fever." 


Madrid  Street  Characters. 
The  City  of  Madrid,  or  Majcrit,  which,  from 
a  mere  Moorish  outpost  of  Toledo,  grew  to  be 
the  capital  of  Spain,  in  consequence  of  its  high 
situation  suiting  the  constitution  of  Charles  V., 
is  a  wonderful  place.  There  are  the  same  con- 
trasts of  dirt  and  finerv,  display  and  beggary. 


of  the  Plaza  de  Toros  when  the  Madrileneans 
are  crowding  to  the  bull-fight,  and  the  Calle  of 
Alcola  is  a  scene  of  wil  I  confusion,  as  though 
everybody  had  heard  that  somebody  else  had 
taken  illegal  possession  of  the  seats.  All  the 
city  is  there  :  and  tho  itinerant  who  was  bury 
plying  liis  callin^o;  nt  the  Puerta  del  Sol  yester- 
day, may  tie  seen  ti-day,  just  below  you,  gazing 
into  the  arena,  and  only  talking  hi.s  cigarito  from 
his  mouth  to  shout  "Toro!"  "Toro!"  when 
the  bull  makes  an  unusually  grand  onset. 
One  of  these  true  Madrileneans,  a  fellow  who 


makes  a  good  thing  out  of  the  profits.  His 
principal  pergonal  distinction  must  be  allowed 
to  be  his  I'eet,  which  were  surely  provided  for 
him  especially  in  reference  tj  his  business  ia 
carrying  such  brittle  wares  as  those  he  deals  in. 
To  tumble  down  with  such  fe::t  would  be  im- 
possible, and  they  remind  one  of  that  wonder- 
ful German  toy  where  a  broken-backed  acrobat 
performs  several  summersaults  down  a  flight  of 
stairs  by  the  aid  of  just  such  a  pair  of  extremi- 
ties These  strange  swathes  and  sandals  are 
the  one  remaining  relic  of  the  old  Moorish  rule 


luxury  and  poverty,  that  characterizes  most 
capitals,  but  here  they  seem  somehow  to  be 
intensified.  Although  the  Spanish  costume  is 
falling  into  disuse,  and  the  people  are  losing 
many  of  their  distinctively  national  character- 
istics, there  is  still  enough  of  the  picturesque 
to  make  life  striking  to  the  visitor,  and  the 
photographs  of  outdoor  scents  at  Madrid  are  so 
Bharp  and  clear  that  they  are  never  aft?rward 
forgotten.  Perhaps  the  bright  sunlight  devel- 
ops them  so  strongly  that  tliey  are  warranted 
not  to  fade  from  the  tablet  of  my  memory. 
Certainly,  no  one  would  foon  forget  the  aspect 


C.MALONIAN   VENT  A,  OR   INN. 

looks  like  Sancho  Panza  turned  crockery-mer- 
chant, is  the  vender  of  toilet-ware,  china  mugs, 
gaudy  ewers,  and  those  cheap  looking-glr,sses 
which  reflect  your  visage  with  the  same  kind  of 
distortion  as  may  be  noticed  by  regarding  your 
physiognomy  in  the  bowl  of  a  dessert-spoon,  an 
amusing  occupation  here  recommended  to  any 
one  who  is  dining  alone  and  without  the  solace 
of  a  newspaper.  To  attempt  to  shave  by  one 
of  these  mirrors  would  hs  to  run  the  risk  of 
losing  a  feature  or  two  ■.  but  they  sell,  and  very 
probably  the  merchant,  who  affects  a  wonder- 
fully-twiste  J    handkerchief    for    a    headdress. 


ai  regards  dress  ;  t  .i.,  with  men  "  on  foot,"  and 
in  the  tight  drawers  of  galligaskins  of  modern 
Spain,  they  have  a  hideously  gouty  or  hospital 
look. 

Scarcely  so  prosper,ju.s  in  appearance  is  the 
chair- mender,  although  he  lia.i  advanced  to  the 
dignity  of  boots,  and  should  pick  up  a  fair  live- 
lihood among  the  cafes,  where  those  rush-bot- 
tomed seats  are  in  constant  wear.  Wonderful 
people  for  rush,  and  basket,  and  mat  work  are 
the  Spaniards  ;  for  Spain  may  be  said  to  be  the 
land  of  the  fibre,  as  far  as  Europe  is  concerned, 
and  we  have  beiun  to  ancreciate  the  value  o> 


SPAIN. 


178 


SEGOVIA    AND    ITS    CASTLR. 


174 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


THE  TRAVELING  TINKER   OF   MADRID. 


FRUIT  SELLER   OF   MADRID. 


THE   PIEMAN   OF  MADRID. 


it,  since  the  Alfa  Esperto,  or  Spanish  grass,  has 
begun  to  supersede  rags  for  paper-mrlcing, 
though,  curiously  enougli,  Spain  is  the  land  of 
rags  too. 

There  are  few  street  shows,  or  street  concerts 
in  Madrid,  and  the  amusements  are  to  found  in 
seeing  and  heing  seen,  or  in  watching  the  pro- 
gress of  the  little  private  dramas  that  are  en- 
acted on  the  Prado  or  the  grand  promenade. 
Still,  there  are  wonderful  little  nooks  and  cor- 
ners in  the  city  which  are  as  quaint  and  queer 
in  the  manccrs  p.nl  customs  of  their  haliitues 
as  the  most  inveterate  flaneur  could  desire. 

One  such  shady  angle  would  recall  every 
visitor  from  New  Yoi'k,  to  tlio  days  of  his  early 
youth  when  the  "happy  family"  was  one  of 
the  chief  attractions  for  children  ;  for  there,  in 
a  sort  of  structure  which  looked  like  a  cross 
between  a  peep-show  and  a  model  pagoda,  were 
perched  birds  of  prey,  incluiiing  an  imbecile 
vulture,  a  dispirited  hawk,  and  an  irritable  owl, 
while  below  tliem  a  few  molten  pigeons  stood 
under  the  miniature  portico  in  company  with 


ORANGE  GIRL  OF  MADRID. 


some  small  birds,  whose  lives  were  evidently  a> 
burden  to  them. 

The  itinerant  workmen  and  tradesmen  of 
Madrid  form  one  of  the  most  interesting  por- 
tions of  the  inhabitants,  and  among  these  the 
chaii -sellers,  one  of  whom  forms  the  subject  of 
our  illustration.  The  peculiar  cry  with  which 
they  announce  their  coming,  will  be  remem- 
bered by  every  traveler  who  has  visited  the 
Spanish  capital,  while  the  insignificant  business 
they  seem  ta  do  makes  it  a  matter  of  wondei 
how  they  live  even  in  this  home  and  centre  of 
poverty  and  beggary.  Nature,  however,  is  kind 
in  giving  them,  as  a  class,  the  easy  disposi- 
tions so  common  to  all  poor  Spaniards,  while 
the  moderation  of  the  climate  enables  them  to 
enjoy  existence  without  many  of  the  comforts 
deemed  indispensable  in  more  rigorous  tempera- 
tures. Tlicn,  too,  his  position  frees  him  from 
the  dcman  's  of  pride  and  show,  which  render 
the  generally  impoverished  hidiilgos  so  unhappy, 
so  that  thougli  most  of  ns  would  not  probably 
he  eager  to  change  positions  with  him,  yet  wo 


KADBID  BROOM   UERCaAKT. 


UADRID  PIPE 


•Jl&iU  8I(U4.CR   Of  MADRID. 


SPAIN. 


175 


would  find  that  he  shares  this  opinion  with  U3. 
Our  own  streets  display  every  phase  of  the 
peddler,  Imt  not  of  that  marked  national  cliar- 
acter  found  in  the  citie-i  of  the  old  world.  With 
us  the  larger  portion  of  street  peddlers  are  for- 
eigners, but  not  so  with  them  ;  in  the  streets  of 
Madrid  tlie  native  is  seen  in  his  full  bloom,  and 
the  vendor  of 
»ny  description 
of  truck  may 
boast,  possibly, 
tlie  pure  Castil- 
ian  blood. 
Everything 
under  the  sun  is 
hawlted  tlirough 
the  streets  of 
Madrid,  from  a 
penny -wliistle 
up  to  a  sold 
watch,  and  the 
hawlier  is  of  a 
like  character 
with  his  goods. 
Our  illustra- 
tion shows  a 
B3ller  of  brooms, 
with  his  stock 
manufactured, 
perhaps,  by  his 
family,  in  their 
wretched  but  in 
the  suburbs. 
While  he  is 
peddling  his  as- 
sortment, the 
dirty  tribe  at 
home  are  drows- 
ing lazily  over 
their  work,  to 
provide  him 
with  goods  for 
the  morrow. 
When  his  days 
trading  is  over, 
bis  earnings  will 
be  spent  in  a 
mess  of  fruit, 
some  meal,  an 
onion  or  two,  a^ 
bit  of  cheese, 
and,  perhaps, 
if  he  is  very 
successful,  a 
bottle  or  two  of 
Bour  red  wine, 
enough  to  set 
the    teeth    on 


the  streets  of  JiadriJ,  and  when  he  cannot  get 
coin  as  a  reward  for  hi.;  exertion,  a  few  jrrapes 
or  a  bit  of  black  bread  will  answer  as  well. 


fivERY  art  h  best  taught  by  example  ;  good 
deeds  are  productive  of  good  friends. 


The  pipe-seller 
or  the  fruit- 
peddler  is  but  a 
repstition  of  the 
other.  The 
first  is  ready 
always  for  bu- 
siness, either  as  sale  or 


occasionally. 


a  trade 
perhaps,  to  pick  a  pocket. 

The  traveling  tinker,  like  our  own  tramp  of 
that  species,  does  not  confine  himself  to  cities 
alone,  but  extends  his  travels  to  any  part  of  the 
kingdom  where  pots  are  bottomless  and  pans 
want  mending.  Tlie  chink  of  his  hammer  is 
heard  among  the  vine-clad  hills,  as  well  as  i.n 


MOUNTAIN  ■niAVELi:.G   IS   SPAIN. 

Mountain  Traveling  in  Spain. 
The  muleteer  {amero)  is  now  about  the  only 
person  to  be  seen  in  Spain  with  his  guitar  in 
his  hand  cr  i  lunj  over  h!s  shoulder.  Tlie  gol- 
den age  of  Eierena  !es  beneath  balconies  is  passol, 
and  its  traditions  alone  remain.  Tho  F-garos 
.■Ml  1  Alm-.vivas  charm  us  now  only  in  cper.is 


and  comedies.  Tha  muleteer  in  his  long  and 
solitary  journeys  has  need  of  distraction  and 
amusement,  and  he  alone  chngs  to  the  guitar 
and  makes  it  hij  constant  companion.  Eeclin- 
ing  upon  his  animal's  back,  as  shown  in  our 
illustration,  he  makes  the  perilous  ascent  and 
descent  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  singing   to  the 

accompaniment 
of  his  guitar 
some  impro- 
vised refrain  in 
honor  of  his 
mistress  or  his 
mule. 

Our  muleteer 
is  acting  as 
guide  and  musi- 
cian. The  path 
is  so  steep  and 
narrow  that  we 
tremble  at  the 
loose  reign 
given  to  both 
animals  alike  by 
gentleman  and 
servant.  One 
false  step  and 
they  would  be 
hurled  into  the 
abyss  below, 
the  mere  con- 
templation of 
which  induces 
giddiness.  But 
in  these  perilous 
mor.ntain  paths 
it  is  tl.e  animal 
that  guides  the 
ma2.  The  mule& 
are  so  accustom- 
ed to  the  road 
that  they  know 
better  than  their 
riders  where  to 
place  their  feet. 
Besides,  the 
mule  is  self- 
willed  and  head- 
strong ;  if  you 
prick  him  with 
a  spur,  he  stops ; 
if  you  lash  him, 
he  lies  down; 
if  you  draw  the 
rein,  he  breaks 
into  a  gallop, 
and  your  secu- 
rity lies  in  his 
very  obstinacy ; 
give  him  his 
own  way  and  he 
will  bear  you  to 
your  journey's 
end  in  safety. 

The  head 
decorations  oi 
the  mule  in  Spain  are  always  very  elaborate 
and  showy,  and  the  rosettes,  cords,  tassels, 
and  other  accoutrements  frequently  leave  but 
little  of  the  profile  of  the  rnimal  visible.  The 
ordinary  saddle  is  frequently  replaced,  as  in 
our  illustration,  by  a  kind  of  pack-saddle 
with  wicker  baskets,  which  are  made  to  carry 
two  travelers. 


176 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


sPAm, 


nr 


Granada  and  the  Spanish  Balconies. 

Perhaps  no  city  has  been  so  much  praised 
as  Grauada.  ''A  quien  Dios  le  quiso  bien,  en 
Oranada  le  dio  cle  comer."  "  Whom  God  loveS 
he  permits  to  live  in  Granada." 

An  Arab  -writer,  who  lived  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  calls  Gra- 
n  ada  the  cap- 
ital oi  Andalusia 
and  the  queen  of 
cities,  and  saya 
that  nothing  can 
be  compared  to  its 
environs,  which 
are  beautiful  g«vr- 
den3  many  mile3 
In  extent.  "  More 
salubrious  than 
the  air  of  Gra- 
nada," is  a  pro- 
verb still  used  in  __. 

Africa. 

"Granada,"  says 
an  ancient  Anda- 
lusian  poet,  "  has 
not  its  equal  in 
the  world.  It  is  in 
vain  that  Cairo, 
Bagdad,  or  Damas- 
cus, strive  to  excel 
it.  The  best  idea 
we  can  give  of  its 
marvelous  beauty, 
is  by  comparing 
it  to  a  young  bride 
resplendent  with 
charms,  whose 
domain  consists 
of  the  surrounding 
country." 

Many  Arab 
•writers  call  Gra- 
nada "  Sham-ul- 
Andalus  "  —  that 
is,  the  Damascus 
of  Andalusia, 
thus  comparing  it 
to  tlie  most  cele- 
brated city  in  the 
East.  Some  say 
that  it  is  part  of 
heaven  descended 
to  earth. 

"This  place," 
BXys  another 
writer,  speaking  of 
the  Viga,  the  plain 
of  Granada,  sur 
passes  in  fertility 
the  celebrated 
Ganlah,  or  the 
^  prairie  of  Damas- 
cus ;  and  he  com- 
pares the  carmines 
or-  country  houses 
which    adjoin    the 

city  to  BO  many  Oriental  pearls  enshrined  in 
an  emerald!  The  climate  of  Granada  is 
very  healthy.  It  is  a  perpetual  Spring,  and 
they  have  lemon  and  orange-trees  covered 
simultaneously  with  blossoms  and  fruit. 

The  gardens,   always  green  and   always   in 
bloom,  rival  those  of  the  Hesperides. 
X2 


The  streets  of  Granada  are  very  full  of  life. 
The  houses  are  painted  delicate  rose-color, 
green,  yellow,  and  other  light  colors,  and  appear 
very  gay  in  the  sunshine.  The  windows  arc 
adorned  with  long  mats  made  of  the  Spanish 
broom,  sheltering  the  balconies,  from  which 
hang  luxuriant  and  bushy  pbnts,  with  scarlet 


THE  LEANdQ  lOWEB  OF  ZAEAQOZA. 

flowers.  Sometimes  the  icndidos,  great  tents 
striped  white  and  blue,  form  over  the  streets  a 
transparent  roofing,  as  in  many  other  cities  of 
the  South. 

The  ladies  of  Granada  are  celebrated  for  their 
beauty,  proverbially  so:  "  Laa  Granadinas  son 
muy  Jlnas." 


The  Leaning  Tower  of  Zaragoza. 
Lady  Hemjert,  whose  pleasant  volume  we 
have  heretofore  quoted,  gives  a  brief  account  of 
her  visit  to  Zaragoza,  part  of  which  we  quote: 

"  The  following  morning  found  our  travelers 
again  in  Madrid,  and  one  of  them  accompanied 
the  sisters  of 
charity  to  a  ffito 
at  San  Juan  do 
Alargon,  a  convent 
of  nuns. 

"  The  rest  of  the 
day  was  spent  in 
the  museum  ;  and 
at  half-past  eight 
in  the  evening  they 
started  again  by- 
train  for  Zaragoza, 
which  they  reached 
at  six  in  the  morn- 
ing. One  of  tho 
great  annoyances 
of  Spanish  travel- 
ing is,  that  the 
only  good  and 
quick  trains  go  at 
night ;  and  it  is 
the  same  with  tho 
diligences.  In  very 
hot  weather  it  may 
be  pleasant ;  but 
in  Winter  and  in 
rain  it  is  a  very 
wretched  proceed- 
ing to  spend  ha'f 
your  night  in  an 
uncomfortable  car- 
riage, and  the 
other  half  waiting, 
perhaps  for  hours, 
at  some  miserable 
wayside  station. 

"After  break- 
fasting in  a  hotel 
where  nothing  was 
either  eatable  or 
drinkable,  our 
party  started  for 
the  two  cathedrola. 
The  one  called 
the  '  Sen'  is  a  fine, 
gloomy  old  Gothic 
building,  with  a 
magnificent  relablo, 
jn  very  fine  carv- 
ing, over  the  high 
altar,  and  what 
the  people  call  a 
media  naranja  (or 
half-orange)  dome, 
which  is  rather  like 
the  clerestory 
lantern  cf  Burgos. 
In  the  sacristy 
was  a  beautiful  os- 
tensorium,  with  an 
emerald  and  pearl  cross,  a  magnificent  silver 
tabernacle  of  cinque  cento  work,  another  osten- 
sorium  encrusted  with  diamonds,  a  nacre  nef, 
and  some  fine  heads  of  saints  in  silver,  with 
enamel  collars."  ' 

Zaragoza  has  been  twice  subjected  to  fright- 
ful sieges  and  sacking. 


na 


THE    WORLirS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Flamingo  Shooting  in  Spain. 

Oca  illustration  is  taken  from  tlie  account  of 
a  voyage  in  Spain  made  by  Gustave  Dore  and 
Charles  Davillier.  The  scene  is  on  a  lake  neat 
Valencia.  The  party  having  followed  the  grand 
canal,  called  Acequia  del  Eey,  whose  waters 
unite  with  the  Albufera,  came  finally  to  the 
lake  bordered  by  the  steep  Sierra  Falconera,  and 
the  mountain  of  Monduber,  which  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  highest  in  that  region.  No  descrip- 
tion can  give  an  idea 
of  the  animation  of 
the  scene  around  the 
borders  of  the  lake. 

It  was  a  sort  of  holi- 
day ;  the  inhabitants 
of  the  surrounding 
country  had  come  in 
crowds'to  the  borders 
of  the  lake,  and,  de- 
spite the  early  hour  of 
the  morning,  were 
formed  in  groups,  pre- 
paring for -the  chase, 
taking  their  breakfast 
in  the  open  air,  pa- 
tronizing the  itinerant 
^ende^s  of  orange- 
v  ater  c  o  ol  e  d  with 
Know,  and  other  re- 
freshmen  ts  always 
found  in  any  Spanish 
fair ;  while  numerous 
musicians  were  on 
hand  providing  music 
with  their  guitars  and 
dtaras.  The  signal  for 
pushing  off  in  their 
Vwats  was  finally  given, 
and  the  hunters 
pushed  off  in  a  long 
line,  moving  toward 
the  centre  of  the  lake, 
which  was  covered 
with  thousands  of 
birds  clustered  to- 
gether in  groups.  One 
of  these  groups  soon 
rose  and  filled  ths 
air ;  then  the  slaughter 
commenced.  A  regu- 
lar fusillade  was  kept 
up,  growing  more  and 
more  furious  as  the 
circle  of  the  huntsmen 
contracted  toward  the 
centre.  When  the  birds 
finally  sought  shelter 
in  a  distant  portion  of 
the  lake,  the  same 
operation  was  re- 
peated. In  one  of  these  encounters,  Dor6 
killed  a  maL'nificent  specimen  of  a  flamingo, 
measuring  more  than  a  yard  from  the  tips  of 
his  wings.  Ihis  successful  shot,  which  forms 
the  subject  of  our  illustration,  from  the  pencil  of 
'lie  artist-hunter,  was  received  with  acclama- 
lons  from  all  sides. 


toric  jrt  as  a  study  of  character,  of  race,  of 
nationality :  and  by  one  who  has  made  the 
study  of  Spimisli  nationality  all  his  own.  The 
deep  meaaing  in  the  eye,  and  the  strongly- 
marked  features  of  the  twp  Gipsy  Sisters,  speak 
of  a  hard  destiny  of  bitter  memories;  of  a 
persecuted  race,  but  of  an  intelligent  and 
deeply  reflective  one  withal ;  of  a  race  in  wbicli 
there  is  much  to  admire,  if  not  to  love 'and 
esteem.  One  has  a  transient  smile,  with  a 
smack  of  coquetry  in  her  regard ,  as  if  she  were 


TLfi  Burial  of  the  Poor  at  Seville. 
Tnjs  forcible  iliustiation  by  Gustave  DorS 
reprrisents  a  scene  frequently  seen  in  Seville — 
the  burial  at  night  of  the  poor.  A  cheap  wooden 
cofEn  is  plated  tpon  an  ordinary  cart,  drawn  by 
a  horse,  at  full  trot,  and  preceded  by  a  precession 
of  the  poor,  who  carry  lanterns,  and  are  headed 
by  one  of  their  number  bearing  a  cress. 

The  whole  procession  moves  at  the  fastest 
possible  pace,  as  though  engaged  in  a  business 

which    they  desire  to 

perform  with  the 
greatest  expedition. 
Such  a  scene  is  just 
the^ne  as  would 
strike  the  grotesque 
imagination  of  Dor^, 
and  he  has  cast  a 
fantastic  air  over  it, 
which  heightens  the 
lugubrious  effect  of 
the  purpose  in  which 
these  weird  figures  are 
engaged. 


The  Gipsy  Sisters  of  Seville. 
This  is  no  ima^nary  sketch,  no  mere  effort 
trf  oenre  painting  ;  it  claims  to  rank  in  the  his- 


SHOOnXO  FLAMINGOBS  ON   THE  LAKE  ALBUFEEA. 

recognizing  the  fiatterini;  salutation  of  some 
passer  by  ;  but  the  other  is  all  sternness,  and 
repels  with  hollow  scorn  the  idle  compliment. 

The  ample  fall  of  the  rich  dark  tresses  ;  the 
warm  and  swarthy  complexion  ;  the  truly  na- 
tional costume,  and  the  glowing  atmosphere, 
are   perfect  in   their  general   harmony. 

Every  one  who  has  traveled  through  Spain 
will,  at  once,  acknowledge  the  faithfulness  of 
our  picture.  The  execution  is,  in  every  part, 
highly  artistic,  and  commends  itself  to  our 
readeis  as  a  perfect  photograph  of  the  original. 


a  A  Visit  to  Madrid. 
Lady  Herbert  says 
of  the  Spanish  capital : 
"  Apart  from  its  gal- 
leries, Madrid  is  a 
disappointment ;  there 
is  no  antiquity  or 
interest  attached  to 
any  of  its  churches  or 
public  buildings.  The 
daily  afternoon  diver- 
sion is  the  drive  on 
the  Prado ;  amusing 
from  the  crowd,  per- 
haps, but  where,  with 
the  exception  of  the 
nurses,  .all  national 
costume  has  dis- 
appeared. There  are 
scarcely  any  mantillas ; 
but  Faubourg  St.  Ger. 
main  bonnets,  in 
badly  assorted  colors, 
and  horrible  and  exag- 
gerated crinolines,  re 
platina;  the  soft,  black, 
flowing  dresses  of  the 
south.  It  is,  iri  fact, 
a  bad.  richavffi  of  the 
Bois  de  Boulogne. 

'■  One  of  the  chows 
of  Madrid  is  the  royal 
stables,  which  are  well 
worth  a  visit.  There 
are  upward  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  horses,  and  two  hundred 
fine  mules  ;  the  backs  of  the  latter  are  invari- 
ably shaved  down  to  a  certain  point,  which 
gives  them  an  uncomfortable  appearance  to 
English  eyes,  but  is  the  custom  throughout 
Spain. 

"  More  interesting  to  some  of  our  party  than 
horses  and  stables  were  the  charitable  institu- 
tions in  Madrid,  which  are  admirable  and  very 
numerous.  It  was  on  the  12th  of  November, 
1856,  that  the  M&re  Devos,  afterward  Mfere 
Gfen^rale  of  the  Order  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul> 


SPAIN. 


179 


.4\lfK/;^''' 


A    BALCONY    IN    GBANADA. 


180 


THE    WOKLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONa 


started  witli  four  or  five  of  her  Sisters  of  Charity 
to  establisli  their  first  house  in  Madrid. 

"They  had  many  hardships  and  diiSculties 
to  encounter,  but  loving  perseverance  conquered 
them  all. 

"The  sisters  number  between  forty  and  fifty, 
distributed  in  three  houses  in  different  parts  of 
the  city,  with  more  than  one  thousand  children 
in  their  schools  and  orphanages,  the  whole  being 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  Scour  Gotto- 
Irey,  the  able  and  charming  French  '  provincial' 
cf  i^airi.  There  are  branch  houses  of  these 
French  s.'sters  at  Jlalaga,  Granada,  Barcelona, 
and  other  towns  ;  and  they  are  now  beginning 
to  undertake  district  visiting,  as  well  as  the  care 
of  the  sick  and  the  education  of  children — a  pro- 
C22ding  which  they  are  obliged  to  adopt  with 
cxution,  owing  to  tlie  strong  prejudice  felt  in 
^paia  toward  any  religious  orders  being  seen 
<^atsidc  their  cUmsura,  and  also  toward  their 
*rass,  the  white  cornette,  which,  to  eyes  unac- 
customed to  anything  but  black  vails,  appeared 
outrageous  and  unsuitable.  The  Spanish  Sisters 
of  Charity,  though  affiliated  to  them,  follotving 
t'.ie  rule  cf  St.  Vincent,  and  acknowledging 
PL-re  Etienne  as  their  superior,  still  refuss  to 
■wsar  the  comette,  and  substitute  a  simple  white 
cip  and  black  vail.  These  Spanisli  sisters  have 
tlie  charge  of  the  magnificent  Foundl  ing  Hospi- 
tal, which  receives  upward  of  one  thousand 
children  ;  of  the  hospital  called  Las  Eecogidas, 
iyr  penitents  ;  of  the  General  Hospital,  where 
th3  sick  are  admirably  cared  for,  and  to  which 
is  attached  a  wing  for  patients  of  an  upper  class, 
w!i3  pay  a  small  mim  weekly,  and  have  all  the 
fclvantages  of  the  clever  surgery  and  careful 
nursing  of  the  hospital  (an  arrangement  sadly 
needed  in  our  English  hospitals);  of  the  Hospi- 
cio  de  S.  Maria  del  Carmen,  founded  by  private 
<'harity,  for  the  old  and  incurables  ;  of  the  in- 
fant scliojl,  or  salU  d'asile,  where  the  children 
are  fed  as  well  as  taught ;  and  of  the  Albergo 
dei  Poveri,  equivalent  to  what  we  should  call  a 


workhouse  in  England,  but  which  we  cannot 
desecrate  by  such  a  name  when  speaking  of  an 
establishment  conducted  on  the  highest  and 
noblest  rules  of  Clnistian  charity,  and  where  the 
orphans  find  not  only  loving  care  and  tender 
watchfulness,  but  admirable  industrial  training, 
fitting  them  to  fill  worthily  any  employments 
to  which  their  natural  inclination  may  lead 
them.  The  Sacrd  Ccour  have  a  large  establish- 
ment for  the  education  of  the  upper  classes  at 
Chaumarcin  de  la  Rosa,  a  suburb  of  Madrid, 
four  miles  from  the  town.  It  was  founded  by 
the  Marquesa  dc  Villa  Nuova,  a  most  saint-like 
person,  wlioso  house  adjoins,  and  in  fact  forms 
part  of,  tlic  convent — her  bedroom  leading  into 
a  tribune  overlooking  the  chapel  and  the  Blessed 
Sacrament.  The  view  from  the  large  garden, 
with  the  mountains  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
stone  pino  woods  on  the  other,  is  very  pretty, 
and  unlike  anything  else  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Madrid.  The  siijieridr,  a  charming  person, 
showed  the  ladies  all  over  the  house,  which  is 
large,  commociious,  and  airy,  and  in  which  they 
have  already  upward  of  eighty  pupils.  They 
have  a  very  pretty  chapel,  and  in  the  parlor  a 
very  beautiful  picture  of  St.  Elizabeth,  by  a 
modern  artist. 

"  One  more  '  lion'  was  visited  before  leaving 
Madrid,  and  that  was  the  Armory,  which  is  in- 
deed well  wortli  a  long  and  careful  examination. 
The  objects  it  contains  are  all  of  deep  historical 
interest.  There  is  a  collar-piece  belonging  to 
Fhilip  n.,  with  scenes  from  the  battle  of  St. 
Quentin  exquisitely  carved  ;  a  helmet  taken 
from  the  unfortunate  Boabdil,  the  last  Moorish 
king  of  Granada  ;  beautiful  Moorish  arms  and 
Turkish  banners  taken  at  the  battle  of  Lepanto, 
in  old  Damascus  inlaid-work  ;  the  swords  of 
Boabdd,  and  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella ;  the 
armor  of  the  Cid,  of  Christopher  Columbus,  of 
Charles  V.,  of  St.  Ferdinand,  and  of  Philip  II,; 
the  carriagfe  of  Charles  V,,  looking  like  a  large 
bassinet ;  exquisite  shields,  rapiers,  swords,  and 


helmets ;  some  very  curious  gold  ornament^ 
votive  crowns,  and  crosses  of  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, and  heaps  of  other  treasures  too  numerous 
to  bo  here  detailed.  But  our  travelers  were 
fairly  exhausted  by  their  previous  sight-seeing, 
and  gladly  reserved  their  examination  of  tne 
rest  to  a  future  day.  At  all  times,  a  return  to  a 
place  is  more  interesting  than  a  first  visit ;  for 
ill  the  latter,  one  is  oppressed  by  the  feeling  of 
the  quantity  to  be  seen  and  the  short  time  there 
is  to  see  it  in,  and  so  the  intense  anxiety  and 
fatigue  destroy  half  one's  enjoyment  of  the  ob- 
jects themselves.  That  evening  they  were  to 
leave  the  biting  east  winds  cf  Madrid  for  the 
more  genial  climate  of  sunny  Malaga ;  and  so, 
having  made  sundry  very  necessary  purchases, 
including  mantillas  and  chocolate,  and  having 
eaten  what  turned  out  to  be  their  last  good  din- 
ner for  a  very  long  time,  they  started  off  by  an 
eight  o'clocli  train  for  Cordova,  which  was  to  be 
tlieir  halting-place  midway.  On  reacliing  Alca- 
z.ar,  about  one  o'cloclc  in  the  morning,  they  had 
to  change  trains,  as  the  one  in  which  they  were 
branched  off  to  Valencia ;  and  for  two  hours 
they  wore  kept  waiting  for  tlie  Cordova  train. 
Oh !  the  misery  of  those  wayside  stations  in 
Spain !  One  long,  low  room,  filled  with  smokers 
and  passengers  of  every  class,  struggling  for 
chocolate,  served  in  very  dirty  cups  by  uncivil 
waiters,  with  insufficient  seats  and  scant  cour- 
tesy ;  no  wonder  that  the  Spaniards  consider 
our  waiting-rooms  real  palaces.  You  have  no- 
alternative  in  the  Winter  season  but  to  endure 
this  fcetid,  stifling  atmosphere,  and  be  blinded 
with  smoke,  or  else  to  freeze  and  shiver  outside, 
where  there  are  no  benches  at  all,  and  your  only 
liope  is  to  get  a  comer  of  a  wall  against  whicU 
you  can  lean  and  be  sheltered  from  the  bitter 
wind.  The  arrival  of  the  up  train  brouglit, 
therefore,  unmixed  joy  to  our  party,  who  man- 
aged to  secure  a  compartment  to  themselves 
without  any  smokers  (a  rare  privilege  in  Spain), 
and  thus  got  some  sleep  for  a  few  hours." 


FIRE  ON  THE  DOCK  OF  GlBBAtTAR. 


FRANCE. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

A  NOEMAN  BBIDE— THE  FIIIE  OF  ST.  JOHN,  ALSATIA— THE  CHUIICH  OF  THE  ISVALIDES— FUENCH  THEATRE— NAVARRE  COSTUMES— SHOPPING  IN  THB 

Seventeenth  Century  — A  Scrimp- seller- Costumes  of  the  Island  of  Ke  — Artesian  Wells  — View  of  the  Town  of  Pontes 

EOYANS— THE    CATACOMBS    OF  PARIS-THE  GREAT    SEWERS    OF  PARIS— A  TORTURE  RACK  USED    IN  1763— THE    RAILWAY  OVEE    MT.  GkNIS— 

View  above  Lauseburo- The  Gamin  de  Paris— La  Roquette,  interior  of  the  Chapel-Cells  for  Solitary  Confinement-Oit- 
EiDE  View  of  la  roquette  — The  Grand  goulet-^-drivino  horses  from  a  leech  Swamp  —  truffles,  and  How  to  grow  them— 
mussel  Nets  — the  Cathedral  of  Chartres  —  Church  and  Fountun  of  St.  Sulpice,  Paris- The  Hotel  de  Cluny  — Fowling— .v 
Breton  Peasant  drafted  into  the  army— The  baths  at  Biarritz— The  walking  Manager  with  his  theatre  on  his  Back— Shop 
IS  Paris,  Last  Century— The  Plague  at  Marseilljes -Wood  cutters  and  Wood-carriers  in  Normandy-The  Cafe  de  la  Cascade, 
1?^.  Bois  de  Boulogne-Benediction  of  la  Garonne-Extinct  Volcvnoes  of  tze  Chain  c;?  Puis-IHE  Ice  Cave  or  Vezy-Salmon  Toass 

J:  THE  ASTEONOMICAL  CLOCK  Oi'  STRASBOUiUl. 


RANGE  is  a  country  cf  'Westcm  Eu- 
boundcd  on  the  North  by  the 
jlisU  Channel  and  Belgium ;  on 
the  East  by  Germany,  S^vitzerland, 
and  Italy ;  South  by  the  Mediterranean,  and 
on  the  West  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  It  is 
separated  on  the  North  from  England  by  the 
English  Channel.  It  is  about  six  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  long,  and  six  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  broad,  and  consisted,  before  the  cession 
cf  Alsa33  and  Lorraine  to  Germany,  of  about 
two  liundred  and  eight  thousand  square  miles. 
It  has  a  coast  of  about  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred miles,  formed  by  the  Bay  of  Biscay,^  the 
English  Channel,  the  Straits  of  Dover,  the 
Mediterranean  Sea,  and  the  Gulf  of  Lyons. 

Its  geographical  features  arc  gently  undulat- 
ing. A  striking  feature  in  the  face  of  the 
country  are  the  Landes,  lying  between  the 
Adour  and  the  Gironde.  They  consist  of  heaths 
or  marshes,  presenting  nothing  but  a  desert, 
liere  and  there  intersperse!  with  patches  of  pas- 
tare  or  cultivated  land.  The  fev;  inhabitants 
cf  this  region  are  mostly  employed  i:i  rearing 
theep,  which  they  tend  mounted  on  stilts  two 
cr  three  feet  high.  It ;  mountains  form  rather 
boundaries  than  inte.j;ral  portions  of  the  coun- 
try, being  principally  the  Pyrenees,  the  Alps, 
and  the  Vosges.  The  principal  rivers  are  the 
Seine,  Loire,  Garonne,  Rhone,  the  Rhine, 
IMeuse,  Moselle,  Sambre,  Scheldt,  Somme,  Oise, 
Ome,  Marne,  Aisne,  Yonne,  and  numerous 
others.  Indeed,  France  may  be  called  the  land 
of  rivers,  there  being  about  four  hundred  navig- 
able rivers,  and  five  hundred  smaller  streams. 
Many  of  the  chief  rivers  are  connected  by 
c.inals.  It  is  also  very  rich  in  forests,  the 
p>incipal  of  which  are  tliose  of  Ardennes,  Fon- 
tainebleau,  Compi6gne,  -and  Orleans.  It  is 
estimated  that  over  one-eighth  of  the  superfi- 
cial extent  of  the  entire  country  is  covered  with 
■wood.  The  climate  is  somewhat  various,  the 
South  being  very  warm,  while  on  the  Northern 
and  Western  parts  it  ij  very  frequently  stormy 
and  cold.  In  the  interior,  however,  the  weather 
is  d.y  and  very  pleasant,  iiaving  more  equability 
than  any  other  p  .rt  of  Europe. 

Its  wild  animals  arc  the  bear,  fox,  wild  boar, 
stag,  roebuck,  deer,  chamois,  beaver,  rabbit, 
and  hare.  Their  domestic  animals  are  the 
horse,  ass,  mule,  ox,  sheep,  goat  and  pig. 
Among  birds  are  t!ie  eagle,  falcon,  jjartridge, 
buzzard,  quail,  larU,  and  othir  email  birds, 


Its  agricultural  productions  embrace  almost 
every  grain  and  fruit  known  to  civilized  man, 
excepting  the  tropical.  Their  vineyards  are 
beyond  those  of  all  nations,  and  constitute  a 
great  part  of  their  we.^lth,  as  their  exportation 
of  wines  is  immense.  'Iliey  also  grow  much 
timber,  and  in  the  South  the  cork-tree  abounds. 

Iron  is  over  nearly  t'lc  whole  of  the  country  ; 
copper,  lead,  silver,  antimony,  sulphur,  gold, 
coal  and  salt.  The  gold  produced  is  compira- 
tivcly  insignificant,  but  the  iron,  coal  and  salt- 
works are  cf  great  value.  Marble,  alabaster, 
slate,  and  a  few  precious  stones,  are  also 
found. 

In  the  development  of  manufactures,  France 
was  particularly  active  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. In  the  produce  of  iron  and  steel  goods, 
she  made  immense  advances,  without  neglect- 
ing other  indui-trial  arts,  for  which  she  has  long 
been  famed.  Her  most  important  manufac- 
tures are  those  of  watches,  jewelry,  arms,  cabi- 
net-work, coach-building,  pottery,  glass,  crys- 
tal, musical  instruments,  chemicals,  oils,  soap, 
beetroot  sugar,  dyeing,  paper-making,  printing, 
woolens,  silks,  linens,  cottons,  carpets,  shawls, 
and  lace.  The  chief  commercial  harbors  of 
France  are  Bordeaux,  Marseilles,  Nantes,  Havre- 
dc-Grace,  St.  Malo,  L' Orient,  Bayonne,  Ehm- 
kirk,  Dieppe,  and  Rochelle.  Marseille,!  trades 
with  the  West  Indiss  and  the  Levant;  Bor- 
deaux with  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  with 
the  North  of  Europe,  to  a  great  extent  in  wine. 
Nantes  has,  liUcwis3,  a  share  of  the  colonial  and 
wine  trade.  Havre  is  a  principal  seaport.  Her 
chief  commercial  relations  arc  carried  on  with 
the  following  countries:  Belgium,  Switzerland, 
England,  Sardinia,  Germany,  Spain,  the  United 
States  of  North  America,  and  her  own  colonies. 
With  these  places  the  imports  and  ■  exports 
amount  to  absut  one-sixth  of  th3  whole  exter- 
nal commerce  of  the  country.  Long  irabuel 
with  the  principles  of  protection  and  proliibi- 
tion,  it  v/as  only  in  1830  that  there  was,  under 
Napoleon  III.,  inaugurated  a  system  approach- 
ing that  of  the  free-trade  doctrines  of  England. 
This  commercial  reform,  in  ths  opinion  of  most 
reflective  minds,  was  destine!  to  be  the  start- 
ing-point for  a  largely  increased  development 
of  t!ie  internal  and  external  resources  of  one 
of  the  most  skillful  and  industrious  populations 
on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

We  shall  say  nothing  about  the  polities  or 
the  government  of   this  remarkable    nation, 


which  has  become  proverbial  for  the  rapidity 
and  frequency  of  their  clumges.  In  seven  y 
years  there  have  been  somewhere  about  fifteen 
mutations.  The  following  succinct  account  of 
the  principal  of  these,  forms  a  curious  comment 
upon  the  political  versatility  of  this  nation: 
Louis  XVI.  and  the  Assemblies,  May  5,  1789, 
to  August  10,  1792 ;  the  Convention,  with  its 
revolutions  and  incessant  changes,  September 
24,  1792,  to  October  5,  1795;  the  Directory, 
October  5,  1795,  to  November  7,  1799;  the 
Consulate  for  a  limited  period,  December  24, 
1799,  to  August  2,  1802  ;  the  Consulate  for  life, 
August  2,  1802,  to  May  18,  1804  ;  the  Empire, 
May  18,  1801,  to  April  2,  1814  ;  the-  Restora' 
tioD,  April  24,  1814,  to  JIarch  20,  1815  ;  tho 
Empire,  March  27  to  June  22,  1815;  the  Resto- 
ration, July  8,  1815,  to  August,  1830 ;  the  Gov- 
ernment of  July,  Auu'ust  9,  1830,  to  February 
24,  1848  ;  the  Republic,  February  26,  1848,  to 
December  2,  1851  ;  the  Presidency  for  10  yean, 
December  20-21,  1851,  to  December  9,  1852  ; 
the  Empire,  December  9,  1852. 

From  1852,  France  remained  under  the  rule 
of  Napoleon  III.,  but  upon  his  surrender  at 
Sedaij,  and  the  flight  of  tlie  Emperor,  it  feU 
into  the  hands  of  several  soldiers  and  politi- 
cians, and  is  now,  at  the  data  of  writing  this, 
January,  1888,  a  Republic,  under  the  presidency 
of  Camot. 

During  the  same  period  of  seventy  ye.irs, 
there  have  been  promulgated  twelve  constitu- 
tions, which  have  had,  in  Prance,  for  a  longer 
or  shorter  period,  the  force  of  fundamental  law: 
The  Constitution  of  September  14,  1790;  tha 
Constitution  of  June  24,  1793 ;  the  Constitu- 
ti  in  of  tlie  5th  Fructidor,  year  III.  ;  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  22nd  Frimaire,  year  VHI.  ;  tho 
Senatus  -  Consultum  of  the  Kith  Thermidor, 
year  X.  ;  the  decree  of  tho  Senate  of  the  28th 
Flor^al,  year  XII.  ;  the  Charter  of  1814  ;  tha 
Additional  Act  of  1815  ;  the  republican  Consti- 
tution of-  1843  ;  ths  Constituti-n  put  forth  by 
the  president,  of  January  14-22,  1852 ;  the  sama 
constitution  modified  by  the  Senatus-Consult^i 
of  November  7th,  1852,  and  the  Plebiscitum  of 
January  21-22,  1852.  In  all  this  we  have  a 
specimen  of  the  force  and  unity  to  which  the 
Revolution  has  sacrificed  the  rights  and  liberty 
of  France !  In  both  catalogues  w3  have  emit- 
ted all  that  was  simply  ephemeral,  with  the 
suspension  by  the  revolutionary  govemmeat  o£ 
the  constitution  of  1793. 


182 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


A  Uonnan  Bride  with  her  Distaff. 

Hebe  is  a  Norman  bride,  returning  from  the 
clmrch  mth  her  new-wedded  husband,  wearing 
the  high  cap  that  Longfellow's  ''Evangeline" 
makes  so  familiar  to  us.  Doubtless,  liis  unfor- 
tunate heroine,  too,  at  her  wedding,  would 
have  borne  this  domestic  implement,  according 
to  the  time-honored  custom  of  Kormandy. 

But  why  does  the  bride  carry  a  distaff?  And, 
perliaps,  some  of  the 
younger  readers  will 
have  to'  consult 
Webster,  or  grandma, 
the  living  dictionary, 
to  know  vhfi.t  it  is. 
It  is  simply  a  stick  on 
which  the  flax  is  put, 
and  spun  off  by  hand 
or  by  tlia  wheel.  It 
marks  tlic  first  step  in 
civilization,  when  men 
laid  aside  skins  to 
weave  cloth  for  their 
covering. 

The  distaff  is  the 
type  of  true  woman- 
hood —  woman' s  arm 
and  shield — the  safe- 
guard of  the  chimney- 
comer,  the  companion 
of  solitude  and  nightly 
vigils — tlie  emblem  of 
patient  toil.  This  is 
all  very  learned  and 
gentimental,  but  does 
not  tell  why  Norman 
brides  should  carry  an 
ugly  stick.  It  is  not 
an  ugly  stick.  There 
is  a  grand  collection 
of  distaffs  in  tlie  Mu- 
seum at  Clugny,  and 
you  will  find  them  to 
be  often  very  rich  and 
elaborately  carved. 

But  to  the  story. 
Queen  Bertha  was  a 
Hungarian  princes;, 
and  esteemed  the  most 
accomplished  princess 
on  earth,  when  Pepin, 
King  of  the  Franks, 
asked  her  hand  from 
her  father,  the  King 
of  the  Magyars.  Her 
mother,  Blanchefleur, 
aot  wishing  to  send 
her  away  alone,  gave 
her  as  a  companion 
her  foster-sister  and 
living  image,  Aliste ; 
"  but,  unfortunately,  her 
nurse,    Margiste, 

Aliste' s  mother,  went  also.  When  the  Queen 
parted  with  her  daughter,  she  gave  her  a 
beautiful  carved  distaff,  which  extended  by  a 
Bccret  -.pring,  as  needed,  in  spinning. 

"^.y  child,"  said  she,  "in  the  palace,  as  in 
the  cot,  labor  is  woman's  lot.  Think  of  me 
when  you  use  this  distaff,  and  if  we  meet  again 
on  earth,  this  distaff  will  be  our  means  of 
recoPTiition." 

Bertha  reached  France  and  married  Pepin, 


but  at  niglit  was  seized  and  carried  off  by  Mar- 
giste and  her  accomplices,  who  substituted 
Aliste  in  her  stead.  Bertha,  left  in  the  forest 
of  Man's,  a  prey  to  the  wild  beasts,  at  last 
readied  a  hermitage,  and,  guided  by  his  direc- 
tions, came  tp  the  house  of  a  good  man  named 
Simons,  who  sheltered  the  poor  stranger,  for, 
having  vowed  to  live  in  her  obscurity,  she  re- 
presented herself  as  an  Alsatian  girl  fleeing  from 
a  harsh  stepmother. 


A  jroRMAN  nniDE  with  hee  bistaff. 

Meanwhile,  the  false  queen  had,  by  her 
tyranny  and  avarice,  become  the  object  of  uni- 
versal hatred,  and  when  Queen  Blanchefleur, 
uneasy  at  not  bearing  from  her  daughter,  came 
to  France,  she  was  met  with  curses.  She  reached 
the  Palace ;  Pepin  received  lier,  but  tnld  her 
that  Bertha  had  been  taken  suddenly  sick. 

Queen  Blanchefleur  at  last  made  her  way  to 
a  darkened  room,  and,  pushing  away  the  atten- 
dants, reached  the  bsdside. 


Not  a  word  would  tlie  false  queen  speak  5 
Blanchefleur  tore  open  the  windows ;  the  flood 
of  light  revealed  the  cheat. 

"  'Phis  is  not  my  daughter,"  she  cried,  '  nc» 
your  wife.  King  Pepin ;  this  is  her  maia, 
Aliste. " 

The  false  queen  and  Margiste   rose  in  fury, 
and  declared  the  queen  of  Hungary  mad. 
Pepin  wavered,  uncertain  what  to  believe. 
Suddenly  Blanchefleur  saw  the  distaff-case, 
and,     opening      it, 
handed  the   distaff  to 
AJiste,  saying: 

"  If  you  are  Bertha, 
Bet  up  this  distaff  at 
its  full  height.  My 
daughter  and  I  alone 
know  the  secret." 

llie  false  queen  and 
her  mother  grew  pale  , 
they  could  not.  Blan- 
chefleur at  once  did 
it,  and  Aliste  passed 
from  the  -throne  to  a 
dungeon,  where  she 
and  her  mother,  after 
mutual  recrimination, 
confessed  all. 

Blanchefleur  was 
inconsolable  for  her 
daughter.  She  went 
with  Pepin  to  the 
forest  of  Mans,  and, 
day  after  day,  rode, 
with  many  attendants, 
througli  the  woods, 
asking  in  vain  for  the 
Jost  Bertha. 

One  day  the  king, 
wandering  moodi'y 
along,  met  a  charming 
maiden,  simply 
dressed,  spinning 
under  a  tree  before  a 
Madonna,  and  pray- 
ing for  the  king.  The 
countenance  sent  a 
strange  thrill  through 
him. 

"Wlio  are  you?' 
she  exclaimed. 

'•I  am  Pepin  him- 
self; why  are  you  oo 
interested  in  him?'' 

To  keep  her  vow 
she  eluded  his  ques- 
tion, but  he  discovers 
that  she  dwells  in 
Simon's  house. 

Thither  Pepin  and 
Blanchefleur  go.  She 
is  too  changed  for 
them  to  recognize, 
and  she  will  give  no 
sign  that  she  knows  them.  Then  they  departed 
sadly,  but  Blanchefleur  left  the  distaff  witt* 
Simon,  and  she  and  Pepin  returned,  in  stealth, 
to  watch. 

In  vain  did  Simon's  vrife  and  daughters  try 
to  put  the  distaff  in  order  for  working.  Bertha 
long  showed  herself  indifferent,  but  at  last  took 
it  up  to  try  her  skill.  Unthinkingly,  her  heart 
full  of  thoughts  of  the  past,  her  fingers  solved 
''  the  mystery.     But  the  cries  of  surprise  of  the 


FRANCE. 


183 


gills  around  her  had  not  died  away  before 
Pepin  and  Blanchefleur  rushed  from  their 
lurking-place  to  claap  her  in  her  arms. 

Good   Queen    Bertha    rode    back    to  Paris 
in  state,  bearing  her  distaff. 


not  to  the  contrary.  This  ceremony  is  faith- 
fully carried  on  by  the  villagers  as  part  of  the 
festival  of  St.  John's  Day.  The  young  people 
seem  to  enjoy  the  saltatory  exercise,  and  it 
would  not  be  a  great  stretch  of  the  imagination 


Laving  many  odd  fancies  and  a  terribla  lan- 
guage, being  a  commingling  of  the  guttural 
German  with  the  nasal  French,  which  cannot  be 
well  understood  by  either  French  or  Germans, 
but  which  serves  very  well  for  the  natives. 


The  Fire  oi  St.  John  in  Alsatia. 
OtiB  illustration  herewith  represents  a  legend- 
ary ceremony  which  now  exists,  and  has  long 
existed,   among  the  peasants  of  Alsatia,  since 
the  time  of  which  man's  recollection  runneth 


to  t  appose  that  this  couple  that  we  see  hand- 
in-hand  expected  to  pass  their  lives  together. 
Alsatia  is  the  old  German  name  of  the  two 
French  provinces  called  the  departments  of 
the  TJpper  and  Lower  Rhine.    The  inhabitants 


Shopping  in  the  Seventeenth  Century. 
OuK  illustration  is  taken  from  a  quaint  o' 
picture  representing  the  interior  of  a  Parisi 
shop,  with  a  lady  and  gallant  of  the  sevr 
teenth  century.     The  wares  ar3  all  tempting  l 


!84 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


displayed,  auJ  the  lady,  in  her  curious  pictur- 
esque costume,  ia  looking  nt  them  with  quite 
as  deep  an  interest  as  the  belle  of  to-day  regards 
the  modem  finery  which  lies  upon  Stewart's 
counters. 

It  will  he  remembered  that  during  the  mi- 
nority of  Louis  XIV.  Cardinal  Mazarin  enforced 
Eumptuaiy  laws  with  great  rigor,  and  that  laces 
and  trimmings  anJ  embroideries  cf  gold  and 
silver  came  under  a  special  Ian.  Wh«n,  how- 
ever, IjOuIs  assumed  the  reigns  of  govermnent 
tiie  misery  of  the  lacemakers  who  were  thrown 
out  of  employment  was  represented  to  him,  and 
a  royal  edict  permitted  a^ain  tlio  use  cf  lace  ; 
nay,  more,  Louis  took  t'lis  branch  of  industry 
under  his  especial  protection,  and  encouraged 
the  manufacturers  of  foreign  countries  to  cmi- 


moral  code  ;  but  where  could  we  pick  up  a  pic- 
ture more  stiff  in  its  straight  lines  and  right 
angles,  in  its  hatted  men  and  prim  women, 
than  is  shown  in  this  old  cut  of  a  French  salle 
de  spectacle  ia  the  reign  of  Louis  XIII.  ?  Where 
we  expect  graceful  outlines,  all  is  stiff  and  hard. 
Really,  the  stylos  and  fashions  of  our  day,  with 
all  their  absurdities,  have  at  least  some  redeem- 
ing traits,  an  J  liere  we  have  none. 

The  stage  costume  was  conventional  then  in 
France  as  in  England,  and  t'.ie  characters  on 
the  stage,  l)eriiffed  ami  bewigged,  may  be  play- 
ing a  classic  tragecly  of  Eacine  or  Corneille,  and 
wo  really  may  have  before  us  a  Virginius, 
Germanicus,  or  a  Medea,  or  the  lady  may  be 
Judith  or  Athalia,  and  the  scene,  Jerusalem. 
After  all,  wo  do  things  less  absurdly. 


seem  ;  for  we,  too,  love  change,  and  borrow 
not  a  little  from  ages  that  have  preceded,  evea 
though  we  laugh  at  the  general  effect. 


The  Church  of  the  Invalidea,  Paris. 
The  Church  of  the  Invalides  is  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Seine,  on  the  south  side  of  Paris, 
adjoining  the  hotel  of  the  same  name.  That 
grand  refuge  for  the  veterans  of  France  is,  of 
recent  years,  an  object  of  great  interest,  as  the 
church  containing  the  tomb  of  Napoleon  L 
The  wish  which  he  expressed  in  his  last  days  : 
"  I  desire  that  my  ashes  rest  on  the  banks  cf 
the  Seine,  amid  that  French  people  whom  I 
have  so  loved,"  was  carried  out  during  tho 
reign  of  Louis  Philippe. 


grratc  to  and  establish  themselves  in  France. 
Of  course,  after  having  long  been  deprived  of 
one  of  the  most  cherished  articles  of  dress  to 
woman's  heart,  tho  demand  for  lace  became 
unbonnded,  and  the  court  gallant  of  our  illus- 
tration has  an  easy  assurance  of  manner  which 
prove.?  that  he  knows  ho  has  done  wisely  in 
conducting  the  latly  of  his  love  to  this  shop, 
where  he  will  receive  at  least  a  reflection  of  her 
adiHiratiun  of  the  finery  displayed. 


Jrench  Theatre  in  the  E^ign  of  Louis  XIII. 
PcBLic  amusements  have  naturally  always 
Viccn  the  place  to  study  the  fashionable  follies 
of  the  day.  France  is  synonymous  with  ease, 
gmee,  aod  polish,  if  not  with  the  highest-toned 


SHOPPING   IX  THE  SEVENTEENTH  ^ENTUET. 

Navarre  Costumes  in  the  Pifteenth  Century. 
Navarue,  as  an  independent  kingdom— Span- 
ish in  its  origin,  French,  by  progress  of  fmc — 
showed,  in  the  costumes,  a  blending  of  tho 
tastes  and  ideas  of  the  two  nations.  Tho  more 
sombre  ideas  of  the  peninsula,  the  gravity  and 
austerity  of  tho  Spanish,  came,  to  tone  down 
the  frivolous  gayety  of  Paris.  Hence,  the  Na- 
varrese  costumes  were  generally  attractive ; 
noble,  without  severity ;  pioisinT,  without 
levity.  But,  at  a  later  date,  the  Spanish  ele- 
ment alraoft  entirely  vanished,  and  the  days 
of  the  Heptemenn,  and  of  Queen  Margaret, 
were  days  of  mori  than  Parisian  frivolity. 
These  costumes  are  not  without  interest  to  us 
ia  our  days,  practical  and   utilitarian  as  we 


His  remains  were  brought  from  St,  TTolena  tc^ 
Paris  on  tho  Belle  Foul"  commanded  by  tho 
Prince  de  Joinville,  and  the  body  of  the  hero 
now  lies  in  a  splendid  tomb,  executed  by  Yis- 
conti,  beneath  the  dome  of  this  church,  with 
the  sword  of  Austerlitz  beside  it. 

The  church— though  they  are  now  thrown 
into  one — really  consists  of  two.  The  fiist 
church,  called  I'Eglise  Ancienne,  is  sixty  feet 
high,  two  hundred  and  ten  feet  long,  by  forty 
in  its  least,  and  seventy-two  feet  in  its  greatest 
breadth,  and  consists  of  a  single  nave,  with  low 
side-aisles,  supporting  a  gallery.  Tlie  flags 
taken  by  the  French  frcm  the  enemy  are  de- 
jKisited  in  this  church. 

During  the  empire,  the  nave  of  this  church 
was  hung  with  nearly  three  thousand  fla^s  tf 


FRANCE. 


185 


every  nation  en  the  continent. 
They  were  destroyed  the  evening  be- 
fore the  allied  troops  entered  Paris 
in  1814. 

The  second,  or  Dome  Church,  i; 
a  square  editice,  one  lumdred  and 
thirty-eight  feet  long,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  first  church.  It  is 
united  to  the  old  church  by  the  arch 
ia  \Yhich  the  great  altar  stands.  L\ 
the  centro  of  each  front  is  a  project- 
ing mass,  crowned  by  a  pe  iimeut. 

The  principal  entrance  is  by  the 
portico  on  the  south  side,  whicli  is 
composed  of  two  ranks  cf  columns, 
the  lower  ones  of  the  Doric,  and 
the  upper  ones  cf  the  Corinthian 
order. 

The  circular  tower,  which  rises  from 
the  body.of  the  church,  is  surmounted 
by  forty  columns  of  the  Composite 
order,  arranged  in  pairs.    An  attic,  , 

adorned  with  circular-headed  windows, 
springs  from  the  tower,  and  from  this 
rises  the  dome,  the  curve  of  which  is 
considered  as  peculiarly  elegant.    Its  external 
diameter  is  eighty  feet,  which  h  within  thirty- 
two  feet  of  the  diameter  of  St.  Paul's. 

The  spaces  between  the  twelve  ribs,  by  which 
the  dome  is  divided,  are  decorated  with  project- 
ing devices  of  military  trophies,  arms,  etc. ,  and, 
with  the  ribs  themselves,  are  gilt. 

The  dome  is  smmoiinted  by  a  lantern,  which 


NAVARRE  COSTUMES   IN   TUB  rirTEEXIH  CESTUEY. 

is  crowned  by  a  spire,  globe,  and  cross,  all 
richly  gilt.  The  total  height,  from  the  ground 
to  the  summit  of  the  cross,  is  three  hundred 
and  twenty-three  feet. 

The  pavement  of  the  Dome  Church  is  of 
white  marble,  inlaid  with  lilies  and  ciphers,  and 
the  cordon  of  the  Order  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Tlie 
ceiling  is  painted,  and  there  are  pictures  in  the 


different  chapels.  The  church,  o/ 
which  our  engraving  wiil  recall  tho 
reco'.lections  of  our  traveled  readers, 
conveys  a  very  good  idea  to  those 
whose  travels  have  had  a  more  limited 

range. 

• (i^ii 

A  Shrimp-Seller  ia  Trance, 
Shrimps    are    beginning  to    be    p, 
commodity  seen  on  our  streets,  brt 
the  relish  for  them  has  ngt  bccon:.e 
general. 

In  Europe,  especially  in  Kngland 
and  France,  they  are  much  liked,  and 
such  a  vender  as  here  shown  would 
tend  to  give  and  retain  popularity. 
The  shrimpers  citch  these  animals  in 
large  nets  with  a  semi-circular  mouth, 
which  they  push  before  them  along 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  at  ebb-tide. 

They    wade    nearly    up    to    their 
middle,  raising  the  nets  from  time 
to   time  and  removing  the  shrimps 
into  a  bag  hung  around  the  neck, 
fishery  gives    employment    to    many 
hundreds  of  men  and  women. 

Shrimps  are  marine,  never  leaving  the 
water.  They  move  forward  by  jumps,  but 
when  in  danger  swim  backward. 

They  do  not  turn  red  in  boiling,  as  cr'al* 
and  lobsters  do.  Tliis  fish  make  a  delicate  dish, 
much  appreciated  by  some  people. 


This 


hiir7:iLr!M;,iuiiliiJi'iii!l;iililiiiiiil|l!li!|i!l!!h^^ 


^^^^^Wil^IlP 


FEEKCH  THEATEE  IN  THE  EEIGN   OF  LOUIS   XIII. 


186 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS, 


Oosttimes  of  the  Islo  of  Ee. 

TiiE  Isle  of  Ke  furnished  French  history  with 
one  of  its  most  interesting  episodes.  In  lCli7 
the  Duke  of  Buckingham  liiid  siege  to  it  witli 
a  hundred  and  twenty  vessels  and  eight  hundred 
men,  under  pretext  of  succoring  the  Huguenots 
of  Eochelle,  from  which  place  it  is  separated 
only  by  a  canal.  The  Marquis  6f  Toiras,  who 
was  in  charge  of  the  island,  not  having  sufficient 
forces  a  t  h  i  s 
command;  was 
compelled  t  o 
retire  to  the 
fortress  of  f-'aint 
Martin.  Buck- 
ingham then 
surrounded  him 
and  prevented 
all  communica- 
tion with  the 
outer  world, 
determining  to 
reduce  the  gar- 
rison by  famine. 

To  hasten 
this  crisis,  all 
the  women  in 
the  island  were 
assembled  and 
•were  then 
driven  by  force 
of  arms  to  the 
citadel,  and 
being  repulse  1 
by  the  garrison, 
v/ho  had  but 
scanty  provi- 
Bionj  for  them- 
salve.?,  the  Kn- 
glish  admiral 
ordered  his  sol- 
d  i  e  r  s  to  fire 
upon  the  de- 
fensele.ss  crea- 
tul*es  and  to 
prevent  their 
retracing  their 
Btep>.  The  gar- 
Tison  was,  of 
course,  obliged 
to  open  the 
gates  of  the  for- 
tress to  those 
tvho  escaped 
the  murderous 
fire.  One  un- 
fortunate, who 
bore  an  infant 
in  her  arms, 
was  reached  by 
a  bullet  in  her 
flifjht,    and  fell 

to  the  ground.  Maternal  tenderness  triumphed 
over  the  agonies  of  death,  however,  and,  to 
3till  the  cries  of  her  babe,  she  placed  it  to  her 
breast.  The  soldiers  of  the  fort,  touciied  by 
the  piteous  Bijht,  hastened  to  her  relief,  but 
when  they  i cached  her,  the  infant,  smiling  and 
happy,  was  drawing  nourishment  from  a  bosom 
from  which  the  life  had  fled! 

Ko  provisions  reached  the  devoted  garrison. 
Buclvingham's  blockade  by  sea  was  effectual, 
and  it  now  became  a  question  of  immediate  sur- 


render or  of  death  by  starvation.  In  this  emer- 
gency, three  bold  spirits  resolved  to  swim  over 
to  the  continent.  One  dark  night  the  attempt 
was  made,  and  they  plunged  into  tlie  sea.  One 
was  drowned,  a  second  found  his  strength  un- 
equal to  the  task  and  he  returned ;  the  third 
persevered  and  succeeded  in  evading  the  pursuit 
and  bullets  of  the  English,  and  in  disembarrass- 
ini;  himself  of  tiie  fish  which  impeded  his  pro- 
gress, and,  in  a  state  of  utter  exhaustion,  reached 


COSTUMES  OF  THE  ISLE  OF  r£. 

the  coast  and  dr.ngged  himself  on  his  hands  and 
knees  to  the  quarters  of  tlie  Duke  of  Angouldme. 
Suspended  around  his  neck  was  a  leaden  box 
containing  a  letter  from  Toiras,  Informing  the 
duke  that  unless  help  came  within  five  days  he 
should  bo  compelled  to  surrender.  Before  the 
e-piration  of  that  time,  however,  a  dozen  ves- 
sels laden  with  provisions  and  munitions  of  war 
were  enabled  to  make  their  way  to  the  foot  of 
the  citadel,  as  the  English  vessels  had  suffered 
greatly  in  a  storm. 


I'ortune  had  now  turned  in  favor  of  the  be- 
sieged, and  within  a  wet-k  the  fort  was  relieved 
of  all  its  necessities,  and  the  Duke  of  Bucking- 
ham abandoned  the  hope  of  reducing  it  by 
famine.  His  efforts  to  take  it  by  assault  prov- 
ing equally  futile,  the  English  troops  retired,  and 
were  pursued,  and  their  ranks  so  utterly  deci- 
mated by  Schomberg,  that  the  survivors  speedily 
returned  to  England. 
Our  illustration,  from  a  drawing  taken  from 
the  life,  repre- 
sents the  cu- 
rious costume 
of  the  women 
o  f  this  island, 
which  had  such 
a  bitter  expe- 
rience of  the 
horrors  of  war. 


Artesian  Wells. 
Aetesian  wells 
derive  their 
name  from  Ar- 
tois,  in  France, 
anciently  called 
Artesium,  where 
they  have  very 
long  been  in 
use.  An  arte- 
sian well  is  a 
small  hole  bored 
in  the  er.rth  to 
a  great  depth, 
till  it  strikes 
one  of  the 
strong  under- 
ground currents 
of  water. 

To  understand 
this  thoroughly, 
it  is  well  to 
know  that  the 
interior  surface 
is  full  of  fis- 
sures, channels 
and  basin  s, 
tArough  which 
the  water  is 
gradually  work- 
ing its  way 
through  pass- 
ages it  finds  or 
makes.  Where 
the  current  of 
one  of  these 
rivers  U  very 
rapid,  aad  the 
pressuro  from 
above  great, 
and  the  channel 
thus  tapped, 
the  water  is  forced  up  to  the  height  nearly  oi 
the  basin  from  which  it  started.  An  artesian 
well  must,  therefore,  be  sunk  in  a  lower  ground, 
BuiToundcd  by  a  more  elevated  tract,  which 
can  collect  the  water. 

The  deepest  well  of  this  kind  in  the  UniteJ 
States,  and  perhaps  in  the  world,  is  that  sunk 
by  the  Belchers,  at  their  sugar  refinery  in  St. 
Louis.  It  was  driven  dovm  to  the  depth  of 
2.199  feet,  and  then,  on  March  12th,  1854,  water 
was  reached,  but  so  charged  with  mineral  matter 


rRANOB. 


18T 


VIEW    OF    THE    TOWN    OF    FONT-EN  KO YAKS. 


188 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


as  to  bo  unfit  for  use.  That  of  Grenello  In  the 
Paris  basin,  was  commenced  on  the  24th  of 
December,  1833,  and  on  the  26th  of  December, 
1841,  at  the  depth  of  1,792  foet,  the  boring-rod 
suddenly  penetrated  the  rocky  arch  of  the  sub- 
terranean aqueduct,  and  fell  sorue  14  feet.  Then 
the  w.iter  gushed  out,  and  after  a  short  time 
becama  perfectly  limpid  It  rises  34.10  metres 
above  the  mouth  of  the  well — that  is.  more  than 
103  feet-and  the  Btructure  shown  in  cur  illus- 


duct  the  water  to  the  nquaro  at  (ho  junction  of 
the  roads  loading  to  the  Milifcuy  ir^chool  and 
the  Invalides.  Here  the  architect  Delnperche 
raised  the  strong  yet  graceful  structure  shown 
in  our  illustration.  It  is  of  cast-iron,  from  the 
foundry  at  Pourchambault,  is  42.85  metres,  or, 
we  may  say,  yards,  in  height,  and  3.55  metres  in 
diameter  at  the  base.  It  weighed  100,000  kilo- 
grammes. 

It  is  licht  and  grace  ;'ul. 


The  church  that  cnce  had  its  churchyard 
around  it,  with  trees  and  ficldr',,  U  hemmed  in 
by  stores  and  dwellings ;  the  church  loses  its 
congregation,  is  removed,  and  we  call  on  the 
dead  to  rise  and  begin  their  journeylngs.  This 
rr-moval  is  not  always  done  creditably  ;  nor  is 
an  appropriate  place  always  given  to  the  re- 
mams  of  the  dead  of  former  generations. 

The  Indiana  in  this  v/erc  in  advance  of  us. 
Some  tribes,  eveiy  ton  years  or  so,  gathered  aU 


tration  was  erected  to  support  the  pipe  in 
which  it  rises.  It  was  essential  to  success  that 
it  should  attain  such  a  height  as  to  allow  it  to 
descend  to  Paris.  From  this  pijje  it  is  drawn 
off  to  the  reservoirs  in  the  Place  du  Pantheon. 
Its  importance  in  supplying  water  may  be  seen 
from  the  fact  tha.t  it  gives  out  500,000  gallons 
in  tweut5'-four  hours.  The  well  was  near  the 
Place  Breteuil,  and  to  make  the  structure  both 
useful  and  ornamental,  pipes  were  Inid  to  con- 


A   SHRIMP  SELLER. 

The  Catacombs  of  Paris. 
How  many  human  beings  lie  in  the  soil  we 
tread  ?  Has  any  reader  ever  thought  of  the 
infinite  host  of  those  who  have  traveled  down 
the  dark  vallev  and  mingled  with  the  dust 
beneath  our  feet?  Tne  grave  hides  them,  till, 
gradually,  slow  decay  removes  all  that  is  recog- 
nizable. Yet  ia  dense  countries  men  require 
even  the  space  allotted  to  graves. 


the  remains  of  the  dead  and  committed  then 
to  one  large,  decent  grave,  with  what  was,  ia 
their  eyes,  becoming  ceremonial. 

In  Paris  the  remains  of  former  generations 
have  become  a  show.  That  city  of  i'asiiioh  baa 
a  subterranean  world.  Vast  quanies,  bearing 
the  name  of  Amerio.x,  Montmartre,  and  Mont- 
rouge,  penetrate  the  rock. 

The  excavations  below  the  plain  of  Montroiige 
and  the  left  bank  of  the  S?ino,  have,  since  the 


FKANCE. 


189 


I'JO 


THE    WORLD'S  "  GREAT    NATIONS, 


THE  QEEAT  SEWEH3  Of  PAKIS— THE  BOAT. 


last  century  borne  the  name  of  catacombs. 
On  tlis  9th  of  Kovember,  1785,  the  authori- 
ties suppressed  the  cemetery  of  the  Holy  Inno- 
cents, which  had  been  a  burying-ground  for  ten 
centuries,  and  eight  feet  of  elevation  above  the 
surrounding  lands  were  mads-  up  of  departed 
Immanity.  The  bones  of  the  dead  were  re- 
moved to  the  unused  quarries,  and  the  worli 
once  begun,  the  otlier  cemeteries  began  to  dis- 
Xjorgc,  till  it  was  estimated  one  liundred  millions 
cf  dead  were  accumulated  in  tlie  catacombs. 

The  bones  are  not  thrown  in  pell-mell.  They 
r.re  rcC3ived  at  an  entrance  called  I'uit  de  la 
Tombe  Issoire,  and  are  thence  carried  to  the 
galleries,  and  arranged  in  piles  about  a  yard 
wide  and  two  yards  high.  The  tibia  and 
femurs  form  the  outer  wall,  the  skulls,  the 
coping  and  ornaments,  and  the  other  bones  fill 
i:p  the  space. 

Streets  corresponding  to  these  in  the  city 
above,  lead  you  from  one  end  to  the  other.  Regu- 
lar piles,  altars,  chapels,  made  of  these  relics  of 
Immanity,  alone  meet  your  eye,  with  occasional 
monuments  from  the  old  cemeteries.  Twice  a 
inonth  the  catacombs  are  open  to  visitors,  and 
on  those  days  crowds  flock  to  the  entrance  near 
the  old  Barricro  d'Enfer,  each  furnished  with  an 
admission  ticket  from  the  Prefect  of  the  Seine. 
There,  guides  are  ready,  torch  in  hand,  to  guide 
you  to  the  most  curious  localities.  No  one  is 
r.llowed  to  enter  without  a  guide  ;  f  jr,  though 
the  names  of  the  streets  arc  put  up,  and  a  lon^ 
Hack  line  leads  to  the  entrance,  people  have 
been  lost  and  died  of  starvation. 

The  view  we  give  of  visitors  preparing  to 
enter  is  of  interest  in  itself,  but  the  interior 
tIjw  is  extremely  curious,  as  having  been  taken, 
•without  the  light  of  day,  by  Nadar's  photo- 
praphic  light.  Before  the  quarries  were  used 
Tiy  the  city  as  catacombs,  they  were  the  resort 
cf  smugglers,  who  used  to  store  brandy  here, 
nnd  get  up  Inside  the  city  through  a  house  in 
the  St.  Jacques  suburb. 

• ii^ii 

The  Great  Sewers  of  Paris. 
A   srRANfiER  to    the  ways   of   Taris  would 
bardly   suppose    that    it    counted  amonj    its 


"  Eights"  its  cowers.  They  may  not  ^ordinarily 
be  considered  attractive,  but  they  certainly, 
from  their  extent,  are  worth  visiting,  and  it 
has  been  found  that  those  most  solicitous  to 
ride  upon  tlifiir  turbid  waters  are  the  ladies. 
Our  engravings  show  the  ' '  boat' '  and  "wagon," 
with  their  passengers,  piissing  down  the  main 
sewer.  It  will  be  noticed  that  there  ij  a  singu- 
lar contrivance  attached  to  these  water-car- 
riages. These  are  for  removing  from  the  bed 
of  the  sewer  the  heavier  filth,  which  is  driven 
onward  to  the  places  of  deposit.  It  is  only  on 
certain  days  of  the  year  that  the  Paris  sewers 
are  made  show-places  of.  On  these  occasions 
they  are  magnificently  lighted  up  with  some 
thousands  of  moderator  lamps,  each  provided 
with  its  silvered  reflector.  TTie  tickets  issued 
by  the  municipal  authorities  indicate  the  time 
and  place  of  rendezvous,  and  precisely  at  the 
hour  specified  the  large  iron  trap-door  m  the 
centre  of  the  pavement  is  raised,  and  the  as- 


sembled party  descend  to  these  truly  gigantic 
subways,  of  which  an  English  writer  remarks: 
"The  main  artery  is  on  the  northern  bank  of 
the  Seine,  and  between  three  and  four  miles  in 
length,  and  extends  from  the  Place  de  la  Con- 
corde to  Asnieres,  near  to  which  well-known 
suburb  the  principal  southern  artery,  after  cross- 
ing the  Seine  in  a  monster  tube  close  to  the 
Po:it  d'Alma,  will  eventually  form  a  junction 
with  it.  Besides  these  principal  arteries,  which 
have  a  height  of  close  on  fifteen  feet,  and  4 
width  of  about  eighteen  feet,  including  a  path- 
way on  each  side  nearly  three  feet  wide,  there 
are  thirty  miles  of  secondary  galleries  of  some- 
what smaller  dimensions,  in  addition  to  an 
intricate  network  comprising  nearly  six  hundred 
miles  of  sewers  proper.  The  principal  purpose 
served  by  these  extensive  sub- ways  is  the  drain- 
age of  the  streets,  and  the  carrying  off  the 
refuse  water  and  the  rainfall  from  the  houses ; 
cesspools,  which  require  to  be  periodically 
emptied,  being  still  the  rule  in  the  French 
capital." 


A  Back  in  TJEe  in  1765. 

The  torture  was  abolished  in  France  by  Louis 
XVI.,  and  at  thifftime  the  rack  represented  in 
our  illustration  was  consigned  to  an  upper  room 
in  the  Chateau  Royal  at  Moiitauban,  France, 
wliere  it  remained  completely  forgotten  until 
it  was  recently  discovered.  The  rack  was  in 
use  nearly  two  centuries,  and  was  an  invention 
which  replaced  the  older  and  more  clumsy 
arrangement.  The  mode  of  torture  previous  to 
its  introduction  was  as  follows  :  The  person  to 
be  questioned  was  bung  by  his  bands  to  a  rope 
which  passed  through  a  pully  in  tlie  ceiling, 
while  heavy  iron  weights  were  attached  to  his 
feet,  and  the  weights  were  increased  until  the 
torture  forced  from  him  the  desired  replies. 

In  the  rack  the  feet  were  placed  through  the 
two  holes  seen  in  the  cross-bar  at  the  foot  of  tho 
plank  on  which  ho  lay;  and  the  cords  tied  to 
his  hands,  which  wore  stretched  above  his  head, 
were  passed  over  the  cylinder  at  the  top  of  the 
plank,  which  was  worked  with  the  handles  ac 


THE  ait£AT  SEWZBS  OP  P4.KIS— THE  'WAGOB. 


FBANCE. 


191 


its  sides.  The  holes  seen  along  the  plank 
■were  used  for  the  passage  of  the  cords  and 
straps  by  which  his  body  was  firmly  bound 
to  the  plonk.     The  last  lime  this  instrument 


ARTESIAN  WELL  AT  GRBNBILB,  PARIS. 

■was  used  was  in  December,  1762,  as  the  official  |  King's  counselor,  and  Pierre  F.  AyroUe  des  An- 

contemporary  report  shows.  gles,  lieutenant-colonel  of  cavalry ;  that  the  said 

This  report  sets  forth  that  Pierre  Delluque  .Pierre  Delluque  having  been   condemned  to 

was  brought  before  Dominique    de  Sadous,  '  make  an  honorable  amend,  and  to  be  hong,  was 


102 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


first  Bubjected  to  tlio 
ordiaary  and  extra- 
ordinary examina- 
tion, r.s  required  by 
bis  sentence. 

B  0  i  n  r; ,  tiierefore, 
stripped  and  fastened 
to  the  r.;ck,  and  tlic 
wheel  being  turned 
three  toctb,  be  an- 
swered that  be  bad 
CDmmitted  no  theft; 
turning  three  more 
teeth,  lio  said  the 
came;  turning  it 
three  more,  ho  said 
he  woull  toil  the 
trath.  if  ho  was  re- 
leased. Xlifiii  being 
r:;lease;l,  he  said  he 
bad  told  the  truth, 
and  brid  committed 
no  theft.  Thereupon 
being  again  subjected 
to  the  rack,  he  an- 
cwcred  only  v/ith  loud 
cries ;    being    turned  "" 

three  more  teetli,  he  said  the  devil  might 
take  him  if  he  had  committed  a  theft;  throe 
more  teeth  being  turned,  he  answered  nothuig. 

Thereupoa  the  doctors  being  called,  said  that 
the  action  of  his  lungs  was  prevented,  and  tliat 
he  would  die  if  not  released.  Whereupon  he 
was  released,  and  being  revive  1  with  spirits, 
denied  that  he  had  committed  any  theft. 

Being  again  subjected  to  the  rack,  he  an- 
swered only  with  loud  cries  ;  two  more  teeth 
being  turned,  ho  made  no  reply ;  two  more 
teeth  being  turned,  he  still  made  no  reply.  The 
doctors  having  again  examined  him,  said  that 
the  action  of  his  diaphragm  was  prevented  by 
the  tension  of  his  nerves,  that  his  thumb  upon 
the  right  hand  had  been  earned  away,  and  that 
be  was  in  danger  of  deatli,  if  not  released. 

Whereupon  he  was  released,  and  being  again 


THE  EAILWAT  OVER   MOUNT   OENIS — VIEW   ABOVE   LACSEBOUEO. 


revived  by  spirits,  this  statement  was  read  to 
him,  and  he  again  denied  having  committed 
any  theft.  Tlio  frightful  reality  of  this  legal 
document  is  shocking,  but  serves  to  show  what 
advance  has  been  made  in  the  dispensation  of 
justice  during  the  past  century. 


Th3  "Oamin  de  Paris." 
The  street-boy  has  always  formed  an  obtru- 
sive item  in  the  population  of  all  great  cities  ; 
and  in  those  several  cities  it  will  be  found  that, 
though  all  are  classed  under  the  general  term 
of  "street-boys,"  each  is  marked  by  the  char- 
acteristics of  a  distinct  nationality. 

These  young  scapegraces  —  though  we  are 
accustomed  to  look  upon  them  individually 
with  indifference   or    contempt  —  collectively 


constitute  no  unim- 
portant element  in 
tlie  social  fabric  ;  and 
we  are  forced  to  ad- 
mit that  practically 
they  have  more  in 
their  power  than  wa 
care  to  aclinowledge, 
and  perhaps,  luckily, 
than  they  are  them- 
selves at  all  awura 
of.  But  among  all 
descriptions  of  street- 
b  o  y  s  infesting  tha 
public  thoroughfares 
of  a  modern  metro- 
polis, where  eball  wa 
find  a  rival  to  thcs 
Gamin  de  Taris  ? 

MatchlcFS  in  all 
that  constitutes  tha 
nature  cf  the  street- 
boy,  the  (jamin  is  af: 
once  the  most  idio- 
syncratic, the  most 
suggestive,  a  n  d  — 
must  we  use  tha 
term  ? — the  most  formidable.  The  gamin  is  a 
type  and  an  authority.  "He  is  only  a  street- 
boy,  it  is  true,  but  a  street-boy  of  that  'ocality 
of  which  Sydney  Smitli  wittily  said,  en  hear- 
ing of  tlie  enceinte  continue,  that  the  "  wickedest 
old  city  ia  the  world  had  put  itself  into 
prison." 

His  name  is  wonderfully  expressive,  and  as  it 
is  altogether  untranslatable  into  any  other 
tongue,  so  are  his  characteristics  wholly  beyond 
comparison  with  those  of  the  corresponding 
class  in  any  other  land.  He  is  a  compound  of 
incongruities  and  a  combination  of  contrasts^ 
the  concentration  of  all  that  is  heterogeneous. 
Capable  of  noble  and  generous  emotions  far 
Ijeyond  his  age  or  his  class,  be  is  at  the  same 
time  the  embodiment  of  all  that  is  reckless  and 
volatile.     Impulsive  and  misguided,  he  is  tha 


THS  E.iCK— FRENCH   ISSTEIUIEXI   OF  TORTURE,  IN   USE  IN    1763. 


FRANCE. 


193 


CHUECH    OF    THE    INVALIDES,  PARIS. 


ir 


194 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


incarnation  of  all  that  is  mis- 
chievous, the  impersonation  of 
all  that  is  desperate — the  very 
"  devil's  own." 

Endowed  with  so  hizarre  a 
nature,  the  gamin,  it  will  be 
seen,  has  plenty  of  stuff  in 
him,  both  good  and  bad ;  and 
•what  he  may  ultimately  be- 
come depends  on  the  accideuls 
of  his  lot. 

Those  of  our  readers  who 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to 
study  the  wonderful  ideal — 
perhaps  we  ought  to  say  the 
"  beau-ideal " — of  him,  as  pre- 
sented to  us  by  Bouffe,  will  at 
once  have  apprehended  the 
slippery  and  capricious  type  we 
are  attempting  to  describe. 

With  this  inimitable  render- 
ing we  are  intimately  ac- 
quainted, and  such  as  Bouffe 
has  represented  this  singular 
specimen  of  the  genus  homo, 
on  the  boards,  such  have  we 
recognized  him  in  real  life ; 
headlong,  volatile,  reckless,  im- 
pudent to  shamelessuess,  and 
yet,  at  the  same  time,  if  put 
to  the  test,  spirited,  honora- 
ble, brave,  and  generous.  The 
same  idle,  incorrigible  fld7ieur, 
■who  loves  his  mother  while  he 
breaks  her  heart,  throws  him- 
self out  of  a  good  placS  for 
the  sake  of  a  game  at  marbles", 
offends  his  patron '  because  he 
cannot  resist  a  practical  joke, 
and  carries  desolation  into  his 
home  as  the  price  of  a  moment'ii 
fun,  will  spontaneously  lend  a  head  to  help 
blind  "Simon"  over  the  crossing,  will  run  to 
console  little  , ' '  Jeannette  "  over  her  broken 
pitcher,  and  tenderly  dry  her  eyes  with  her 
pinafore,  will  readily  collect  the  scattered  con- 
tents of  the  old  pie-woman's  tray,  though  he 
has  many  a  time,  him- 
self, upset  it  in  a  frolic, 
or  jump  unhesitatingly 
'  into  the  canal  to  pick 
out  a  child  that  has 
slipped  down  the  bank. 

The  leading  motive'  of 
all  his  "  mischievous- 
ness"  seems  to  be  a 
defiance  of  every  de- 
scription of  authority. 

Take  him,  therefore, 
on  the  right  side,  and 
with  good  words  you 
may  do  anything  in  the 
world  with  him.  The 
inconvenience  of  such  a 
disposition  under  the 
present  organization  of 
society  is  obvious. 

Many  a  gamin  is  the 
toutien  de  la  maison ;  a 
sick  father,  or  a  widowed 
»n  o  t  h  e  r,  and  several 
young  sisters,  often  da- 


LA  ROQUETTE. —  IKTEKIOR  OK  TBB  CUAPKL,    DURINQ    THE   HOURS    OF  STUDV. 


pend  on  his  earnings  for  their  daily  bread ;  of 
course,  it  is  only  bread  ;  still  it  is  he  who  gets 
it  for  them,  and  gets  it  bravely,  too.  But,  un- 
happily— though  also  naturally — if  a  man,  he 
is  also  a  child,  and  in  growing  into  the  one  he 
has  not  yet  grown  out  of  the  other ;  so  that  his 


i,jL  BOqUETTC— CELLS  FOB  THE  SOLITARY  CONFINEMKNT  OF  BOVS. 


frolics,  and  the  vagaries  to 
which,  often  in  spite  of  him- 
self,  he  is  wont  to  yield,  are 
disastrous  to  others  as  well  aa 
himself,  and,  when  the  mis- 
chief is  done,  he  is  the  first  to 
lament  it. 

The  Grand  Goulet. 
France  is  deficient  in  pic- 
turesque scenery,  except  where 
it  reaches  the  Alps  and  the 
Pyrc'ue'es.  Among  its  most 
diversified  departments  is  that 
of  Dauijhiue',  in  the  south- 
east  part  of  the  republic,  and 
lying  between  the  Ehine  and 
the  Alps.  It  is  also  interesting 
historically.  When  it  was  ceded 
to  the  crown  by  its  feudal  lord, 
Humbert  of  Vennois,  in  1349, 
it  was  on  condition  that  the 
eldest  sons  of  the  kings  of 
France  should  bear  the  title 
of  dauphin — a  dolphin  being  the 
device  of  the  lords  of  Vennois, 
The  river  Isere,  a  tributary  of 
the  Ehine,  runs  through  Dau- 
phiue  from  east  to  west,  re- 
ceiving itself  some  considerable 
mountain-streams  from  the 
gorges  of  the  spurs  of  the 
Alps.  On  one  of  these  is 
situated  the  little  town  of 
Pont-en-Eoyans,  at  a  point 
where  the  stream  is  narrowed 
between  i^recipitous  walls,  and 
spanned  by  a  single  bridge. 
The  space  between  the  mount- 
ains and  the  stream  is  so  nar- 
row that,  to  afford  room  for 
the  single  street  of  the  town  of  Pont-en- 
Eoyans,  the  buildings  of  the  inhabitants  ore 
thrust  partly  into  the  steeps  on  one  side,  and 
partly  over  the  Bourne  on  the  other — sustained 
on  their  perches  by  walls  of  masonry  and  props 
of  timber.  Just  below  the  town,  the  Bourne 
receives  the  waters  of 
another  torrent  like 
itself,  the  Vernaison,  up 
the  valley  of  which  runs 
the  road  from  the  Canton 
of  Vercors,  over  the  Col 
de  la  Croiy,  into  that  of 
Trievers.  This  valley, 
in  its  upper  part,  is 
simply  a  wild,  rocky 
gorge,  through  which  a 
road  has  beeu  carried 
only  by  bold  and  skillful 
engineering. 

In  places  it  runs  oa 
mere  shelves  of  the 
rocky  precipices,  natural 
or  artificial ;  in  others 
the  roadway  is  built  up 
of  masonry  from  the  bed 
of  the  stream  to  the 
height  of  from  one  hun- 
dred to  two  hundred 
feet ;  and  in  other 
places  the  projecting 


FRANCE. 


195 


bnttressefi  of  rock  ham  hnd  to  bo  tunneled  to  f 
give  a.  passage.    The  points  of  greatest  interest 
are  known  as  the  Great  and  Little  Goulets. 

In  commencing  the  tunnel  at  the  right  of  the 
bridge,  it  was  necessary  to  swing  the  workmen 
down  the  face  of  the  rocks  with  ropes,  who 
then  with  bars  and  picks  slowly  and  laboriously 
acquired  a  foothold,  whence  their  further  op- 
erations were  directed.  The  Goulets  are  re- 
garded by  the  people  of  Dauphine'  as  without 
rivals  in  the  grandeur  of  their  scenery,  and 
attract  many  visitors  from  Grenoble,  as  well  as 
from  Valence,  and  even  from  Lyons. 


La  Eoquette,  the  Paris  Prison  for  Juveniles. 
Pkobablt  one  of  the  most  singularly  inge- 
nious prisons  in  the  world  is  the  Roquette,  in 
Paris,  built  for  the  confinement  of  juvenile 
offenders.  In  several  of  the  States  in  this 
country  there  are  penitentiaries  where  the  sys- 
tem of  solitary  confinement  has  been  intro- 
duced, but  only  for  adults.  In  this  prison  the 
youths,  some  hundreds,  are  kept  in  entire 
seclusion  from  one  another  by  means  of  cells, 
in  which  they  work  and  sleep,  and  from  which 
they  are  permitted  to  go  for  a  short  time  in  the 
large  yard  within  the  walls  for  exercise,  and 
then  only  alone.  In  no  case  is  one  delinquent 
permitted  to  see  another.  Even  the  infirmary 
is  divided  into  cells,  and  the  sick  are  allowed 
to  see  none  but  their  medical  attendant.  The 
cells  for  punishment  ha\e  b\it  little  light  and 
no  furniture,  except  a  stool  and  woolen  blanket. 
Here  the  offender  is  obliged  to  remain  until  he 
strongly  manifests  his  thorough  repentance. 
One  of  the  most  singular  features  of  the  insti- 
tution is  the  method  of  religious  instruction 
adopted  at  the  lloquetto.  The  vast  corridors 
are  so  arranged  that  each  inmate  of  the  prison 
can  see  the  clergyman  while  officiating,  but  not 
one  another.  In  fine,  the  Eoquette  is  the  most 
complete  establishment  in  the  world  for  the 
solitary  confinement  of  youth. 


Driving  Horses  out  of  a  Leech-Swamp. 

A  cuEiotJS  branch  of  industry  is  followed  by 
certain  inhabitants  of  the  marsh  lands  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Bordeaux,  France.  Some  years 
ago  a  farmer  observed  that  the  leeches  native  to 
these  marshes  attained  a  great  size  where  cattle 
■were  turned  out  to  pasture,  and  this  suggested 
to  him  the  idea  of  making  leech-culture  a  spe- 
cialty. He  therefore  rented  a  tract  of  marsh, 
which  he  divided  into  ponds,  with  the  water 
sufficiently  deep,  so  that  the  mud  at  the  bottom 
mightafford  safe  Winter  quarters  for  the  leeches. 
To  supply  their  natural  aliment — blood — he 
purchased  a  lot  of  old  horses,  which  he  drove 
into  the  ponds,  and  which  were  immediately 
fastened  upon  Ijy  the  leeches,  whose  voracious 
instincts  were  aroused  the  moment  the  water 
became  agitated.  But  the  poor  horse  is  not  al- 
lowed to  become  a  victim  to  his  tormentors  at 
once.  The  affair  is  so  managed  as  to  furnish 
three  repasts  to  the  leephes,  which  are  too  fas- 
tidious to  draw  blood  from  the  same  spot  a 
second  time.  On  his  first  introduction,  the 
horse  is  driven  in  only  to  his  girth.  The  venom- 
ous leeches  fasten  themselvtia  on  their  prey  in- 


196 


THE    WORLD'o    GREAT    NATIONS. 


■taatl;,  and  the  poor  animal  is  so  covered  tliat 
kis  strength  soon  fails  from  the  loss  of  blood. 
Before  he  is  entirely  exhausted,  however,  he  is 
driven  froic  the  marsh  by  dint  of  blows,  and  food 
piaced  before  him  to  restore  his  failing  powers. 
When  he  is  somewhat  recruited,  he  is  again 
driven  into  the  marsh,  until  his  back  is  covered. 
The  hungry  leeches  now  fasten  themselves  on 
every  part  of  his  body  not  previously  touched, 
«n(3  when  they  are  gorged,  or  the  horse  nearly 
exhausted,  he  is  a  second  time  driven  out  and 
put  into  good  pasturage,  to  recover  his  vitality 
After  a  time  he  is  once  more  forced  into  the 
marsh,  being  allowed  to  have  only  his  nostrils 
out  of  the  water.  The  leeches  now  i>rey  upon 
him  until  the  last  drop  of  blood  is  drawn  and 
the  poor  victim  expires  in  fearful  agony.  Our 
illustration  shows  the  manner  of  driving  the 
■wretched,  half-dead  creatures  out  of  the  swamp, 
ihat,  with  a  refinement  of  cruelty,  they  may 
again  be  subjected  to  torture.  It  may  be  that 
the  interests  of  the  healing  art  require  such  ap- 
pliances, but  one  could  hardly  look  upon  a  leech 
without  abhorrence  if  aware  that  it  had  been 
grown  by  this  extraordinary  process. 


Truffles,  and  How  to  Grow  Them. 

Theke  is,  perhaps,  no  edible  delicacy  so  little 
known  to  our  people  generally  as  that  of  truf- 
fles, and  scarcely  one  that  is  higher  appreciated 


MUSSEL-NET. 

in  France  and  Italy.  A  dish  prepared  with 
truffles  is  one  of  the  triumphs  of  the  culinary 
art.  The  perfume  of  truffles,  newly  exhumed, 
is,  to  one  previously  ignorant  of  their  aj)petizing 
fragrance,  an  event  for  lifelong  remembrance. 
To  many  persons  the  very  name  of  truffles  is  of 
something  unattainable,  the  purchass  of  them 
a  piece  of  extravagance  not  to  bo  thought  of ; 
and  yet  they  ought  to  be  obtainable  certainly  as 
plentifully  as  mushrooms. 

Wherever  is  thrown  the  grateful  shade  of  ouk, 
beech,  chestnut,  birch,  and  hazel  trees,  but 
grown  on  calcareous  soil  —that  is,  soil  abound- 


ing in  lime,  chalk,  and  flint ;  or  on  calcareous 
clay  ground — that  is,  calcareous  matter  mixed 
with  hue  quartz-sand,  lying  on  a  bed  of  marly 
clay,  which  easily  splits  into  thin  layers — there 
truffles  may  be  plentifully  found.  They  disdain 
all  culture.  The  most  careful  attention  to  their 
cultivation  ends  in  disappointment,  unless  their 
own  wild  habits  are  consulted  and  followed. 
The  shade  of  trees  seems  to  be  the  first  thing 
needful  for  their  production,  provided  always 
that  the  ground  be  equal  to  their  needs. 

The  growing  of  truffles  in  France  on  a  regular 
system  of  culture  has  been  often  tried,  but  with- 
out success,  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  those  who 
have  made  the  experiment  that  the  only  means 
of  obtaining  a  supply  is  by  planting  fragments 
of  mature  truffles  in  wooded  localities,  having  a 
care,  however,  that  the  soil  be  calcareous,  or 
calcareous  claj'. 

The  most  successful  plan  known  is  to  sow 
acorns  for  oaks  over  a  considerable  extent  of 
this  kind  of  land,  and  when  the  young  oaks 
have  attained  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve  years, 
truffles  are  found  in  the  spaces  between  the 
trees,  and  this  without  sowing  any  morsels  of 
truffles,  or  the  spores.  Acorns  are  planted,  and 
truffles  come  with  the  oaks — that  is,  they  spring 
up  of  themselves,  probably  from  the  spores  lying 
dormant  in  the  soil. 

Truffles  were  thus  obtained  from  such  planted 
grounds  for  thirty  years,  when  the  plautatioo 


DRrVINO   HORSES  OCT  OP  A  LEBCH-SWAMP,  NEAR  BORDEACX. 


FRANCE. 


197 


P 


IM 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


ceased  to  be  productlrft,  it  eotBoquence  of  tiic 
trees  Bhadiug  the  ground  too  much. 

Many  of  the  truffle-ground  proprietojTi  in  the 
districts  of  London  and  CiTray,  iu  France,  make 
periodical  sowings  of  acorns,  and  thus  bring  in 
a  certain  portion  of  the  land  as  tnifflogrounds 
each  year     The  trees  are  thinned  to  about  five 


ward  of  gixty  thousand  pounds  weight  annually, 
thus  producing  a  very  large  revenue. 

Four  species  of  truffles  are  exclusively  used  in 
France.  In  Italy  there  is  one  of  a  very  large 
si2e,  the  tuber  magnaiwm,  which  commands  a 
higher  price  than  any  other  ;  and  in  the  south 
of  Italy  and  Sicily,  in  Syria,  and  in  Africa,  is 


inrging  toward  ihe  frosty  season  ;  then  they 
become  hard,  and  are  full  of  fragrance.  They 
are  dug  up  a  month  before  and  a  month  aftci 
Christmas. 

M.  Gasparin,  who  visited  these  grounds  at 
Carpentras,  and  from  whose  description  the  ia 
formation  is  obtained,  says:    "  There  in  not  the 


OT  six  yaids  apart,  and  as  soon  as  their  branches 
meet  and  shade  the  ground  too  muth,  they  are 
pruned  out.  In  the  market  at  Apt,  in  France, 
thirty-five  hundred  pounds  of  truffles  are  ex- 
posed for  sale  every  week  in  the  height  of  their 
Eeason,  which  is  through  December  and  January. 
The  department  of  Vaucluse  is  suiJ  to  yield  up- 


•TIIE  CATIIEDRAI.  OF  CnAKTBES. 

another  species,  the  aerpaia  leonis,  which  is  in 
common  us?  as  v.n  article  of  food. 

The  truffles  are  gathered  a^'  two  periods  of  the 
year :  in  May  only  a  white  spjcies  is  to  be  found, 
which  never  blacken,  and  Live  no  odor ;  they 
are  dried,  and  are  sold  fr.i  seasoning.  The 
black  truffled  comuieuce  fcw_iin;i   in  June,  en 


slightest  doubt  that  truffle-plo*«  can  be  formed 
at  will  in  the  centre  of  France  by  ths  acorns  of 
common  or  evergreen  oaks.  A  sow  is  emplcyod 
to  search  for  the  truffles.  At  a  distance  of 
twenty  feet  she  can  scent  them,  and  makes 
r.npilly  for  the  foot  nf  the  oak,  when  slic  dii^a 
into  (he  earth  \7ith  her  snout.     Sho  would  sooQ 


FRANCE, 


199 


CHraCH    AVD    F0T7NTA1K    OF    ST.  SULPICE.  PABE. 


200 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


root  up  and  eat  her  prize,  were  she  not  turned 
aside  by  a  light  strolce  of  the  stick  on  her  nose, 
and  given  an  acorn,  or  a  dry  clicstnut,  which  is 
her  reward.  In  an  hour  was  gathered  one  kilo- 
gramme of  truffles  (upward  of  two  pounds  En- 
glish), in  a  poor  part  of  the  field  sown  witli  oaks. 
M.  Kosseau  marked  with  white  paint  the  foot  of 
the  oaks  where  the  truffles  were  found,  so  as  to 
obtain  from  them  acorns  for  the  new  sowing, 
and  also  not  to  sacrifice  t\c  trees  when  ho  cleared 
the  woods."  In  some  parts  an  artificial  snout, 
Buch  as  is  ehown  in  our  illustration,  is  fitted  on 
to  the  Swiss,  an(l  they  then  dig  up  the  truffles, 
Ibut  cannot  eit  tbjrn. 

The  Hotel  de  Oluny,  Paris. 

The  Hotel  de  Cluny,  but  recently  destroyed 
at  Paris,  was  one  of  the  most  curious  monu- 
ments of  that  city,  presenting  a  rare  model  cf 
the  civil  architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages.  It 
shows  the  influence  alre-idy  acquired  by  Italy, 
and  marks  the  transition  period. 

It  was  erected  at  the  commencement  of  the 
sixteenth  century  by  John  de  Bourbon,  Abbot 
of  Cluny,  and  his  successor,  James  d'Amboise, 
Bishop  of  Clermont,  for  the  temporary  residence 
of  monks,  who  were  summoned  to  Paris  by  the 
royal  will,  or  the  affairs  of  the  Order. 

It  consisted  of  a  main  building  fronting  the 


street,  with  wings  running  up  to  the  street  line. 
Three  staircases  led  to  it,  one  inclosed  in  a  very 
handsome  octagon  tower. 

A  strong  effort  was  made  to  preserve  this  fine 
edifice,  but  it  hal  passed  into  private  hands, 
and  was  purchased,  with  a  joining  property,  for 
a  large  liotel,  and  all  the  modern  improvements 
now  replace  the  monastic  buiklina:  where  the 
monks  of  Cluny  bo  lonJT  prayed  and  meditaled. 


pGwling,  in  France. 

French  ideas  differ  from  ours  on  the  matter 
of  wild-duck.  They  are  Winter  game  with  us. 
In  France  there  are  kinds  sought  in  Summer. 
But  the  greatest  difference  i.i  in  the  cooking. 
Listen  ta  this  expeJitious  rulo,  which  goes 
bubbling  on  as  tliough  it  was  got  up  in  a  land 
where  railroads  never  made  less  than  a  hundred 
miles  an  hoar,  and  steamboats  blew  up  as  a 
regular  mode  of  conveying  passengers: 

"Thivty  minutes  suffice  to  spit,  roast,  draw 
ofTanl  serve  no  a  duck.  In  other  words,  the 
cook  must  be  expe  litious,  and  the  fire  hot. 
Serve  the  legs  and  wings  properly  arranged  on 
a  dish,  swimming  in  juicy  blo(xl.  Into  this 
squeeze  half  a  lemon ;  add  plenty  of  salt,  a 
good  deal  of  pepper,  a  whisper  of  clove ;  stir  it 
up,  and  pass  the  dish  to  your  guests. 

Can  the  epicure  sportsman  do  morel    The 


XHI   UOIEI    Di   CLOHY,  VARia,  BECENTLt    DESTROYED. 


rOWUJJO   IN   FtANCB. 

pursuit  of  snipe,  will  duck  and  other  ar^uatfo 
birds  involves  the  long  tramps  through  water 
and  oozy  earth,  with  many  a  false  step  and  aa 
occasional  fall  ;  but  it  has  excitement,  interest, 
and  often  a  generous  reward.  With  -Jia,  where, 
since  the  old  Colonial  days,  the  voUe  of  tha 
fox-hounds  is  unknown  ;  where  tte  stag  ia 
never  pursued  by  the  rattling  army  of  the 
gentry,  or  the  timid  hare  followed  by  a  crowd 
whose  very  voices  i;re  enough  to  startle  it  out 
of  existence,  the  solit.uy  sportsman's  pursuit 
of  winged  game  is  the  only  available,  but  not 
less  attractive,  mode. 

The  constant  and  general  use  of  fire-arms  haft 
nearly  driven  all  game  from  the  older  parte  oi 
the  country  ;  but  game-laws,  more  and  mor» 
stringent  each  year,  will  at  last  recall  birds, 
which  may  afford  occasional  and  limted  sport. 
The  valu:  of  I)ird3  as  enemies  and  conquer* 
ors  of  destructive  insects  is  now  recognized, 
and  all  are  be,'inning  to  hold  out  the  hand  of 
welcome.  'J  here  are  seasons  when  certain  birds, 
must  be  proteciel  by  law,  and  we  may  ulti- 
mately come  to  the  course  of  making  the  use 
of  the  fowling-piece  a  privilege  to  be  obtained 
by  license,  anl  paid  fc^r  accordingly. 

© 

A  Breton  Peasant  Drafted  into  the  Army, 

The  Bietons,  though  subjects  of  France,  are- 
but  a  branch  of  tlie  same  old  British  nations 
of  which  tlie  Welsh  are  the  English  representa- 
tive. Their  name  shows  their  origin,  while  the- 
part  that  remained  in  England  is  known  by  a 
nickname  bestowed  upon  them  Viy  the  Saxons. 
These  Germ  in  tribes  in  various  parts  gave  thifl 
namo  to  the  Romans  and  to  tribes  held  in  sub- 
jection by  tliem.  Tlie  Anglo-Saxons  called  tho 
Bretons.  Welsh  :  the  riemish  Germans  gave  the 
same  name  to  theGajls  ;  and  the  Southern  Ger- 
mans still  apply  it  to  tlie  Italians. 

The  Brstons  are  hardy,  fond  of  the  sea,  de- 
voted to  their  own  land  and  its  ancient  liberties, 
faitli  and  traditions  Even  now,  after  the  great 
revolution  which   France   has   undergone,   the 


FEANCK 


201 


w 


w 

I— ( 
H 
tsi 


O 
g 

w 
O 


§ 


o 


202 


THE  WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONa 


Breton  peasant  is  almost  unchanged ;  he  wears 
the  same  long  hair,  the  same  quaint  dress  as  his 
sincestors ;  and,  though  ready  to  take  to  the 
sea,  has  no  liking  for  other  parts  of  France  or 
the  army.  When  the  conscription  drags  the 
young  man  from  his  home,  the  parting  of  the 
jonng  conscript  from  parents  and  friends  is  in- 
deed touching.  Their  own  province  is  their 
■world  ;  beyond  it  there  is  nothing  that  offers 
«ny  attraction.  The  Bretons  are  said  to  have 
^ye  virtues  and  three  vices,  the  former  being 
love  of  their  country,  resignation  under  the  will 
of  God,  loyalty,  perseverance,  and  hospitality  ; 
and  their  vices,  avarice,  contempt  of  women, 
and  drunkenness.  Among  the 
Bretons,  both  men  and  women 
toil  together  in  the  field,  the 
bam,  and  the  farm,  so  that  fuller 
•employment  and  more  hardj' 
liabits  may  tend  to  make  them 
more  virtuous ;  but  still  they 
should  not  be  denied  the  credit 
of  the  above-ijnciiUonod  dry  sta- 
tistical fact.  Xlia  country  people 
are  uniformly  courteous  in 
their  demeanor,  and  civil  to 
strangers.  At  the  inns,  though 
the  accommodiition  is  somewhat 
rough,  yet  tho  traveler  is  always 
sure  of  meeting  with  the  greatest 
attention  to  his  wants,  and  of 
being  cheerfully  provided  with 
ths  best  the  hostelry  will  afford, 
at  a  moiaonl'a  notice,  at  any  hour, 
however  nnreaaonablo. 

The  poor  axe  regarded  in  Brit- 
tany VFith  ofEexvtionate  tenderness, 
and  arc  rarely  sent  a.\fay  from 
the  door  suipty.  They  are  called 
"God's  brethren,"  in  allusion  to 
■our  Saviour's  declaring  that  He 
"will  reward  acts  of  charity  done 
to  "  the  least  of  these  His  breth- 
ren "  as  if  done  to  Hiinself .  They 
find  a  welcome  from  the  cottager 
and  Ruiall  farmer,  and  in  return 
for  the  frugal  meal,  sing  songs, 
relate  legends,  and  bring  the 
gossip  from  tie  country  round, 
and  tell  the  girls'  fortunes.  The 
tailor,  also,  is  an  important  func- 
tionary, being  the  recognized 
medium  of  all  matrimonial  con- 
ti-acts.  The  Bretons  have  a  great 
passion  for  legendary  lore ;  so 
much  so,  that  when  the  cholera 
araged  among  them  it  was  found 
the  most  efficacious  means  of 
giving  medical  advice  to  follow  the  suggestion 
■of  a  bookseller,  and  turn  the  prescription  into 
Thymes,  which  were  circulated  throughout  the 
country,  and  to  such  good  purpose  that  it  was 
said  that  the  cholera  had  been  sung  out  of 
Brittany. 

A  Shop  in  Paris  in  the  Eighteenth  Century. 

The  interior  view  which  illustrates  ladies  of 
position  shopping  in  the  eighteenth  century 
■gives  us  quite  a  glimpse  into  the  fashionable 
life  of  the  period. 

The  first  thing  with  which  we  are  impressed  is 


the  tinineas  of  the  shop  as  compared  with  the 
immen.se  size  of  similar  establishments  of  the 
present  time,  which  was  patronized  by  all 
grades  of  society.  But  in  Paris,  in  tho  eight- 
eenth century,  every  class  had  its  particular 
streets  for  residences  and  for  shopping,  and  its 
favorite  merchants  with  whom  it  dealt.  The 
shopkeeper  of  to-da}',  having  no  exclusive  or 
special  patrons,  has  enlarged  his  establishment 
for  the  accommodation  of  all,  in  order  to  keep 
pace  with  general  progress. 

The  advantages  to  the  public  at  large  are 
obvious.  We  now  constitute  an  association  of 
purchasers,  who,  in  multiplying  the  sales  of 


by  an  exchange  of  good  oflBces.  The  shop, 
woman  then  called  to  inquire  for  the  health  of 
her  titled  customer  in  case  of  illness,  sent  her 
bouquets  on  her  birthday,  procured  her  ser- 
vants, and  followed  her  to  her  grave  in  mourn- 
ing robes. ,  In  return  for  these  little  kindnesses 
the  aristocratic  patron,  when  she  made  her  pur- 
chases, accepted  a  seat  at  the  counter  and 
inquired  for  the  health  of  the  family,  and  not 
unfrequently  used  her  influence  in  obtaining 
some  employment  for  the  sons  and  daughters. 
The  politeness  and  consideration  of  the  upper 
classes  were  reflected  upon  the  shopkeepers  and 
elevated  their  tone.  The  conversation  over 
the  counters  stimulated  their  am- 
bition and  softened  their  manners, 
and  we  find  that  in  the  eight- 
eenth century  the  education  and 
cultivation  of  merchants  w.as 
second  only  to  that  of  persons 
of  the  highest  rank. 


The  Walkirg  Theatre. 

In  this  sketch  our  readers  will 
recognize  the  wonderfully  truth- 
ful  pencil   of    Gavarni. 

The  young  Savoyard,  with  his 
rags,  his  board  on  which  his 
puppets  dance,  his  keen  eye  and 
his  tambourine,  is  a  picture  of 
which  all  travelers  will  attest  the 
fidelity. 

Little  vranderers,  found  every- 
where, living  on  Providence,  bat. 
tling  for  a  sum  ■which,  small  to 
us,  is,  in  their  mountain-home,  a 
fortune,  they  often  fall  by  the 
wayside,  and  ofteuer  still  re- 
turn to  while  away  the  evenings 
of  middle  age  by  stories  of  the 
wonders  of  tho  land  beyond  the 
seas  and  mountains. 

The  organ-boys  have  crossed 
the  Atlantic,  but  our  young 
children  seldom  sao  tho  puppets 
dance  and  act  on  the  imj)rompta 
stage,  to  the  sound  of  the  Savoy- 
ard's fife  and  tambourine. 


THE    WAI.KIXQ    THEATKE. 

the  merchant,  enable  him  to  dispose  of  his 
war"S  at  less  prices,  too,  and  give  him  a  larger 
capi-ie,  in  which  to  operate :  a  great  advantage 
to  ai»  parties.  This  is,  of  course,  the  bright 
side  of  the  medal,  but  it  has,  naturally,  a 
reverse. 

In  the  eighteenth  century  a  business  was 
established  and  conducted  by  an  entire  family, 
and  was  handed  down  from  generation  to  gen- 
eration in  the  same  manner  as  landed  estates  or 
other  property.  Every  merchant  numbered 
among  his  patrons  rich  and  influential  person- 
ages to  whom  he  could  apply  for  material  aid 
if  need  be.    Classes  were  thus  drawn  together 


Tha  Musfol-ITets, 
Mussel-cul-it'i;e  has  been  cavii-od 
on  with  immense  success  on  a  cer- 
tain part  of  the  coast  of  France, 
for  a  long  period  of  no  less  than 
seven  centuries !  So  long  ago  as 
the  year  of  gr.ace  1135,  an  Irish 
bark  was  wrecked  in  the  Bay  of 
Alguillon.  The  cargo  and  one  of  the  crew  were 
saved  by  the  humanity  of  the  fishermen  inhabit- 
ing the  coast.  The  name  of  the  one  man  who 
was  thus  saved  from  shipwreck  was  Walton, 
and  he  gave  to  the  people,  in  gratitude  for 
saving  his  life,  the  germ  of  a  marvelous  fish- 
breeding  idea.  He  invented  artificial  mussel, 
culture.  The  net,  or  bag-trap,  which  he  em- 
ployed in  catching  the  night-birds  which  floated 
on  the  water,  was  fixed  in  the  mud  by  means 
of  tolerably  strong  supports,  and  he  soon  found 
out  that  the  parts  of  his  net  which  were  sunk 
in  the  water  had  intercepted  large  quantities 
of  mussel-spat,  which  in  time  grew  into  tha 


tRANCE. 


203 


finest  possible  mus- 
sels, larger  in  size  and 
finer  m  quality  than 
those  grown  in  the 
neishboring  mud. 

From  less  to  more, 
this  simple  discovery 
progressod  into  a  re- 
fuBir  industry,  whi;h 
at  present  forms  aliai-st 
lie  sole  occupation  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the 
neighboring  shores. 

The  apparatus  for 
the  growth  of  the 
mussel,  with  which  the 
bay  is  now  almost 
covered,  is  called  a 
boucbol,  and  is  of  very 
simple  construction. 

A  number  of  strong 
piles  or  stakes,  each 
twelve  feet  in  length, 
and  six  inches  in  dia- 
meter, are  driven  into 
the  mud  to  the  depth 
of  six  feet,  at  a  dis 
tance  of  about  two  feel 
from  each  other,  and 
are  arrange!  in  two 
converging  rows  so  as 
to  form  a  V,  the  sharp 
point  of  which  is  al- 
ways turne  1  toward 
the  sea  that  the  stakes 
may  offer  the  least 
jjossible  resistance  to 


6    BREIOS   PEASANT   DHAFIED   INTO  THE   AKMT. 


IHB  GAMIS   DB  PAEM. 


me  waves.  These  two 

rows  form  the  framo- 

•work    of    the    bouchot. 

Strong     branches     of 

trees  are  then  twisted 

and    interwoven    into 

the  upper  part  of  the 

stakes,  which   are  dx 

feet   in    height,   until 

the   whole    length    of 

the    row    is,    by  this 

gpecies  of  basket-work 

on     a     large    scalci 

formed   into  a  strong 

fence  or   paliBade.     A 

space  of  a  few  inches 

is    left    between     the 

bottom    of   the   fence 

and  the  surface  of  the 

mud,     to    allow     the 

water    to  pass    freely 

between     the     stakes 

when    the    tide    ebb« 

and  flows. 

The  sides  of  the 
bouchot  are  fi-om  200  to 
2-50  metres  long,  and 
each  bouchot,  therefore, 
forms  a  fence  of  about 
450  metres,  six  feet 
high.  There  are  now 
some  500  of  these 
bouchots,  in  the  Bay  of 
Aiguillon,  making  a 
fence  of  225,000  metres, 
extending  over  a  space 
of  five  miles. 


204 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Plague  of  1720  at  Marseilles. 
EvEBY  year  occurs  at  Marseilles  the  proces- 
sion commemorative  of  the  plague  which,  in 
1720,  devastated  that  city.  The  ceremony  was 
instituted  in  that  year  by  the  Archbishop  de 
Belzunce,  with  the  object  o£  appeasing  the 
Divine  wrath,  manifested  in  the  pestilence. 
The  custom,  by  the  decree  of  the  authorities, 
and  at  the  city's  expense,  has  been  perpetuated 
to  the  present  time,  and  on  every  anniversary 
of  the  occasion  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  pre- 
ceded by  his  chapter  and  all  the  religious  com- 
munities, proceeds  from  the  cathedral,  the  pro- 


five  hundred  to  one  tbousiind  feet,  arranged 
upon  a  granite  plateau  which  overlooks  the 
city  of  Clermont-Ferrand. 

Wood  Cutters  and  Carriers  in  France. 

The  change  of  seasons  requires,  in  almost 
every  part  of  the  world,  some  uieaus  of  produc- 
ing heat  to  protect  the  body  against  the  influ- 
ence of  cold.  In  most  lauds  trees,  or,  at  least, 
brushwood,  can  be  found,  and  this  in  nearly  all 
countries  has  been  the  prevalent  fuel ;  although 
in  the  treeless  plains  like  our  Western  prairies, 


were  blacked  by  the  smoke  that  cometh  out  at 
the  temple." 

The  fuel  most  generally  used  among  the 
Greeks  was  green  wood  :  on  daj's  of  ceremony 
they  burned  fragrant  substances.  The  Romans 
made  fireplaces,  but  could  not  get  rid  of  the 
smoke  nuisance.  The  principal  fu"'rp!ace  in  a 
Roman  house  Wiis  in  the  ealdarium  or  sweating- 
room  of  the  bath.  It  was  something  like  a 
furnace,  called  a  hypocaust,  and  had  pipes  con- 
nected with  it,  which  led  into  the  upper  stories, 
giving  warmth  to  them.  These  pipes  had 
covers  over  them  while   the  green  wood  was 


WOOn-CUTTERS    RF.TTIKNINO    WITH    WOOD    FROM   THS    FOREST   ISRETOyvE,    NORMANDY. 


cession  marching  through  the  principal  streets 
to  the  shrine  on  the  Place  Belzunce,  erected 
opposite  the  statue  of  the  fotinder  of  the  cere- 
BCiOny,  where  the  benediction  is  pronounced. 

ii^ii 

Extinct  Yolcanoes  of  the  Chain  of  Puys. 
The  convulsions  that  have  recently  agitated 
various  quarters  of  the  earth  have  called  atten- 
tion to  the  subject  of  volcanic  formations  in 
Europe.  The  formation  of  extinct  volcanoes  is 
represented  in  France  by  the  volcanoes  situated 
in  the  ancient  provinces  of  Auvergne.  the  Velay 
and  the  Vivarais,  but  principally  by  about  fifty 
volcanic   eones  of  eruption,  of  the  height  of 


and  desert  tracts  on  the  Eastern  Continent,  the 
dung  of  animals  is  gathered  and  used,  and  in 
other  countries  peat  and  turf. 

The  earlier  races  of  mankind  lived  in  caves, 
making  fires  in  the  middle  of  them,  the  smoke 
going  out  through  a  hole  in  the  top.  The 
Egyptians  had  hearths  in  the  centre  of  some  of 
their  rooms,  on  which  thej'  made  fires  ;  to  warm 
the  others,  they  carried  around  lighted  char- 
coal from  one  room  to  another. 

During  the  wanderings  of  the  Jews  they  made 
fires  in  the  middle  of  their  tents,  letting  the 
smoke  go  out  of  an  aperture  above.  Chimneys 
were  not  known  :  and  Baruch,  in  speaking  of 
Mount  Sion,  makes  mention  of  ' '  the  faces  that 


burning ;  when  it  had  burned  to  ch.arcoal  the 
covers  were  removed  and  th3  warm  air  allowed 
to  escape.  Rooms  which  could  not  be  heated 
in  this  manner  had  charcoal  burning  in  the 
middle  of  thoii;  on  a  brasier.  Some  of  these 
brasicrs  displayed  very  fine  workmanship.  At 
the  present  time  there  is  one  in  the  museum  at 
Kaples,  twenty-eight  inches  square,  which  has 
four  towers,  one  at  each  angle,  fitted  with  a  lid, 
that  can  be  raised  by  a  ring. 

When  the  Romans  landed  in  England  they 
found  the  inhabitants  living  in  huts  or  caves, 
withoiit  chimneys  to  them.  The  Welsh  his- 
torian Gyraldus  gives  us  the  following  amus- 
ing fireside  picture  of  life  in  that  fashion 


iKANUE. 


205 


II         lullUllllUU" 


906 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


A  SHOP  IN  I'AItIS  IN  TBE  EIOnTEENTH  CBNTURY. 


"Families  inhabit  a  largo  hut,  or  nouso, 
■which,  having  a  firo  iu  Iho  midst,  serves  to 
•n-arm  them  by  flay,  and  to  sleep  round  by 
night.  Bands  of  young  men,  who  follow  no 
profession,  visit  families  to  whom  they  arc 
alwa3's  welcome,  and  pass  the  day  with  the 
most  animated  cheerfulness.  At  night,  sinking 
into  repose  on  a  thin  covering  of  dried  reeds 
spread  round  the  great  fireplace  iu  the  middle, 
they  lie  down  covered  only  by  a  coarse-mado 
cloth  called  crychan  ;  and  when  one  side  loses 
its  genial  heat,  they  turn  about  and  give  the 
chilly  side  to  the  fire." 

Yet  Iho  earth  had  laid  uji  in  her  treasures 
immenso  stores  of  fuel,  tho  apparently  de- 
stroyed vegetable  matter  of  early  ages.  Those 
have  never  been  resorted  to  by  man  until  a 
comparatively  recent  period.  And  nowhere  does 
this  ignorance  of  tho  value  of  coal  seem  more 
striking  than  iu  America,  where  coal  is  often 
found  iu  1  locks  on  tho  surface,  as  near  Hud- 
son's Bay,  and  on  prairies  at  the  foot  of  the 
Rocky Jlouulains.  Somo Frenchmen,  compelled 
to  Winter  at  Hudson's  Bay,  years  ago,  when  tho 
Indians  were  actually  perishing  in  numbers  for 
w.ant  of  fuel,  found  immenso  blocks  of  coal, 
and  used  it,  to  the  amazement  of  the  Indians. 

In  England  the  first  mention  of  coal  is  made 
in  the  year  1259,  when  Henry  III.  granted  a 
charter  to  somo  citizens  to  dig  for  it ;  but  tho 
prejudice  against  it  was  so  great  that  it  was  not 
used  generally  till  tho  seventeenth  century ; 
laws  were  passed  to  prevent  its  use 

In  the  East,  where  tho  fire  is  less  important, 
the  wood  used  is  generally  mere  brushwood, 
Iwimd  ia  fagots  and  carried  to  the  town  for 


sale  by  tho  wood-cutters,  whose  avocation, 
though  not  seen  now-a-days,  is  familiar  to  us 
from  childhood  from  such  old  stories  OS  "  Ali 
Baba"  and  "Hop  o'  My  Thumb." 

Colder  countries  require  more  solid  wood, 
and  our  scene  in  the  Forest  of  Bretonne,  in    orchestra  of  tho  Philharmonic  Society,  while 


Kormandy,  shows  how  the- 
peasants  there  carry  in  the 
fuel.  The  poor  wood-cutter, 
his  wife  and  boy,  are  going 
to  town  with  the  wood  piled 
up  on  a  very  curious  and 
ingeniously  contrived  saddle, 
into  which  tho  horse's  back 
fits  so  nicely.  The  peasantry 
engaged  iu  this  traffic  are 
a  simple,  quiet  race,  with 
few  wants  and  little  am- 
bition. The  women,  like  all 
those  in  Normandy,  are  fond 
of  bright  colors,  especially 
red.  The  petticoat  is,  per- 
haps, of  intense  red,  tha 
neckerchief  pink,  the  apron 
striped  with  orange.  Thus 
attired,  and  crowned  with 
her  immense  Norman  cap, 
her  wooden  shoes  concealed 
in  that  ]»eculiar  sort  of  pan- 
nier that  serves  her  as  in 
part  a  saddle,  she  goes  cheer- 
fully on,  her  husband  tramp- 
ing beside  her. 

o 

Benediction  of  the  Garonne. 
LiA  Eeole  is  one  of  the 
most  charming  of  the  cities 
of  tho  Department  of  La 
Giroude,  in  France.  It  is 
there  that,  on  the  Day  of 
the  Ascension,  the  ceremony 
of  b  le  8  8  i  n  g  the  Garonne 
is  performed.  On  that  day,  the  clergy,  the 
civil  and  military  authorities,  and  the  dis- 
tinguished personages  of  the  city,  embark  in  a 
borgo  decorated  with  flags,  flowers  and  garlands 
of  foliage.     Eeligious  sougs  alternate  with  the 


BXTINCT  VOLCANOES  OF  TUE  CHAIN  OF  PDYS. 


FKANCE. 


20T 


the  festival  barge  is  being  towed  by  ten  active 
Bailors,  who,  in  another  boat,  row  to  the  ca- 
dence of  the  charmiug  music. 


The  Oafe  de  la  Cascade,  Bois  de  Boulogue, 
Our  illastratiou  represents  one  of  those  gay 
scenes  that  constitute  the  charm  of  Parisian 
society.  All  that  is  refined  in  taste,  elegant  in 
style,  joyous  in  intercourse,  is  here  displayed  in 
its  full  attraction.  One  gazing  at  these  careless 
revelers  would  forget  that  the  world  had  any- 
thing but  delightful  pleasures. 
<  ■  »  ■  » 

The  Ice-Oave  of  Vergy,  Savoy. 

Caves,  where  there  is  ice  in  Summer  but  none 
in  Winter,  seem  curious  things,  indeed ;  but 
such  really  exist,  and  have  excited  no  little 
discussion  among  the  learned. 

Among  the  most  remarkable  of  these  is  the 
Ice-Cave  of  Vergy,  or,  as  the  peasants  call  it, 
Montarguy,  not  far  from  the  village  of  Pralong. 

The  grotto  is  hollowed  out  in  a  yellowish 
limestone,  and  forms  a  hall  about  fifty  yards  in 
depth,  with  a  sloping  floor  covered  with  frag- 
ments of  rock.  All  around  you  are  stiilactites, 
stalagmites,  columns,  platforms,  so  to  speak,  or 
inclined  planes,  not  of  mineral,  as  in  many 
caves,  but  of  pure,  clear,  hard  ico.  The  forms 
of  the  great  icicles  depending  from  the  roof 
■were  those  of  stalactites,  but  those  rising  from 
the  floor  were  often  conical,  paraboloidal,  or 
bottle-shaped ;  sometimes  like  n  top  reversed. 

This  ice  must  bo  formed  at  the  period  of  the 
year  when  the  cold  and  water  meet,  iu  the  Fall 
at  the  first  approach  of  frost,  and  iu  Spring 
when  he  retires.  Sometimes,  though  but  rarely, 
ice  is  found  hero  in  Winter  ;  biit,  as  the  jaeasuuts 
say,  "  a  true  ice-cave  has  no  ice  iu  Winter."  It 
is  just  this  popular  observation,  generally  cor- 
rect, that  gives  interest  to  the  discussions  of  the 
learned.  What  influence  is  exerted  by  currents 
of  air  ?  what,  by  the  cooling  of  the  air  caused 
by  the  saturation  of  the  vapors  rising  from  the 
■water  ?  More  connected  facts  are  required  to 
establish  a  theory,   and  hitherto  no   man   of 


PBOCSSSION  COMMKMORiTIVB  OF  THE  PLAOUB  OP  1720,  AT  MAKSEILLES. 


science  seems  to  have  watched  day  by  day  the 
formation  of  the  ice,  or  its  melting,  so  as  to 
give  us  an  intelligent  explanation  of  the  fact. 


Salmon-Traps  in  Prance. 

To  SOME  it  may  be  a  mj'stery  how  the  eggs  of 
fish  ore  procured  to  carry  on  the  system  of 
stocking  rivers,  which  has  of  late  years  been  so 
largely  practiced. 

At  the  spawning  season  the  male  salmon  as- 
cends the  river  first,  as  if  to  prepare  a  spawn- 
ing-ground. Acting  on  this,  the  fisherman 
secures  a  male  salmon,  and,  muzzling  it, 
fastens  it  by  a  thread  to  a  stone,  which  he 
sinks  near  a  spot  that  he  prepares,  as  near  as 
his  experience  will  enable  him,  in  imitation  of 


BBMBDIOTION  OF  LA  OAROMMB  AT  I^  BBOLE,  HEAR  BOBDBAtTX. 


the  spawning-ground.  In  front  of  this  prisoner 
is  set  the  trap,  open  with  its  deadly  point  up- 
ward, and  a  very  slight  catch  only  holding  the 
strong  spring  down. 

The  female  coming  up,  filled  with  her  roe, 
sees  the  male,  and  supposes  the  ground  ready 
for  the  eggs.  As  she  swims  over  the  trap,  she 
strikes  the  upright  needle,  loosens  the  slight 
catch,  and   the  two  sides  fly  together. 

The  fisherman  then  comes,  takes  her  up,  re, 
lieves  her  of  her  eggs,  impregnates  them,  and 
sends  them  to  Huningue  to  be  hatched.  Tho 
females  taken  in  nets  contain  eggs  too  young 
to  be  artificially  hatched.  This  method  is  ne- 
cessary to  the  success  of  pisciculture,  as  no  lesa 
than  two  millions  of  eggs  are  procured  by  it, 
which  no  other  system  has  been  successful  ia 
securing.  ^^^ . 

Mont  Oenis  Ear.road. 

The  Mont  Cenis  Railroad  aud  its  famous  tun- 
nel stand  among  the  great  engineering  works 
of  tho  nineteenth  century,  incidents  in  tha 
history  of  the  new  kingdom  of  steam.  Onca 
applied  to  travel,  steam  has  compelled  revolu- 
tions in  all  departments.  Telegraphs  came — 
mountains  are  leveled,  or  pierced  —  vallej'S 
boldly  crossed  by  almost  aerial  bridges. 

AVhat  would  the  ages  past  have  thought  of 
an  iron  road  over  Mont  Cenis,  much  mora 
through  it  ?  The  road  is  peculiar,  as  are  tha 
locomotives  and  cars.  Tho  ordinary  brake 
would  be  of  little  avail  in  descending  such  a 
slope.  The  centre  rail  is  part  of  the  machinery 
for  making  the  downward  career  moderate,  as 
well  as  for  aiding  the  engine  to  secure  its  up- 
ward course. 

Mr.  Fell  is  the  engineer  who  triumphed  over 
aU  obstacles,  by  establishing  a  satisfactory  sys- 
tem for  this  road,  as  a  preliminary  to  serve 
travelers  until  the  tunnel  should  be  completed  ^ 
a  work  now  happily  accomplished. 


208 


TBE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Astronomical  Olock  of  Strasbourg, 

The  great  borological  wonder  of  France,  and, 
indeed,  of  Europe,  is  the  astronomical  clock 
placed  in  the  interior  of  the  Cathedral  of  Stras- 
bourg. This  piece  of  mechanism  was  con- 
structed about  the  year  1370.  It  represents  the 
motions  of  the  globe,  the  sun,  and  the  moon, 
in  their  regular  circuit.  The 
day  of  the  week,  the  circle  of 
the  sun,  the  year  of  the  world 
and  of  Our  Lord,  the  equi- 
noctials, the  leap  year,  the 
movable  feasts  and  the  do- 
minical letter,  were  all  clearly 
exhibited  by  this  clock.  The 
eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
f.nd  the  weekly  motions  of 
the  planets,  were  also  dis- 
played. Thus,  on  Sunda3'  the 
sun  is  drawn  about  in  his 
chariot,  and  so  drawn  into 
another  place  that,  before  he 
is  quite  hidden,  you  had 
Monday — that  is,  the  moon 
appeared  full,  and  the  horses 
of  the  chariot  of  Mars 
emerged  and  the  scene  was 
thus  varied  on  every  day  of 
the  week.  There  was  also  a 
dial  for  the  minutes  of  the 
hour,  so  that  you  could  see 
every  miniite  pass.  Two  im- 
ages of  children  appeared  on 
each  side,  one  with  a  sceptre 
counting  the  hours.  The 
motions  of  the  planets,  the 
moon's  rising  and  falling, 
and  several  other  a.stronomi- 
cal  movements,  were  exhib- 
ited in  this  clock.  Death 
and  Christ  were  also  personi- 
fied ;  and  at  the  top  of  the 
tower  was  an  excellent  chime, 
which  played  various  tunes, 
and,  says  an  old  German 
chronicle,  "At  Christmas, 
Easter,  and  Whitsuntide, 
they  sounded  a  thanksgiving 
unto  Christ;  and  when  this 
chime  has  done,  the  cock 
which  stands  on  the  top  of  the 
tower,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  main  work,  having 
stretched  out  his  neck, 
shakes  his  comb,  flaps  his 
wings  twice,  and  crows  so 
shrilly  and  naturally  as  to 
be  perfectly  wonderful." 

This  celebrated  clock  was 
constructed  b  y  Dassipodius 
and  Wolkenstenius,  two  mathe- 
maticians of  the  time. 

During    the    late    Franco- 
Prussian  Wpr  this  clock  was  not  injured,  but, 
unfortunately,  the  library  was  destroyed. 


It  was  commenced  in  1655  by  Anne  of  Austria, 
but  not  finished  until  1749.  Its  northern  tower 
was  altered  in  1777.  The  facade  is  very  beau- 
tiful. The  jiortico  consists  of  a  double  range 
of  Doric  columns  forty  feet  high,  suyjporting  a 
gallery  and  cnlonnadeof  the  Ionic  order,  form- 
ing an  arched  callery  thirty-ei<?ht  feet  high. 
Above  the  whole  was  a  pjdimeut,  which,  how- 


largest  weighing  twelve  thousand  five  hundred 
pounds.  The  plan  of  the  building  itself  is 
cruciform ;  total  length,  four  luindred  and 
thirty-two  feet;  breadth,  cue  hundred  and 
seventy-four  feet ;  height,  niuety-niue.  On  the 
pavement  of  the  transept  is  traced  a  meriaian 
line,  by  Lemonnier,  in  1743.  The  rays  of  the 
sun,  passing  through  an  aperture  in  a  metal 
plate  in  the  window  of  the 
southern  transept,  form  on 
the  pavement  a  luminous  cir- 
cle about  ten  inches  in  dia- 
meter, which  moves  across 
the  line,  and  at  noon  is  bi- 
sected by  it.  There  are  a 
number  of  celebrated  paint- 
ings adorning  the  various 
chapels,  and  the  ceiling  is 
richly  frescoed.  St.  Sulpiee 
fronts  on  a  square  of  the 
same  name,  in  the  middle 
of  which  is  a  grand  fountain. 
This  is  regarded  as  the 
finest  in  Paris.  It  was  erected 
by  Visconti,  and  consists 
of  three  concentric  octagonal 
basins,  intersected  by  sculp- 
tured plinths.  From  the 
centre  of  the  uppermost 
rises  a  quadrangular  bod}', 
flanked  by  fluted  Corinthian 
pilasters,  between  which  are 
niches  filled  with  statues  of 
Fene'lon,  Boss  net,  Fle'chier, 
and  Massillon.  The  upper 
basin  is  decorated  with  four 
vases,  from  which  water 
flows,  and  four  recumbent 
lions  grace  the  intermediate 
basin.  In  the  square  a  flower- 
market  is  held  twice  a  week. 


Ohuroh  and  Fountain  of  St.  Sulpiee,  Paris. 

One  of  the  finest  churches  of  Paris  is  that  of 
Bt.  Sulpiee,  situated  in  the  celebrated  Quartier 
St.  Grenuain,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine. 


THE  ASTRONOMICAL    CLOCK   IN  TBI!   CATHEDRAL    OF   STRASBOUBO, 

ever,  having  been  destroyed  by  lightning  in 
1779,  was  replaced  by  a  balustrade. 

Before  the  introduction  of  the  electric  tele- 
graph, the  towers  were  crowned  with  signal 
telegraphs  ;  on  the  northern  one,  two  hundred 
and  ten  feet  high,  was  that  communicating  with 
Strasbourg  ;  on  the  southern,  one  corresponding 
with  Italy.     The  church  has  three  bells,  the 


The  Cathedral  of  Ohartres. 
The  city  of  Chartres,  built 
on  the   site   of    the   ancient 
capital   of   the    Camutes,    re- 
tains traces  of  its  Gaulish 
name.     The  great  object  of 
interest   to   a    traveler    is    its 
cathedral,    built   over   a   cave 
where  the  Druids   in  ancient 
times   performed   their   idola- 
trous rites,  and  paid,  tradition 
-  says,  honor  to  the  Virgin  who 
•  was  to  bear  a  Son.     The  pre- 
sent cathedral  was   begun  in 
the  eleventh  and   finished   in 
the   thirteenth    century,   ex- 
cept  one   spire,   which   took 
three  centuries  more  to  com- 
plete.    The  rich   portals,   the 
stained    glass    windows,    and 
the   beautiful    choir    showu 
in  our  illustration,  elaborate  in  its  workman- 
ship, and  adorned  with  valuable  works  of  art, 
make  this  church  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
in  the  world. 

Beneath  the  church  is  a  crypt,  said  to  be 
the  Druids'  cave,  and  in  it  is  a  labyrinth  which 
has  excited  the  interest  of  antiquaries,  and  le(J 
to  long  discussions. 


GERMANY. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL   AND   HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

AUUTTAN  MOTHEB  TEACHIHa  HER  DAUGHTER  TO  BEAD  — SUNDAY  MOKNINO  AND  AFTERNOON    AT  COBnnO— GERMAN    EMIORANTS    EKBARKIWO  FOB 
AM    KICA— MARRIAGE  IN  LUSATI A  —  GERMAN   PEASANT  GiRLS  IN  SUNDAY  COSTUME— GERMAN  GIRLS  IN  WORKING  COSTUME  — A  WeNDISH 

Bride  and  bridegroom  in  church— Colossal  Statue  in  Munich— The  Valhalla  in  Munich,  Bavaria— Boyal  Palace  at  Potsdam 

— TRARBACH,  and  THE  RUINS    OF  GBAEFENBURG  CASTLE,  RHENISH    PROVINCES  — SALT  CAVERNS  OP  BERCHTEZGADEN  —  THE  GREAT  TUN  OF 

Heidelberg— BITUMEN  Miners— The  Kursaal  of  IIomburg— The  Roulette  Table  at  the  Kursaal— Baden  Baden— Iron  Arm  and 
Hand  of  a  German  Knight,  Thirteenth  CENTUitY— Hemp-steeping  on  the  Banks  op  the  Rhine— Salmon-watching  on  the  Rhink 
-The  Cask  of  schnapps- The  barrel  of  Molasses— German  Peasantry— Students  Fencing- Town  hall— The  Toll^atbj— Thk 
Castle  op  Heidelberg- Reichenbach  Falls— The  Staubbach,  or  Dust  Fall— Tomb  op  the  Three  Kings— View  in  Hildesheim— 
Barks  on  the  D.^ncbe  — FisuiNa-viLLAGE— Gurman  Hop-field  in  'Winter  —  Stone  on  the  Field  of  Lctzen,  where  Gustavtjs 
WX)LPHUS  Fell  in  1633— The  Klapperstein— The  Jungfebn  Kuss— Charlemagne  in  his  Tomb— The  Horn  op  Oldenburg— Cubiods 
^ak-tree -Schiller's  House  at  Weimar— Festival  op  the  Three  Kings — A  Marriage  in  Thttbingia— The  Mill  of  SansSouci— 
Student  Life  in  Heidelberg— Mining  in  the  Open  Air  at  Rammelsberg,  in  the  Habtz— Target-maker  ANNOUNcma  A  Good  Baox 
— PATiNO  THE  Workmen— The  Royal  Hunt— Laqeh  Beeb  Garden  in  Beblin— Saxon  IiAST£BN— UHAUOis-BUHixtt. 


THIS  celebrated  portion  of  Europe,  which 
has  recently  risen,  after  a  short  but 
desperate  struggle  with  France,  to  the 
proud  position  of  being  the  greatest  military 
power  in  the  Old  World,  occupies  the  central 
position  of  Europe :  being  bounded  by  Den- 
mark and  the  Baltic  Sea  on  the  north;  by 
France,  Belgium  and  Holland  on  the  west ;  by 
Austria,  Switzerland  and  Italy  on  the  south, 
and  by  Poland  and  Russia  on  the  east. 

Stretching  from  the  lofty  summits  of  the 
Alps  to  the  low  beaches  of  the  Baltic,  from  the 
picturesque  and  diversified  countries  of  Western 
Europe  to  the  monotonous  steppes  of  the  East, 
Germany  incloses  a  rich  variety  of  mountain- 
ous regions,  terraced  country,  table-lands  and 
fertile  plains.  Though,  mainly,  an  inland 
country,  it  is  not  devoid  of  a  coast  configura- 
tion which  furnishes  good  outlets  to  its  numer- 
ous navigable  rivers.  Its  climate  unites  the 
different  characteristics  of  the  surrounding 
countries  ;  holding  a  mean  between  the  extreme 
heat  of  Southern  and  the  extreme  cold  of 
Northern  Europe  ;  between  the  excessive  moist- 
ure of  the  western  coast  countries  and  the 
dryness  of  the  eastern  plains. 

Owing  to  its  important  central  position,  Ger- 
many has,  almost  invariably,  been  the  theatre 
of  all  the  great  European  wars — no  matter 
where  or  for  what  cause  begun. 

The  last  census  of  the  German  Empire  was 
taken  in  1880.  At  that  time  the  population 
was  45,194,172.  Ovring  to  the  large  number 
of  immigrants  that  have  come  to  America  from 
there  since  then,  it  is  diflSeult  to  give  an 
exact  statement.  It  is,  however,  certain  that 
about  four-fifths  of  the  population  belong  to 
the  German  race,  the  remaining  fifth  belong- 
ing to  the  Slavic.  The  number  of  Jews  is 
about  five  hundred  thousand.  In  physical 
development,  the  German  race  is  far  superior 
to  the  Slavic  or  the  Latin.  Their  frame  and 
muscular  development  are  powerful,  and  they 
are  endowed  with  great  endurance  and  courage. 
As  a  general  thing,  the  Northern  Germans  are 
blondes,  while  the  Southerners  are  very  often 
of  a  dark  complexion. 

The  prominent  features  of  the  German  char- 
acter are  honesty,  fidelity,  industry,  thought- 
fulness  and   valor.      He    favors   a  moderate 


indulgence  of  the  social  pleasures  of  life,  and 
is  remarkably  fond  of  his  wife  and  children — 
almost  invariably  sharing  his  recreations  with 
them.  In  this  he  offers  a  pleasant  contrast  to 
most  other  nations — especially  the  Americans, 
the  English,  the  French  and  the  Irish. 

Being  of  a  scientific  turn  of  mind,  human 
progression  has  been  largely  benefited  by  their 
labors  and  discoveries.  In  point  of  fact,  there 
is  scarcely  a  single  branch  of  science  in  which 
Germans  have  not  excelled.  In  music,  paint- 
ing and  sculpture,  they  occupy  one  of  the 
highest  ranks  among  nations. 

The  German  artisan  is  also  famous  for  his 
steadiness  and  dexterity. 

The  diversified  surface  of  Germany  is  inter- 
sected by  many  rivers.  Their  total  number, 
not  including  the  small  creeks,  is  about  five 
hundred — sixty  of  which  are  navigable  by  na- 
ture, and  many  others  by  means  of  slack-water 
canals.  The  principal  river  sytems  are  those 
of  the  Danube,  Rhine,  Weser,  Elbe  and  Oder. 

The  forest,  and  fields  abound  with  wild  ani- 
mals ;  chamois,  ibex  and  bear  are  occasion- 
ally met  with  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Alps. 
The  deer,  the  rabbit,  hare,  fox,  marmot,  mar- 
ten, badger,  weasel  and  otter  are  found  nearly 
everywhere.  Their  domestic  animals  are  very 
numerous  :  horses  and  cattle  of  everj'  kind. 

Till  the  close  of  the  war  with  Austria,  which 
ended  in  Sadowa,  Germany  was  merely  a 
maze  of  numerous  little  despotisms,  among 
which  a  few  larger  States  were  endeavoring  to 
obtain  a  voice  in  the  councils  of  Europe. 

Prussia  was  successful,  through  the  genius 
of  Frederick  the  Great,  in  establishing  a  great 
Protestant  Power,  able  to  cope  with  Austria, 
but  at  the  same  time  anxious  to  prevent  the 
reconstruction  of  a  great  united  empire.  Thus 
the  attempts  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  II.  to 
re-establish  the  imperial  power  in  Southern 
Germany,  with  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  as 
its  dominant  faith,  were  baffled  by  Prussia. 
Within  a  few  years  we  have  seen  Prussia 
achieve  the  task  of  establishing  a  Northern 
German  Empire,  with  Protestantism  as  its 
ruling  religion. 

The  Emperor  William  I.,  under  whom  the 
unification  of  Germany  was  accomplished,  was 
bom  on  March  22d,  1797,  and  succeeded  his 


brother  Frederick  William  IV.,  January  2d, 
1861.  He  was  proclaimed  German  Emperor  at 
Versailles  January  18th,  1871,  and  died  March 
9th,  1888,  being  succeeded  by  his  son,  "  Unser 
Fritz,"  who  took  the  name  Frederick  III. 

It  was  in  1790,  that  the  tempest  of  the  French 
Revolution  prostrated  the  tottering  ruin  of  the 
German  Empire  under  the  Austrian  auspices. 
Vanquished  by  the  armies  of  France,  the  Em- 
peror Francis  II. ,  son  and  successor  of  Leopold 
II. ,  ceded  by  the  treaties  of  Campo  Formio,  in 
1797,  and  of  Lune'ville,  in  1801,  the  country  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine.  The  petty  rulers 
who  were  thus  deprived  of  their  possessions 
were  indemnified  by  the  territories  of  ecclesi- 
astic princes.  In  1805  several  States  seceded 
from  the  empire  and  became  allies  of  France, 
and  when,  in  1806,  a  number  of  German  States 
formed  the  Rhenish  Confederation,  under  the 
Protectorate  of  Napoleon  I. ,  the  Emperor  Fran- 
cis resigned  the  German  crown,  and  the  empire 
was  formally  dissolved.  A  number  of  the 
smaller  territories  were  annexed  to  the  larger 
States,  and  most  of  the  free  cities,  which, 
under  the  nominal  authority  of  the  Emperor, 
had  enjoyed  a  sort  of  republican  government, 
lost  their  independence. 

The  Prussian  effort  to  oppose  to  French 
domination  a  North  German  League  was  futile, 
and  France  became  for  some  years  the  real 
ruler  of  Germany.  Napoleon,  however,  re- 
moved many  of  the  most  glaring  remnants  of 
feudalism,  but  substituted  for  it  a  military  rrfr 
gime  scarcely  less  terrible.  ^ 

This  state  of  vassalage  was,  however,  put  an 
end  to  by  the  coalition  of  England,  Austria, 
Prussia,  Russia  and  Sweden,  in  1812,  which 
finally  led  to  the  overthrow  of  Napoleon  I.,  in 
1815,  when,  having  invested  a  nation  of  shop- 
keepers with  sentimental  magnanimity,  he  d»^ 
livered  himself  up  to  imprisonment  for  life. 

Since  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  June  18th,  1816, 
the  Germans  have  been  steadily  gaining  in  solid 
power.  Their  education  system,  while  it  may 
be  considered  by  a  free  people  like  ourselves 
as  being  of  too  compulsory  a  kind,  is  cal- 
culated to  elevate  the  masses  in  the  scale  of 
civilization,  and  their  miUtary  system  is  said 
by  their  statesmen  to  be  necessary  to  tbeit 
national  independence,. 


310 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS 


An  Alsat  an  Mother  TeacMng  her  Daughter 
the  Alphab  t. 
Fashionabii!  young  ladies,  who  are  perfect 
mistresses  of  every  mental  accomplishment 
before  they  enter  their  teens,  will,  no  doubt, 
smile  to  see  our  picture.  The  idea  of  a  girl  of 
any  period  learning  her  ABC's  when  she  ought 
to  be  a  leader  of  fashion,  and  dancing  the  Ger- 
man with  all  the  foreign  noblemen  in  town, 
aeems    something    too  incredible    for    belief. 


haps  a  small  regiment  of  monosyllables,  and  a 
copy  of  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  and  this  leaf  was 
usually  set  in  a  frame  of  wood,  with  a  slice  of 
diaphanous  horn  in  front — hence  the  name 
horn-hook.  Generally  there  was  a  handle  to 
hold  it  by,  and  this  handle  had  usually  a  hole 
for  a  string,  whereby  the  apparatus  was  Blung 
to  the  girdle  of  the  scholar.  It  ought  not  to 
be  forgotten  ihat  the  alphabet  on  the  hom-book 
was  invariably  prefaced  with  a  cross :  whence 


German  EmigrLnts  Embarking  for 
America. 
Gebman  emigration  began  in  the  last  century 
with  the  Palatines — Protestants  who  fled  from 
the  Khenish  Provinces  which  the  fortunes  of 
war  gave  to  Fr^  me.  Some  Bought  refuge  in 
Ireland,  more  came  to  America.  The  banks  of 
the  Mohawk,  the  Hudson  in  what  is  now 
Dutchess  County,  and  parts  of  Pennsvlvauia, 
received  many  of  them.  The  exiled  Saltzburgera 


Neyertheless,  the  majority  of  womankind,  till 
the  seventeenth  century,  were  born,  lived  and 
died  without  being  able  either  to  write  or  read 
a  love-letter.  The  horn-book,  which  was  then 
the  first  step  in  tuition,  is  thus  described  by  an 
antiquarian  writer ;  ' '  The  horn-book  was  the 
Primer  of  our  ancestors — their  established 
means  of  learning  the  elements  of  English 
literature.  It  consisted  of  a  single  leaf,  con- 
taining on  one  side  the  alphabet,  large  and 
small— in  black-lottei'  or  ia  liomau-  with  ver- 


ntUSSIAN   KHENISH    PRO  VINCES -SUNDAT   AtTEUNOON. 

it  came  to  be  called  the  Christ  Cross  Kow,  or 
by  corruption  the  Criss  Cross  Row,  a  term 
which  was  often  used  instead  of  horn-book. 


Ehenish  Provinces— Sunday  Afternoon. 

Sunday  afternoon  in  the  Rhenish  Provinces 
resembles  rather  our  Puritan  Sabbath  than  the 
Sunday  of  the  gayer  French.  Calm  and  quiet, 
reading  the  Bible  or  books  of  devotion,  charac- 
teriza  the  seyera  morality  of  these  Germans. 


sought  a  home  in  Georgia.  Their  sufferings  in 
that  early  day  from  oppression  and  fraud  were 
great.  Christopher  Saur,  of  Germantown,  was 
their  great  champion,  and  by  his  pen  and  press 
sought  to  obtain  redress  against  the  evils  of  the 
emigration  system  that  prevailed  in  that  day, 
when  passengers,  in  order  to  pay  their  fare, 
were  sold  at  auction  as  servants,  for  as  low  a 
term  as  any  one  would  take  them. 

The  troubles  in  Germany  in  1848  revived  tha 
spirit  of  emigration  in  all  the  States,  but  espe- 


GERMANY. 


S11 


coburo— stmrtAY  morntng 


aia 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


cially  in  those  of  the  North.  Emigration  to 
the  United  States,  from  1784  to  1859,  gave 
about  five  millions  of  sturdy  hands  to  the 
country,  the  great  rush  beginning  about  1844. 
Until  then  the  masses  of  emigrants  were 
Irish :  but  soon,  the  Germans  rapidly  gained, 
and  in  1854,  the  German  emigration  was 
215,000,  while  that  from  Ireland  was  not  one- 
half  that  number.  For  the  protection  of  these 
Tast  moving  armies,  chiefly  of  ignorant  men 
and  women,  leaving  the  dull  routine  of  a  quiet 
country  village  for  the  bustle,  activity,  craft 
and  wiles  of  great  seaport  towns,  in  a  strange 
land,  laws  have  been  passed  in  various  Euro- 
pean countries,  as  well  as  our  own.  New 
York,  which  receives  the  largest  number  of 


ceremonies.  As  soon  as  a  young  man  has  fixed 
his  affections  upon  a  maiden,  the  young  man's 
father,  in  company  with  a  married  friend  of 
the  maiden  (Braschka),  proceeds  to  the  house 
of  the  girl  to  whom  the  proposal  is  to  be 
made.  After  the  usual  salutations,  and  the 
inquiries  after  the  health  and  well-being  of  the 
whole  family,  the  youth's  father  addresses  the 
maiden's  father  in  the  following  words  :  ' '  God 
has  given  to  me  a  son  (naming  him)  ;  he  re- 
quires a  wife  to  take  the  cares  of  his  house, 
and  thou  hast  a  daughter,  who  is  fit  for  matri- 
mony, and,  moreover,  is  willing.  If  it  is  God's 
will  and  thy  daughter's,  let  these  whom  I  have 
named  become  man  and  wife."  Before  an 
answer  is  given,  a  general  conversation  ensues. 


house,  farm,  or  whatever  property  the  yotingr 
man  has,  the  betrothal  takes  place,  which  in 
many  places  is  performed  by  the  Braschka  or 
Probraschka;  in  others,  by  the  priest,  pro- 
nouncing a  short  religious  homily  in  presence 
of  the  family  and  some  of  the  relations  of  the 
family.  The  betrothed  not  only  give  their 
hands  to  each  other,  but  a  piece  of  gold  or 
silver  money,  and  often  some  article  of  dress. 
When  the  marriage-day  is  fixed,  the  business 
of  the  Braschka  begins,  which  consists  in  the 
oiBce  of  bidder  to  the  marriage  and  preparer  of 
the  feast.  In  many  places  the  office  of  Braschka. 
is  undertaken  by  the  godfather  of  the  bride- 
groom ;  in  others  there  are  persons  who,  in  con- 
'  sideration  of  a  sum  of  money,  charge  them- 


Ur  1L8ATIAN  MOTHER  TBAOHINO  HER  DiUOHTEB  THl!  «T,PWABET. 


•migrants,  has  a  special  institution,  the  Com- 
missioners of  Emigration,  which  has,  for  a 
series  of  years,  rendered  the  greatest  services 
to  the  emigrants  and  the  country,  and  which, 
for  the  payment  of  f  2  by  each  emigrant,  under- 
takes, for  five  years,  to  stand  between  them  and 
destitution.     It  has  a  depot  at  Castle  Crardeu. 

1  ^11 

A  Wendish  Marriage  in  Lusatia. 
Althodqh  the  Vandal  inhabitants  of  Tipper 
and  Lower  Lusatia  have  lived  and  mixed  with 
the  Germans,  and  have,  more  or  less,  adopted 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  latter,  thev 
still  retain  many  peculiar  to  themselves ;  and 
Bome  of  these  are  their  marriage  customs  and 


and  the  subject  is  again  mentioned.  The  father 
then  consults  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  and, 
if  agreeable  to  them,  he  says,  ' '  I  have  no 
objection  if  God  so  wills  it."  The  portion  of 
the  girl  is  then  stated,  and  the  prospects  of  the 
young  man,  and  if  these  are  in  any  way  con- 
formable, the  father  of  the  young  girl  asks  the 
youth's  father,  "  Does  thy  son  know  my  daugh- 
ter, and  does  she  please  him  ?"  The  prelimi- 
naries of  the  marriage  are  now  made,  and  the 
youth's  father  promises  that  on  such  a  day 
his  son  shall  come  in  person  to  present  his 
addresses.  In  due  time  the  youth  arrives, 
accompanied  bv  one  of  his  godfathers,  or  some 
friend  :  the  yonncr  peonle  <jneak  to  each  other. 
and  after  the  pareats  of  the  girl  bare  seen  the 


selves  with  the  whole  preparation.  The  gayly 
dressed  Braschka  invites  the  guests  in  the  name 
of  the  betrothed  and  the.r  parents ;  this  is  done 
with  great  parade  and  with  courteous  speeches. 
He  waits  upon  those  in  the  intermediate  neigh- 
borhood on  foot,  carrying  a  long  white  wand ; 
to  those  who  live  at  greater  distances  he  pro- 
ceeds on  a  gayly  caparisoned  horse.  On  the  day 
of  the  marriage  he  summons  the  bridegroom 
and  his  friends.  Here  he  makes  a  touching 
address  to  the  bridegroom,  his  parents,  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  other  relatives,  and 
in  the  bridegroom's  nam«  begs  forgiveness  for 
any  injuries  they  mav  have  received,  and  with 
many  references  to  Holv  Writ  asks  for  theii 
blessings.    This  is  called  the  Act  of  Blesaiiiff' 


OEBM&NZ 


ai8 


I 

■a 


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> 

•o 

OS 

•<3 


I 


g 

p 


o 


214 


THE     WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


A  WENDIBH  MARRIAGE  IN  LCSATIA — BRIDE  PROCEEDING   TO  THE  HUSBAND  S  HOUSE. 


All  then  give  their  blessing,  which  is  often 
done  with  the  greatest  manifestation  of  feeling, 
and  teara  often  flow  copiously  upon  the  occa- 
sion, more  especially  when  eitlier  or  both  of  the 
parents  are  dead.  This  ceremony 
over,  the  bridegroom,  with  a  rib- 
bon in  his  buttonhole,  and  carry- 
ing a  sprig  of  rosemary  in  his 
hand,  takes  his  place  in  a  carriage, 
bareheaded,  and  wearing  a  chaplet 
of  myrtle.  The  horses  are  then 
decked  out  with  red  ribbons,  and 
near  the  bridegroom  sits  the 
Braschka  and  the  musicians  ;  the 
young  friends  of  the  bridegroom 
on  horseback  siirround  the  car- 
riage. While  this  is  going  on, 
preparations  are  made  at  the 
bride's  house  for  his  reception. 

Th3  bride,  as  soon  as  the  pro- 
cession approaches  the  house, 
retires  to  an  upper  chamber,  in 
which  she  is  informed  tliat  she 
must  see  her  future  husbana  only 
before  the  whole  household.  On 
arriving  at  the  house,  the  bride- 
ifroom  stands  bareheaded  at  the 
door ;  but  if  the  weather  is  not 
propitious,  he  may  stand  under 
the  porch,  but  he  must  by  no 
means  cross  the  threshold.  The 
Braschka  then  enters  the  house, 
and  makes  inquiry  after  the  bride ; 
formerly  it  was  the  custom,  when 
he  made  the  inquiry,  to-  bring 
gome  old  woman  to  him  as  the 
lovely  bride,  whom  he  would  by 
no  means  receive.  This  has,  how- 
ever, fallen  into  disuse  in  many 
ttlaces.  The  bride  at  length  appears. 


whom  he  receives  with  an  appropriate  address 
and  a  blessing.  The  company  then  proceed  to 
the  church  in  the  manner  shown  by  the  engrav- 
ing,   The  procession  is  often  interrupted  by 


A  WENDISH  HABRI AGE —BRIDE  AND  BHrDEOBOOM  XH  OHUROH 


young  people  holding  handkerchiefs  across  Qie 
road,  which  they  only  loose  on  receiving  some 
uioney.  The  church  ceremony  being  performed', 
the  company  proceed  to  the  rath-haus,  where 
the  civil  ceremony  takes  places 
This  done,  the  company  partakf 
of  dinner,  at  which  the  Braschka 
acts  as  master  of  the  ceremonies, 
appointing  each  bis  place.  Her* 
the  first  course  consists  of  butter, 
bread,  cheese,  beer,  brandy,  and 
cakes.  This  is  succeeded  by  more 
substantial  fare  in  the  shape  of 
beer-soup,  broth,  prepared  buck 
wheat,  beef,  with  rice  and  horse 
radish,  boiled  pork,  with  biack 
sauce  made  from  the  blood  of  the 
pig,  roast  goose,  roast  pork,  sau- 
sages, and  millet  boiled  in  milk. 
Each  guest  brings  his  own  knife 
and  fork.  The  Braschka  takea 
the  charge  of  carving  and  placing 
each  one's  portion  on  a  plate. 

Before  and  after  dinner,  grace  is- 
said  by  him,  which  is  followed  by 
the  verse  of  a  song  accompanied 
by  the  music.  The  master  of  the 
feast  has  to  see  that  all  is  properly 
conducted,  that  no  disputes  arise, 
and  when  any  of  the  guests  have 
drank  too  much,  to  have  them 
quietly  removed. 

At  the  dinner  the  marriageabia 
girls  of  the  place  sing  a  chorale, 
for  which  they  receive  from  the 
father  of  the  bride  cakes  and  beer, 
from  the  bridegroom  a  piece  ot 
money.  After  the  grand  evening 
repast,  which,  in  kind,  resembles- 
the  dinner,  dancing  begins.     It  !»• 


GERMANY. 


215 


P 


216 


THE    WORLD'S    GREA.T    NATIONS. 


OOLOSSiL  STATm  OF  BAVARIA— THB  FACK. 


hymn  sung,  the  Bras- 
chka  brings  a  dish 
and  places  it  upon  the 
table  before  the  newly 
married  pair,  and  ad- 
dresses the  guests: 
"Listen  to  me  awhile, 
honored  guests.  The 
newly  married  young 
Christian  couple, 
know  well  that  we 
Christians,  according 
to  the  teaching  of  our 
holy  religion,  do  not 
place  our  trust  upon 
earthly  goods,  neither 
upon  silver  and  gold, 
but  upon  God  and  His 
grace. 

"  But  you  know,  my 
friends,  that  during 
his  journey  through 
life,  man  cannot  do 
without  these  things, 
and  that  on  this  ac- 
count the  wise  men  of 


COLOSSAL  STATUB  OP  BAVABIA— INTEKIOR  OP  THB  HEAR 


not  allowed  for  the  bride- 
groom to  be  present  in  the 
dancing-room  the  first  day 
of  the  wedding,  but  he  is  ex- 
pected to  entertain  the  elder 
persons  who  are  not  inter- 
ested in  these  youthful 
sports,  with  conversation. 

The  Braschka,  however, 
leads  the  bride  to  the  dancing 
place  and  dances  the  first 
dance  with  her.  After  she 
has  danced  with  some  other 
of  the  guests,  her  two  brides- 
men ask  her  hand,  although 
the  bridesmaids  have  en- 
deavored previously  to  take 
off  one  of  her  shoes  in  order 
to  hinder  it.  Should  they 
Buooeed,  she  is  obliged  to 
leave  off,  and  return  to  her 
expectant  husband  without 
•  shoe,  in  her  stocking  sole, 
if  the  bridesmaids,  in  case 
the  weather  is  bad,  do  not 
lend  her  an  old  slipper. 
The  rest  of  the  guests  enjoy 
the  dancing  as  long  as  the 
BrEkschka,  who  always  re- 
mains in  the  room  to  keep 
order,  sees  proper.  They 
then  return  to  the  bride's 
house  for  supper,  from  which 
the  happy  pair  have  retired. 
On  the  following  day  the 
festivities  are  kept  up;  the 
married  pair  are  allowed  to 
take  part  In  the  dance  with 
the  rest.  The  re  joicings 
usually  last  two  or  three 
days;  on  one  of  these  days 
the  Presentation  Feast  takes 
place,  at  which  abundance 
is  provided.  When  this  is 
ended,  and  grace  said,  and  ' 


TALBALLA,  BAVABIA— INTKRIOB. 


the  East  brought  to  the 
Mother  of  our  Lord  gold,  in- 
cense, and  myrrh,  as  a 
present.  The  young  couple 
who  are  now  beginning  to 
keep  house  for  themselves 
not  only  require  our  hearty 
good  wishes,  but  our  support 
and  assistance.  "Whoever, 
therefore,  is  willing  to  assist 
them,  let  him  please  to 
place  in  the  plate,  when  I 
have  placed  my  gift,  what- 
ever he  thinks  good  to  give." 

He  then  places  a  specie 
thaler  in  the  plate.  He  is 
followed  by  the  parents, 
brothers  and  sisters  of  the 
bride  and  bridegroom,  and 
the  godfathers,  and  the  rest 
of  the  company  lay  their 
gifts,  either  in  money  or 
presents,  in  the  plate ;  the 
Braschka  announcing  the 
name  and  amount  of  each 
party.  The  young  couple 
may  press  the  hand  of  each 
party,  but  they  are  not  ex- 
pected to  speak,  indeed,  nor 
to  notice  the  gifts.  The 
gifts  ended,  the  Braschka 
returns  thanks  in  the  name 
of  the  recipients,  and  con- 
cludes by  singing  a  thanks- 
giving  hymn,  " Let  all 
thank  God,"  etc. 

It  is  generally  midnight 
before  the  feast  is  over. 
Every  one  now  prepares  to 
depart.  The  cars  which  are 
to  convey  the  necessaries  for 
housekeeping  are  loaded,  and 
those  for  the  conveyance  of 
the  guests.  The  bridesmen 
saddle   their  horses.     After 


GERMANY. 


217 


taking  leave  of  the  givers  of  the  feast,  the  pro- 
Mssion  goes  through  the  village.  Arrived  at 
Hue  l>ouse  of    the  newly-married  couple,  the 


COLOSSAL  STATini  OF  BAVARIA,  AT  MUNICH. 

bridesmaids  hasten  into  the  house  before  the 
bride  can  get  out  of  the  car,  and  place 
bread,  butter,  cheese,  and  cakes  in  the  sitting- 


room,  and  lay  them  on  a  table,  together  vnilb 
knives,  forks,  and  spoons,  and  then  place  twc 
lighted  candles  on  the  table,  in  new  candlesticks. 


TAlHAt.TA.  BAVARIA — EXTII2U0R. 


216 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


The  bride  then  enters,  and  ■welcomes  them  with 
her  husband,  and  presses  them  to  stop,  while  an- 
9tber  young  woman  of  the  company  lets  loose 
a  hen,  which  she  has  brought  with  her,  in  the 
yard.  If  the  hen  is  quiet,  and  does  not  fly  at 
the  guests,  it  is  a  good  sign  that  the  bride  will 
be  happy  with  her  husband's  house.  After  the 
brido  has  welcomed  her  guests,  she  goes  into 
tile  cow-stall,  and  lays  fodder  before  the  cows, 


The  Eoyal  Palace  at  Postdam. 

"Wheke  the  Havel  forms  a  small  lake  stands 
the  town  of  Potsdam,  which  contains  the  palace 
of  the  Prussian  monarchs.  The  castle,  begun 
in  1C60,  has  become  a  palace,  yet  without  ac- 
quiring the  beauty  or  grace  of  architecture  that 
the  word  palace  naturally  suggests. 

Here  Frederick  William  had  his  gigantic 
guard.     He  had  found  Potsdam  a  poor  place, 


was  burdened  with  a  wife  had  a  honse  to  Mnw 
self ;  of  the  other  colossi,  as  many  as  foul' 
lodged  with  one  landlord,  who  had  to  wait  upon 
and  provide  food  for  them,  for  which  he  only 
received  some  stacks  of  wood.  The  men  of  this- 
regiment  never  had  leave,  could  carry  on  no 
public  work,  and  drink  no  brandy  ;  most  ot 

them  lived  like  students  at  the  High-school 

they  occupied  themselves  with  books,  drawings 


to  show  that  she  knows  her  household  duties. 
Tha  newly  married  people,  the  Braschka,  and 
the  rest  of  the  company,  have  not  much  time 
to  rest.  The  Lord's  Day  has  begun,  and  the 
church-bells  summon  them  to  His  temjile.  Here 
tho  new  couple  never  fail  to  come.  When  the 
service  is  over,  the  musicians,  who  are  awaiting 
ths  wedding-guests,  accompany  them  to  the 
hns1),ind's  house.  There  the  feasting  is  again 
resumed,  which  lasts  till  midday  on  Monday. 


BOTAL  PALACE  AT  POSTDAM,  PRUSSIA. 

situated  between  the  Havel  and  a  swamp  ;  the 
king  made  it  into  an  architectural  camp  ;  no 
civilian  could  carry  a  sword  there,  not  even  the 
Minister  of  State.  There  round  the  king's  castle, 
in  small  brick  houses,  which  were  built  partly 
in  the  Dutch  stj'le,  were  stationed  the  king's 
giants — the  world-renowned  Grenadier  regi- 
ment. There  were  three  battalions  of  eight 
hundred  men,  besides  six  hundred  to  eight  hun- 
dred reserves.     Whoever  among  the  Grenadiers 


and  music,  or  worked  in  their  houses.  They 
received  extra  pay — the  tallest  from  ten  b> 
twenty  thalers  a  month ;  all  these  fine  men 
wore  high,  plated  grenadier  caps,  which  made 
them  about  four  handbreadths  taller. 

Whoever  belonged  to  the  colonel's  own  com- 
pany of  the  regiment  had  his  picture  taken  and 
hung  up  in  the  corridor  of  the  Castle  of  Pots- 
dam. Many  distinguished  persons  traveled  to 
Potsdam  to  see  these  sons  of  Aoak  at  parade  or 


GERMANY. 


^9 


TEABBACH    AND     THE    KUINS    OF    GKAEFENBURG     CASTLE,    RHENISH    PROVINCES. 


220 


•THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


SALT  CAVERNS  OF  BKKCHTEZGADEN,  BAVARIA. 


exercising.     Bnt  it  was  remarked  that  such 
giants  were  scarcely  useful  for  real  war,  and 
that  it  had  never  occurred  to  any  one  in  the 
world  to  seek  for  extraordinary  height  as  ad- 
vantageous to  soldiers;  this  wonder  was  re- 
served for  Prussia.     But  any  one  who 
staid  in  the  country  did  well   not  to 
express  this  too  openly  ;  for  the  Gre- 
nadiers were  a  passion  of   the  king, 
which,  in  his   later   years,  amounted 
almost  to  madness,  and  for  which  he 
forgot  his  family,  justice,  honor,  con- 
science, and  what  had  stood  highest 
with  him  all  his  life — the  advantage  of 
bis  States.     They  were  his  dear  blue 
children ;  he  was  perfectly  acquainted 
with   each    individual ;    took  a  lively 
interest    in    their    personal  concerns, 
and  tolerated  long  speeches  and  dry 
answers  from  them.     It  was   diflflcult 
for  a  civilian  to  obtain  justice  against 
these  favorites,  and   they  were,  with 
good  reason,  feared  by  the  people. 

Wherever,  in  any  part  of  Europe,  a 
tall  man  was  to  be  found,  the  king- 
traced  him  out,  and  secured  him  either 
by  bounty  or  force,  for  his  guard. 
There  was  the  giant  Miiller,  who  had 
shown  himself  in  Paris  and  London 
for  money — two  groschen  a  person- 
he  was  the  fourth  or  fifth  in  the  line , 


still  taller  was  Jonas,  a  smith's  journeyman, 
from  Norway ;  then  the  Prussian  Hohmenn, 
whose  head  King  Augustus  of  Poland — though 
a  man  of  fine  stature — could  not  reach  with  his 
outstretched    hand  •    finally,  later,  there    was 


Jamts    Kirckland,  an    Irishman,    whom   the 
Prussian  Ambassador,  Von  Borke,  had  carried 
off  by  force  from  England,  and  on  account  of 
whom  -diplomatic  intercourse  was  nearly  broken 
off.     They  were  collected  together  from  every 
vocation  of    life — adventurers  of  the 
worst  kind,  students,  Roman  Catholic 
priests,  monks,  and  even  some  noble- 
men, stood  in  rank  and  file. 

The  apartments  occupied  in  the 
Palace  of  Potsdam  by  Frederick  the 
Great  are  preserved  in  the  same  state 
in  which  they  were  left  by  him  ;  but, 
as  is  well-knowr,  R.xus-Souci  was  his 
favorite  resideucc. 


THK  ORKAT  TUN-  or  tIEIDET.BKRO. 


Salt  Oaverns  of  Bsrchtezgaden. 

One  of  the  most  curious  salt  mines 
iu  the  world  is  at  Berchtezgaden,  in 
Bavaria,  and  it  deserves  to  be  as  well 
kuown  as  those  of  Wieliczka. 

The  town  lies  twelve  miles  south  of 
Saltzburg,  and  has  a  population  of  two 
thoufand,  two  hundred  of  whom  are 
employed  in  the  royal  salt  mines.  The 
little  town  boasts  of  a  royal  palace,  a 
Franciscan  convent,  and  a  charitable 
asylum.  The  mines  are  very  prodnot- 
ive,  yielding  sixteen  thousand  hundredi 
weight  of  rock  salt  annually. 


GERMANY. 


221 


BITUMEN  MINERS   OP   BECHELBBCNN   AT   PRAYER   BEFORE  DESCENDINO   THE  MINK. 


A  lady  ■who  visited  the  mine  says  her  party 
repaired  to  the  dressing  -  house,  where  were 
dressing-apartments  for  each  sex.  The  ladies 
■were  nearly  stripped  and  provided  with  loose 
white  pantaloons;  then  with  a  thick  military  tu- 
nic and  a  blue  cloth  cap ;  the  gentlemen  were 
also  transformed,  though  not  so  picturesquely. 
li^h  was  suppUed  with  a  lantern,  to  be  held 
in  the  hand  or  hooked  to  the  belt. 

i£ntering  a  gloomy  portal,  like  an  Egyptian 
tomb,   cbey  'found    themselves   in   a   chilly 


atmosphere,  though  it  was  a  sultry  day.  They 
passed  through  many  galleries  cut  in  the  tufa, 
about  two  feet  wide  and  six  high,  beautiful  in 
the  flickering  light  as  the  salt  in  veins  marbled 
the  surface,  here  opal  white,  then  orange,  then 
red.  The  passages  ascended  gradually  by  steps. 
At  last,  on  passing  an  opening,  there  was  a  cry 
at  the  beautiful  vision  that  burst  upon  them. 

"Before  us,"  she  says,  "  was  a  low  but  spa- 
cious cavern,  almost  entirely  filled  by  a  smooth 
lake  of  salt  water  of  the  blackest  hue.     In  the 


midst  was  the  dark  silhouette  of  the  ferry, 
boat  being  rowed  toward  us  by  a  man,  and 
having  on  board  a  single  hght;  but  as  the 
water  dripped  from  his  oars,  it  received  the 
gutter  of  some  hundred  lamps,  forming  a 
cordon  around  the  water's  edge,  and  defining 
the  boundaries  of  the  lake ;  while  they  dimly 
lighted  the  strange  scene,  each  starry  point 
was  reflected  as  a  perpendicular  line  ^A  light 
in  the  still,  deep  waters  of  the  yool.  • 
.    "It  was  like  an  enchantment,  and  a  mora 


222 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT     NATIONS. 


THB  EUSSAAL,  BOXBUBO— FROM  THE  GARDEN. 


-startling  and  eflfeotive  sight  can  scarcely  be 
imagined." 

Crossing  this,  they  reached  a  shaft,  which 
they  descended  in  a  strange  way.  The  guide 
..«at  in  a  sort  of  groove,  and  throwing  a  leg  over 


a  rail  on  either  side,  made  them  take  their 
places  in  the  same  attitude  behind  him,  each 
holding  the  shoulders  of  the  one  before.  Then 
away  they  went,  and  before  they  could  recover 
their  presence  of  mind,  landed  gently  at  the 


lower  extremity,  about  three  hundred  feet  from 
the  starting-point.  They  had  lauded  in  an  illu- 
minated cavern,  lined  with  glistening  tufa,  the 
crystal  veins  of  which  were  of  various  shades 
of  semi-transparent  orange  and  rich  crimson. 


THE  RorLETTE  TABLE,  KnRSAAL,  BOMBmO. 


GEKMANT. 


223 


I 

a 


224 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


Another  descent  brought  them  to 
the  depths  of  the  mountain,  the 
most  spacious  vault  of  all,  where, 
in  a  beautiful  grotto  adorned  with 
stalactites,  the  guide  showed  a 
rock-salt  medallion  of  the  king, 
which  he  had  carved  in  a  slab  of 
rock-salt;  it  was  illuminated  from 
behind,  and  a  stream  of  salt  water 
poured  over  it. 

To  reach  the  upper  air  was  the 
next  step.  For  this  purpose  they 
mounted  wooden  horses,  each  of 
which  took  eight  riders,  who  are 
advised  not  to  stick  out  their  knees 
or  elbows.  These  run  on  rails, 
and  are  impelled  with  great  speed, 
and  at  last  wheel  the  traveler 
into  the  daylight  once  more. 
The  salt  is  not  mined  here 
as  rock-salt,  but  vaults  are 
hollowed  out,  and  then  filled 
with  water  from  above  by 
turning  in  mountain  springs. 
This  water  dissolves  the  salt 
and  takes  it  up,  depositing 
the  clay  at  the  bottom.  When 
it  has  taken  up  all  it  will 
hold,  it  is  drawn  off  and  run 
in  wooden  pipes  to  the  boiling- 
houses,  some  of  them  as  much 
as  forty-two  miles  distant,  the  vi- 
cinity of  wood-lands  making  the 
boiling  less  expensive  there. 


The  Valhalla,  in  Bavaria. 

Few  monarchs  have  done 
more  to  elevate  the  patriotic 
feelings  of  their  people  and 
improve  their  tastes  by  the 
noblest  works  of  art,  than  Louis, 
King  of  Bavaria.  Of  the  insti- 
tutions reared  by  him,  chiefly  at 
his  own  cost,  the  most  remarkable 
is  the  Valhalla,  or  Hall  of  Heroes, 
destined  as  an  imperishable  mon- 
ument to  the  most  celebrated 
men  of  Germany  in  all  ages. 
The  first  stone  was  laid  by  the 
king  on  October  the  18th,  1830, 
on  a  hill  near  the  village  of  Do- 
naustauf,  about  four  miles  from 
Ratisbon.  It  is  surrounded  b y 
a  fine  amphitheatre  of  hills,  and 
is  approached  from  the  Danube 
by  a  vast  flight  of  steps. 

The  Valhalla  forms  externally  a 
magnificent  Doric  octastyle  peripte- 
ral temple,  with  its  principal  front 
facing  the  south.  It  is  entirely 
constructed  of  white  marble,  and 
is  nearly  the  same  dimensions  as 
the  Parthenon,  being  one  hundred 
and  four  by  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  feet;  the  columns  and 
entablature  forty-five  feet  high, 
and  the  pediment  twelve ;  making 
with  the  substructure,  a  total 
height  of  two  hundred  feet. 


The  blocKs  of  marble  are  of  extracrainarv 
dimensions,  and  those  forming  the  archiiraveE 
about  eighteen  feet  in  length. 

There  is  a  most  magnificent  display  of  scalp. 
ture,  and  in  a  truly  classical  taste,  in  the  two^ 
pediments,  after  designs  by  Kauch,  remodeled, 
and  executed  by  Schwanthaler.  That  of  th» 
south  pediment  consists  of  iifteen  figures  in 
full  relief,  the  one  in  the  centre — of  colossal 
size  and  seated — representing  Germania,  and 
the  others  symbolical  of  the  different  Ger- 
manic States.  The  sculpture  of  the  other 
pediment,  which  is  entirely  the  work  of 
Schwanthaler,  consists  of  the  same  number  of 
figures,  representing  the  victory  obtained  by 
the  Cherusci  over  the  Romans. 

The  interior  of  the  Valhalla  is  of  most  strikr. 


FINGER   SHOniSO    THF   UECHANISM, 

ing  splendor,  most  sumptuous  in  point  of  deco- 
ration, and  highly  original  in  its  design,  which 
exhibits  great  happiness  of  invention.  It  con-- 
sists  chiefly  of  a  single  hall,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  by  fifty-seven  feet,  with  a  space  at  its 
north  end,  but  separated  from  it  only  by  a 
screen  of  Ionic  columns,  which  order  is  contin- 
ued throughout  in  the  antse  at  the  angles  of 
the  massive  piers  which  divide  the  hall  into 
three  compartments.  The  ceiling  is  of  daz- 
zling splendor,  being  almost  entirely  lined 
with  plates  of  gilt  bronzes,  and  wilt,  gold  starr 
and  other  ornaments  on  an  azure  ground  in  iti 
coffres.  Through  this  the  light  is  admitted 
from  a  skylight  over  each  compartment. 

The  floor  is  inlaid  with  colored  marbles  froM 
Tegernese,  distributed  into  three  larger  com- 
partments answering  to  those  of  the  plan.  Th& 
shafts  of  the  antse  and  columns  arc  of  a  brown, 
ish  red  marble,  resembling  the  antique  African, 
and  their  bases  and  capitals  of  white  marble, 
picked  out  with  colors  and  gilding,  while  the 
walls  are  lined  with  the  same  material,  and  of 
nearly  the  same  hue  as  the  columns.  In  the 
entablature  the  architrave  and  cornice  are  • 
white,  relieved  by  gold  and  colors  on  their  - 
moldings,  but  the  frieze,  entirely  of  white  mar- 
ble, forms  a  continuous  bas-relief,  representing 
the  progress  of  civilization  in  Germany,  from . 


GERMANY. 


^2i} 


HEMP   STEEPING   05   THE   BANKS  OF  THE  RHINE 


the  earliest  times  to 
the  introduction  of 
Christianity  by  St. 
Bonifacius  Thi  i  piece 
of  sculpture,  wliich  ex- 
tends altogether  to 
two  hundred  and 
thirty  feet,  was  com- 
posed by  Wagner  and 
executed  by  Pettrich 
and  Schopf.  The  three 
pediments  seen  on 
entering  are  orna- 
mented with  subjects 
taken  from  the  earliest 
Scandinayian  mytho- 
logy, composed  by  the 
painter  Lindenschmidt 
and  Professor  Stig- 
limar. 

Imperfect  as  it  is, 
this  description  of  the 
architectural  decora- 
tions has  detained  us 
BO  long  that  we  may 
seem  to  have  over- 
looked the  principal 
objects  of  all  —  the 
very  works  for  which 
the  structure  was 
erected  as  a  repository, 
namely,  the  effigies  of 
the  illustrious  persons 
here  commemorated. 


SALMON    WATCaiNO   ON   THE  SHUnt. 


They  are  skillfully 
arranged  in  two  rows, 
the  lower  one  of  which 
is  placed  upon  a  con- 
tinued pedestal  of 
beautiful  yellow  mar- 
ble, the  others  on  con- 
soles; and,  as  presiding 
over  the  respective 
groups  of  busts,  there 
is  within  each  of  the 
six  recesses  a  smaller 
winged  Valkyria,  or 
genius,  also  antique 
marble  seats  and  mar- 
ble candelabra. 

The  memorials  are 
partly  tablets  and 
partly  busts,  and  many 
blanks  are  yet  left  to 
be  filled  up  by  pos- 
terity 

The  tablets  begin 
with  Hermann,  or 
Arminius,  the  German 
prince  who  defeated 
the  Romans  in  the 
year  21,  and  include 
Bishop  Ulphilas,  the 
apostle  of  the  Goths, 
Alaric,  Hengist  and 
Horsa,  Tohla,  Pepin 
Heristall,  Bede,  Mar- 
tel,  Charlemagne  and 


226 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


o 

PI 

C5 


GEB3IANY. 


227 


O 


228 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


niired.  Among  the  busts  are  not  only  the 
warriors  of  Germany,  but  Guttenberg,  Uurer, 
Erasmus,  Copernicus,  Grotius,  Kepler  and 
Rubens. 

No  other  edifice  of  modern  times  is  so  in- 
tensely Grecian,  or  so  highly  elaborated  as  a 
monument  of  art.  A  truly  monumental  fabric 
it  certainly  is,  being  sj  constructed  that  it  may 
be  pronounced  imperishable ;  as  such,  there- 
fore, it  will  hand  down  the  memory  of  its 
founder  and  architect  to  a  distant  posterity, 
which  will  place  the  names  of  Ludwig  of  Ba- 
varia and  Leo  von  Klenze  with  those  of  Peri- 
cles and  Phideas 


Euins  of  Graefenburg  Castle. 
Tearbaoh  is  a  little  town  in  Rhenish  Prussia, 
rituated  on   the   Moselle,  in  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  parts  of  the  valley.     Two  valleys. 


dismantled  it  in  1794.  The  town  thrives  as 
the  depot  of  the  celebrated  vine-growing  slopes 
arounu  it.  It  is  well  worthy  of  a  visit,  if  only 
to  enjoy  the  curious  architecture  that  prevails. 
The  houses  shown  in  our  sketch  give  some  idea 
of  its  quaintness ;  the  curious  circular  tower, 
supported  like  a  pulpit  on  a  single  shaft,  would 
alone  repay  the  time  and  labor  of  a  visit. 


Colossal  Statue  if  Bavaria,  Munich, 
Beyond  the  Ludwig  suburb  of  Bavaria,  at 
the  end  of  a  plain,  stands  a  portico  with  col- 
umns modeled  on  those  of  Egina.  Beneath  it 
are  busts  of  Bavaria's  great  men.  But  the 
great  feature  of  the  spot  is  the  colossal  bronze 
statue  of  Bavaria,  which  stands  before  it.  This 
statue  towers  sixty  feet  above  the  psdcstal, 
which  is  thirty  feet  in  lieight.  A  lion  crouches 
at  the  feet  of  the  figure,  which  holds  aloft  the 


by  a  troop  of  children,  boys  and  girls.  Bare- 
footed, bare  headed,  scantily -clad,  but  with 
cheerful  faces,  they  look  cunningly  at  the 
traveler,  with  an  evident  desire  to  amuse  them- 
selves at  his  expense  in  some  innocent  manner, 
for  the  little  urchins  are  really  good  at  heart. 
They  are  only  actuated  by  a  desire  to  frolic,  and 
laugh,  and  amuse  themselves.  If  the  traveler 
gives  them  a  smile,  or  manifests  the  slisbtest 
disposition  to  talk  with  them,  they  question  him 
and  l)ecome  familiar  at  once  ;  and  if  he  throws 
them  some  fruits  or  nuts,  they  dance  and  shout 
and  scramble  for  them  in  the  most  amusing 
manner.  What  picturesque,  animated  groups 
do  they  form  !  When  the  coach  drives  away 
they  run  after  it  and  follow  it  sometimes  for  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  with  shouts  and  grimaces  and 
antics  of  all  kinds. 

"  Woe  to  the  sleeping  driver  if  his  cart  contains 
any  objects  capable  of   tempting  the  sportive 


MINING    IN    THE    OPEN    AIR,  AT    EAMMELSBURY,  IN    THE    HARTZ. 


watered  by  charming  streams,  open  to  the 
south ;  the  intervening  liills  are  covered  with 
Tineyards  and  woods. 

~  Its  walls,  flanked  by  ancient  towers,  and  the 
ruins  of  Grsefenburg  Castle  frowning  down 
upon  it,  f,'ive  the  place  an  original  aspect. 

Grsefenburg  was  built  in  the  fourteen  cen- 
tury by  the  Countess  Lauretta  de  Salm,  widow 
of  Henry  II.,  Count  of  Sponheim,  with  the 
ransom  whic  i  t  is  strong-minded  lady  extorted 
from  Baldwin,  Archbisho^)  of  Treve.?,  whom  she 
had  long  detained  as  a  prisoner  in  defiance 
even  of  Papal  excommunic  ition.  During  the 
Thirty  Years'  War  Grcefenburg  was  alternately 
occupied  by  Spaniards,  French,  and  Sweiles  ;  in 
1687,  the  French  retook  and  rebui  t  it ;  as  they 
did  again  in  1702.  But  after  once  more  falling 
into  the  enemy's  hands,  it  was  destroyed  by 
Marshal   Pellisle,   1734.     The   rrench    finally 


crown  of  victory.  A  ttaircase  leads  up  to  the 
head  of  the  statue,  wliich  has  seats  arranged 
on  it.  Some  guide-books  pretend  that  it  will 
hold  thirty  persons,  but  a  recent  traveler  says 
that  ten  is  all  that  it  will  hold  with  any  com- 
fort. Air  and  light  are  admitted  to  the  head 
from  an  aperture,  and  the  seats  are  generally 
occupied  at  once  after  the  fatiguing  ascent. 


German  Peasantry. 

A  RECENT  traveler  gives  an  amusing  account 
of  the  rustics  of  the  Rhenish  Provinces.  It 
shows  that  children  are  the  same  "  all  round 
the  world." 

"  When  the  stage-coach  stops  to  change  horses 
or  to  attend  to  commissions  in  any  of  the  great 
Vosges  valleys,  like  Brusche,  Munster,  and  St. 
Marie-aux-Mines,  it  is  immediately  surrounded 


troupe  !  Our  engraving  represents  one  who  has 
fallen  asleep  through  the  effects  of  drink  or  the 
heat ;  liis  bead  is  leaning  over  his  knees,  while 
his  four  oxen  draw  the  vehicle  up  the  hill. 
What  a  god-send  to  the  little  scamps! 

' '  On  the  top  of  the  hay  which  he  throws  loosely 
into  his  wagon,  according;  to  the  Vosges  custom, 
the  countryman  has  placed  a  barrel  of  molasses, 
some  of  which  !s  escaping  through  a  fiss  re.  A 
ttream  of  this  liquid  attracts  the  attention  of 
these  little  epicures,  who  are  watching  the 
langwagm  (this  is  the  name  given  to  tlie  four- 
wheeled  vehicle  which  the  Germans  have  used 
all  over  Europe  from  time  immemorial).  The 
little  rogues  do  not  allow  this  chance  to  escape 
tlicm  ;  some  go  in  search  of  jars  and  pitchers, 
while  others,  more  greedy  or  less  provident, 
allow  their  hands  to  serve  as  receivers.  They 
climb  up  behind  the  wagon,  hastily  provide 


GEKMANT. 


229 


THE     WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


TOWN-HALL    AT    lillEMXN,  FOBMEBLY    Till!    AKCHBISlllll's    TALACK. 


"  The  l)oys,  too,  have 
their  frolics.  Another 
wa'-ton  passes  by,  and  as 
the  heat  is  very  great,  the 
driver  sleeps  soundly. 

"His  broad-brimined  hat 
protects  his  face  from  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  The 
vehicle,  drawn  by  three 
horses,  is  laden  not  alone 
with  hay,  but  with  a  tree 
which  has  fallen  over  to 
one  side.  On  the  hay  lies 
a  cask  of  schnaps.  Perhaps 
my  reader  does  not  know 
what  schnaps  means.  But 
the  little  rascals  are  quite 
familiar  with  this  spirit 
made  of  potatoes,  plums 
or  gTjin.  You  would  not 
find  it  palatable,  but  they 
are  satisfied  with  it,  as  well 
as  their  fathers,  uncles,  and 
all  their  relations.  Our 
engraving  represents  three 
urchins  about  to  make  a 
hole  in  the  cask.  A  fourth 
has  fallen  backward ;  a 
fifth,  thinking  that  his 
wooden  shoes  do  not  wear 
out  fast  enough,  has  seized 
hold  of  the  end  of  the 
tree  and  gets  a  ride  gratis 
Others  are  attempting  to 
aiicend  the  wagon,  but  these 
little  knaves  of  the  moun- 
tain  are  as  belligerent  as 
their  brethren  of  the 
p'ains.  Two  are  struggling 


ttemselvcswith  wuat  tbcy  want,  and  then  jump 
down.  With  what  r.n  .■'.ir  of  c  intentmcnt  does 
one  of  the  little  o  -.os  we  have  represent:id  drink 
the  molasses  from  her  ban  s  !  Another  has 
prudently  gon3  (i;T  by  herself  and  tastes  the 
black  p,mbrosia  by  th  us'injf  half  her  fice  into 
the  pit  her  which  she  holds  so  carefully.  A 
third  sucks  her  thumb  i.  w.,ile  her  comrade  puts 
her  fingers  into  t'.ie  j  irof  molas;es  and  manages 
to  cleanse  t'aen  wi:ho  t  wat  r  or  tow  Is  ! 

"But  the  remain  "er  if  the  pirty  have  not  yet 
had  a  taste  of  th2  tempting  liqui  1.  Two  little 
ones  have  s-icc^ie  le  1  i  i  ra)untia^,  the  cart ;  they 
liave  reached  t'le  bwrol  an  1  are  cli  igin-^  to  each 
Other  for  sippirt.  Thj/  are  not  wasting  their 
time,  as  you  will  pjrcoivs.  A  third,  with  a 
pitcher  in  her  ban's,  ii  endeavoring  to  j  )in 
thorn  ;  but  this  is  ni  eas/  matter,  for  they  are 
unwilling  to  "ivj  up  t'l  ir  adv  ntagsous  place. 
One  lit'le  glutt.m  who  i3  rathor  heavy,  has 
seized  the  enl  of  th !  poll  t)  wh'ch  the  two 
■wheels  are  fnstened  and  which  extends  behind 
the  wagm  ;  butfh';  1  il'ors  in  vain— she  cannot 
Bucceod  in  axeiding  even  though  a  cnmr ide 
lends  her  ass' stance,  doub  les^  i  i  the  selfish  hope 
of  being  rera".mbo'e  '  in  tlie  event  of  ler  obtain- 
ing some  of  the  'clicacy.  B  it  wh  it  compensa- 
tion is  thore  fir  t'l ;  litMe  one  whi  ha;  fallen 
back  ii  he-  attemnt  *.t  cM;nb  into  fie  cirt? 
M'ho  will  appease  her  gri 'f  by  offer  ng  ber  some 
of  the  bootv  ?  T'  pse  .iro  qiiestims  whi  h  we 
cannot  answer.  The  f  11  must  hnve  been  a 
severe  one.  for  the  f  r- n'mother  has  dropped 
her  crutch  to  assist  the  little  one  in  rising. 


lOLLGATK   AT   lUANKTORl. 


GERMANY. 


S81 


THE   CASTLE   OP    HEIDELBERQ. 


282 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


id 

'  ^^^^^I^H 

t^/KSkt^f. 

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PUP^ 

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^^i 

m|HHb' 

HHp^p; 

yPu^3!|5^^^SgBQ 

iflB^^^' 

EElCXIt^•D.\ClI  FALLS. 

together,  and  one  of  the  antagonists 
is  endeavoring  to  obtain  such  a 
hold  tliat  his  adversary  shall  fall 
with  him.  Vain  arc  the  efforts  of 
a  mutual  friend,  who  endeavors  to 
separate  them.  The  mother,  who 
withdraws  her  son  from  tliis  tumult, 
is  decidedly  more  successful. 
With  one  hand  she  drags  him 
away,  while  with  the  other  she  ad- 
ministers wholesome  chastisement. 
It  is  useless  for  him  to  bend  down 
his  head  and  protect  his  face  with 
his  right  arm ;  the  blows  come 
thick  and  fast  as  he  U  led  home- 
ward. He  will  remain  quiet  for  a 
few  hours,  and  then  become  more 
mischievous  than  ever. 

"There  is  a  popular  lej;end  among 
the  Vosses  which  should  serve  as 
a  warning  to  naughty  children. 
It  is  reb-ted  that  in  former  times 
a  very  malicious  i:rchia  gained 
considerable  notoriety  by  his  con- 
stant pranks.  He  thrcvir  stones 
under  the  millwheels,  which  either 
broke  them  or  prevented  tlieir 
turning.  During  the  night  he  raised 
the  floodgates  of  the  canals  for  irri- 
gation and  flooded  the  fields,  and 
opened  tlie  doors  of  the  stables  and 
set  the  cattle  at  liberty.  One  day 
he  amused  himself  by  setting  fire 
to  a  shepherd's  house,  which  was 
thus  reduced  to  ashes.  This  was 
rather  too  much.  'J  he  giant  of  the 
Kideck  s.ized  him,  carried  him  to 
the  mountain,  and  called  his 
mothei,  who  was  a  skillful  ma- 
gician. Khe  left  her  iaboratory  and 
listened  to  the  accusation.  Vainly 
did  the  little  offender  weep,  scream 
struggle  r.nd  make  promises  for  the 
future.  '  You  shall  be  transformed 
into  an  owl,'  said  the  sorceress,  as 
she  touclied  him  with  her  wand. 
Immediately  he  besan  to  diminish 
in  size,  and  gray  feathers  covered 


him,  while  a  yellow  circle  formed  around  his 
eyes.  Now,  instead  of  vagabondizing  through 
the  streets,  he  seeks  shelter  among  ruins  and 
flies  about  in  the  darkness.  He  no  longer  laughs, 
no  longer  sings,  hut  hoots  monotonously,  sad- 
dening all  who  hear  him.  For  the  preservation 
of  tliis  legend,  and  that  it  might  become  familiar 
in  every  cabin,  the  Alsatian  poet,  Steuben,  has 
put  it  into  verse.  But  the  little  scamps  for 
whose  benefit  it  was  invented  are  not  to  be  in- 
timidated by  the  old  tradition,  but  are  as  noisy 
and  turbulent  as  before. 

"  But  what  has  happened  ?  Why  have  those 
little  maidens  whom  we  saw  in  the  midst  of  their 
sport  suddenly  become  so  grave  ?  Have  they  all 
at  once  changed  their  nature  ?  Good  heavens, 
no !  but  the  little  girls  have  become  little  wo- 
men ;  they  are  fond  of  dress,  and  as  this  day  is 
Sunday,  they  are  in  their  best  clothes.  They 
have  caps,  as  you  see ;  dresses  with  sleeves, 
capes  around  their  necks,  aprons,  bows  of  rib- 
bons, and  even  the  rare  luxury  of  shoes  and 
stockings !  They  therefore  are  cautious  in  every 
movement,  lest  their  tine  clothes  should  suffer. 
To  look  at  them  now,  with  their  demure  faces, 


TOHB  OF  THE  THREE   KINGS,  A.T  COLOaNIi 


THE  STATJBBACH,  Oa   DUST  FALL. 

would  one  ever  believe  them  to  bo 
the  little  romps  who  were  yesterday 
scrambling  into  the  cart  without 
the  least  fear  of  tearing  or  soiling 
their  dresses  ?  They  appear  now  to 
be  holding  a  serious  consultation 
or  deliberating  about  some  matter 
of  importance !  Their  gravity, 
however,  will  not  be  permanent ; 
to-morrow  they  will  be  as  they  were 
yesterday. 

But  the  time  is  fast  approaching 
when  they  must  work  in  the  field 
with  their  sisters.  Those  repre- 
sented in  our  engraving  are  thirteen 
or  fourteen  years  of  age ;  they  go 
to  their  work  in  the  morning,  but 
return  when  the  heat  becomes  too 
powerful.  They  are  now  taking  a 
little  rest,  'ihey  wear  a  colored 
bodice,  a  light  petticoat  and  shoes, 
to  prevent  their  feet  being  lacerated 
by  the  stones  Following  the  cus- 
tom of  the  Alsatian  women  who 
work  in  the  fields,  they  have  shel- 
tered their  heads  by  large  hats  of 
homemake,  or  those  cast  off  by  fine 
ladies.  They  are  very  slender  for 
young  girls,  but  would  be  still 
more  so  if  they  inhabited  the 
mountainous  regions,  where  pro- 
visions are  coarse  and  scanty. 
When  the  young  girls  courtesy  in 
passing,  or  salute  you  with  a  timid 
air,  you  stop  almost  involuntarily 
to  contemplate  their  delicate  fea- 
tures, their  beautiful  fair  hair 
floating  over  their  shoulders,  their 
slender  waists,  their  bare  limbs  and 
their  tattered  dres.>-:es.  They  show 
unmistakable  signs  of  poverty,  but 
in  its  least  sad  and  repulsive  aspect ; 
and  yet  you  cannot  avoid  a  feeling 
of  pity  on  reflecting  that  their  lives 
are  one  scene  of  privati<n.  Had 
they  only  wholesome  nourishment, 
now,  on  the  verge  of  womanhood, 
they  would  become  lively,  joyotis. 


GEBMANI. 


and  charming.  That  languid  air  would  then 
give  place  to  strength  and  freshness  and 
dazzling  beauty.  But  their  meagre  fare  can- 
not be  changed ;  they  will  continue  to  subsist 
upon  boiled  potatoes  alone,  and   a  few  years 


A  View  in  Hildesheim. 

HiLDESHEiM  is  a  towu  of  Prussia,  in  the 
Province  of  Hanover,  and  has  a  population  of 
about  25,000.     The  construction  of  the  town 


see;  and  it  continues  to  be  the  seat  of  • 
Roman  Catholic  bishop.  The  cathedral  con- 
tains a  treasury  rich  in  antique  church  plate, 
and  many  famous  reUcs  and  works  of  art.  It« 
bronze  doors,  made  in  1015,  by  order  of  Bishop 


henot  all  the  promise  and  the  dawning 
beaa^  in  those  young  faces  will  have  van- 
ished ;  the  tender  plants  are  already  faded, 
and  Nature,  constantly  thwarted  by  their  lowly 
condition,  has  not  been  able  to  make  good 
ber  riromises. 


A   VIEW   IN   niLDESHEIM,  PRUSSIA. 

is  very  irregular,  but  the  crooked  streets  are 
exceedingly  quaint,  and  vestiges  of  remote  an- 
tiquity abound  in  every  direction,  especially 
in  the  churches,  many  of  which  are  Roman 
Catholic,  owing  to  the  mediaeval  celebrity  of 


Bernwald,  represent  in  their  basso-relievos  Vb» 
first  and  the  second  Adam. 

Our  illustration  represents  one  of  the  an- 
cient fountains  with  its  pillared  warrior,  not 
ill-placed,  fo"   the   bnilding  behind,  with  its 


the   place  as  the  capital  of  a  great  episcopal  '  lancet  windows  and  its  Oriental  turrets, 


asi 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


■■l-r=.S-rs^9^i./.s;s/Ml.^S 


BARES   ON  THE   IIANTBE. 


•rected  in  the  fourteenth  century  by  the  once 
mighty  religious  military  Order,  the  Templars, 
■whose  fall  is  one  of  the  vexed  questions  of 
history. 

The  city  is  surrounded  by  ramparts  which, 
in  the  long  years  of  peace,  had  become,  like 
other  boulevards,  favorite  promenades.  For 
its  size,  it  has  a  great  number  of  churches, 
schools,  hospitals  and  asylums,  thus  showing 
the  religious  and  benevolent  spirit  of  its 
people.  >-<•>-. — — — — 

The  Great  Tun  of  Heidelberg;. 
In  a  large  under-room,  in  the  castle  or  palace 
of  the  Princes  Palatine  of  the  llhiue  at  Heidel- 
berg, the  eccentric  traveler,  Thomas  Coryat, 
found  this  vast  vessel,  in  its  original  form,  of 
which  he  has  given  a  picture  representing  him- 
self as  perched  on  its  top,  with  a  glass  of  its 
contents  iu  his  hands.  To  him  it  appeared  the 
greatest  wonder  he  had  seen  iu  his  travels.  Its 
•onstruction  was  begun  in  the  year  1589,  and 
finished  in  1591,  one  Michael  Warner  being  the 
principal  fabricator.  It  was  composed  of  beams 
twenty-eeveu  feet  long,  and  had  a  diameter  of 


eighteen  feet.  The  iron  hooj)iug  was  eleven 
thousand  pounds  iu  weight.  The  cost  was 
eleven  score  and  eighteen  pounds  sterling.  It 
could  hold  one  hundred  and  thirty -two  fuders 
of  wine,  a  fuder  being  equal  to  four  English 
hogsheads,  and  the  value  of  the  Rhenish  con- 
tained in  it,  when  Coryat  visited  Heidelberg 
(1608),  was  close  upon  two  thousand  pounds. 

"  When  the  cellarer,"  says  Coryat,  "draweth 
wine  out  of  the  vessel,  he  ascendeth  two  several 
degrees  of  wooden  stairs  made  iu  the  form  of  a 
ladder,  and  so  goeth  up  to  the  top  ;  about  the 
middle  whereof  there  is  a  bunghole  or  venting 
oriiice,  into  the  which  he  conveyeth  a  pretty 
instrument  of  some  foot  and  a  half  long,  made 
in  the  form  of  a  spout,  wherewith  he  draweth 
up  the  wine  and  so  poureth  it  after  a  pretty 
maimer  into  a  glass." 

Murray's  "  Handbook  of  the  Bhine  "  repre- 
sents the  present  tun  as  made  in  1751,  as  thirty- 
six  feet  long,  and  twenty-four  feet  in  height, 
and  as  capable  of  containing  eight  hundred 
hogsheads,  or  two  hundred  and  eighty-three 
thousand  two  hundred  bottles.  It  has  been 
disused  since  1769. 


Bitumen  Miners  of  Bechelbmniii 

Nkak  V\'oerth,  so  famous  as  the  battlefield 
where  France  first  gave  way  before  the  steady 
skill,  discipline  and  valor  of  Germany,  is  the 
bitumen  mine  of  Bechelbrunn.  The  mine  was 
discovered  by  means  of  a  spring  whose  bitnmin- 
ous  waters  won  it  the  name  of  Bechelbrunn,  ot 
Pitch  Spring.  Petroleum  was  found  here  and 
\ised  before  1498,  and  the  inhabitiiuts  lit  up 
their  cabins  and  lubricated  their  wheels  with. 
it  before  Columbus  discovered  America. 

The  bitumiuous  sand  next  became  on  object 
for  industry,  and  finally  the  mines  were  begun. 
There  are  two  distinct  group  of  mines,  one 
centring  around  the  Salome  Well,  the  other 
around  the  Madeleine  and  Joseph  Wells.  As 
the  veins  sometimes  throw  out  a  highly  inflam- 
mable gas,  this,  with  the  danger  from  water, 
renders  the  work  of  the  forty  miners  perilous 
indeed.  And  our  illustration  shows  how  the 
solid  German  qualities  prepare  the  miners  for 
their  work.  They  never  descend  without  paus. 
iug  to  give  a  few  moments  to  reflection  and 
prayer.    Honest,  sincere,  pious  and  laborious^ 


A  FISIUKQ   TILLAOX  AT  ATATBUi,  ON  THB  DAMUBX. 


GfiBMANT. 


a» 


they  are  a  worthy  set  of  men  indeed.  Half  of 
them  are  employed  in  the  interior,  while  the 
rest  are  without ;  and  they  alternate  their 
labors. 

The  produce  of  these  mines  has  amounted  to 
eight  hundred  quintals  a  year,  the  bituminous 
Band  producing  nearly  two  per  cent,  of  oil. 

When  our  oil  wells  cease  their  immense  yield, 

we  shall  be  compelled  to  resort  to  the  system  of 

mines,  and  extract  the  sand  saturated  with  the 

petroleum. 

>  I  ♦  >  < 

Tomb  of  the  Three  Zings,  Cologne. 

OuK  readers  have  often  met  referonces  to  the 
Three  Kiugs  of  Cologne,  but  it  mu.st  not  be 
inferred  that  these  three  everruled  in  that  city. 
The  cathedral  of  Cologne  claims  to  possess  the 
relics  of  the  Three  Wise  Men  or  Kings  of  the 
East,  who  were  led  by  a  star  to  the  crib  at 
Bethlehem. 

The  shrine  of  the  Three  Kings  of  Cologne  is 
in  a  small  marble  chapel,  in  the  Ionic  style, 
behind  the  high  altar.  These  kings,  as  tradi- 
tion reports,  were  the  Magi  who  came  from  the 
East  to  bring  presents  to  the  infant  Saviour. 
The  Emperor  Frederic  Barbarossa  brought  their 
bones  from  Milan,  after  taking  that  city  by 
storm  in  1170.  They  are  placed  in  a  case  of 
Bolid  silver.  The  skulls,  which  are  the  only 
parts  that  remain,  were  once  crowned  with 
golden  diadems,  enriched  with  jewels.  Each 
BkuU  is  inscribed  with  a  name  written  in  rubies 
— Gaspar,  Melchior,  and  Balthazar.  The  shrine 
of  the  Three  Kings  of  Cologne  was  once  the 
most  famous  in  Christendom,  and  was  profusely  | 
adorned  with  precious  stones.  In  1794  these  i 
relics  were  carried  off  by  the  Chapter  to  Aren-  j 
berg,  in  Westphalia,  to  prevent  their  seizure  by 
the  French.  They  were  brought  back  in  1804, 
but  in  the  meantime  some  of  the  precious 
stones  were  taken  away  ;  imitations  in  paste  or 
glass  have  been  substituted,  and  the  crowns  of 
the  Three  Kings  are  now  of  silver  gilt.  There 
still  remains  a  display  of  stones,  gems,  cameos, 
and  enamel-work  sufficient  to  show  the  former 
richness  of  the  shrine. 


Baden-Baden, 
This  celebfated  watering-place  and  resort  of 
the  fashion  of  Europe,  is  situated  in  the  Grand 
Duchy  of  Baden,  in  a  valley  of  the  Schwarz- 
wald,  eighteen  miles  from  Carlsruhe,  and  has  a 
regular  population  of  six  thousand.  In  Sum- 
mer, however,  it  averages  nearly  thirty-five 
thousand  visitors,  who  go  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  the  waters,  which  are  very  medicinal, 
flirting  and  gambling.  Thither  invalids  resort 
to  get  health,  portionless  girls  to  catch  hus 
bands,  while  younger  sons  and  adventurers  do 
their  best  to  catch  heiresses.  It  is  also  a  famous 
place  for  games  of  hazard,  being  frequented  by 
all  the  most  noted  and  fashionable  gamblers  on 
the  continent ;  this,  however,  has  been  much 
modified  of  late,  but  still  the  evil  exists  to  a 
»ery  large  extent.  This  will  always  be  the  case 
where  a  miscellaneous  crowd  of  idlers  collect 
for  a  given  period  to  while  away  the  time,  for 
dissipation  is  the  invariable  result  of  idleness. 
The  immense  sums  which  change  hands  during 
a  fashionable  season  is  almost  incredible  ;  but 
ft  can  be  readily  imagined,  when  it  is  borne  in 
^aiod  that  in  1845  there  were  oyer  thirty-four  * 


236 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


arONB  ON  THE  riELD  OF  LUTZEN,  WHEUE  GUSTAVUS   ADOLPHUS  FELL. 


thousand  visitors,  comprising  tlic  wealth,  fash- 
Ion,  and  vice  of  England,  France,  Russia,  Gcr- 
inany  and  Italy,  with  a  moderate  sprinkle  of 
onr  own  Kepublic.  According  to  a  statement 
In  a  Vienna  journal,  there  wore  about  five 
thousand  English,  four  thousand  French,  eight 
hundred  Russians,  the  balance  being  made  up 
of  the  other  nations  of  the  world.  One  great 
evil  of  Baden-Baden  is,  that  it  is  there  consid- 
ered en  regie  for  ladies  to  gamble,  and  many  a 
fair  dame  owes  her  ruin  to  the  treacherous 
cards. 

The  town  is  situated  about  six  miles  from 
the  Rhine,  and  is  connected  by  a  branch  with 
the  railway  from  Mannheim  to  Basic.  On  the 
top  of  the  bill  there  are  th:;  ruins  cf  r.n  ancient 
eastle,  which  dates  from  the  tenth  or  eleventh 
century.  There  is  also  a  new  castle,  with  sub- 
terranean vaults,  a  hall  cf  antiquities,  a  pump- 
room  over  the  c'lief  spring,  the  Conversation 
House,  as  it  is  calle  1,  and  other  e  lificcs,  for  the 
convenience  of  visitor.-^.  The  v^'ater,  whieh  is 
C»mp3sed  of  saline  ingredient.!,  iron  and  free 


carbonic  acid,  and  va- 
ries in  temperature  from 
117  to  154  Fahrenheit, 
is  conveyed  in  pipes  to 
numerous  hotels,  in 
whicli  baths  are  fitted 
up.  July  and  August 
are  the  most  fashionable 
montlis  ;  but  there  are 
alwiys  visitors  arriving 
as  early  as  May,  and 
many  remain  as  late  as 
October.  Indeed,  those 
w'lio  visit  it  merely  for 
sanitary  motives  gene- 
rally prefer  those  seasons 
of  the  year. 

Baden-Baden  is 
allowed  by  tourists  to 
be  the  most  beautifully 
situated  of  all  the  Ger- 
man watering-places. 
Its  ancient  name  was  Civitas  Anrelia  Aquenas. 
It  is  called  Baden-Baden  to  distinguish  it  from 
other  towns  of  the  same  name  in  Germany. 


THE  KLAPrEBSTEIN — AS  OLD   PTTNISDMENT. 


Tho  Iron  Hand  and  Arm  of  Goetzvon 
Berlicliengen. 

Go",TZ  VON  Berlichexgen  was  a  German  knight 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  who  assumed  rather 
a  Quixotic  career  of  redressing  all  wrongs.  His 
manner  of  doing  so  was  so  anomalous,  that 
higher  authorities  sometimes  interfered ;  for 
Goetz  did  not  adopt  the  modern  plan  of  arrest- 
in"!;  a  culprit,  and  handing  him  over  to  the  judi- 
cial authorities.  His  way  was  prompt.  In  some 
of  our  misgoverned  cities,  such  a 
ma-i  miiht  do  good.  He  would  take 
a  do3en  robbers  of  tlie  public  trea- 
sury, and  confine  them  on  short 
rations  till  they  disgorged,  and  ap- 
parently caretl  little  for  any  writ 
in  the  nature  of  a  habeas  corpus 

Goethe  —  perhaps 
be:ause  his  name  re- 
se  nbled  the  knight's 
— modifies  history  so 
as  to  mike  him  a 
Bayard  of  chivalry, 
but  recorls  show  that 
OJr  German  ruler 
made  the  thing  pay. 
In  the  castb  of 
Jaxthausen,  his  des- 
cendants still  show 
an  iron  hand  and 
arm  wliich  this  con- 
stant fighter  wore,  for 
sixty  years,  to  re- 
place a  right  hand 
lost  in  besieging 
Landshut.  It  is  a 
remarkable  piece  of 
work,  as  our  sketches 
show.  It  was  made 
by  an  armorer  of 
OlnhaMson  a  vi'.l  ige 
near  the  castle,  and 
w.is  elaborately  de- 
scribed in  an  elegant 
volume  published  in 
181G.  and  dedicated 


CHAELEMAGNE   IN    HIS  TOMB. 

to  three  emperors.  By  springs  like  those  in  a 
gunlock,  each  finger,  by  pressing  a  knob, 
opened  straight ;  but,  without  this,  it  grasped 
firmly  anything  annmd  wh-.ch  the  fingers  bent 
The  thumb  and  wrists  had  peculiar  works  of 
their  own. 


THIt   "JUNGFERN   KCHB." 


GEKMANY. 


237 


THE  HOllN   OF    OLDE-NBUBG. 

If  the  number  of  movements  T"as  not 
^eat,  the  grasp  on  rein  or  aword  Wr>a  firm  ; 
end  the  hand  was  so  well  made  that  it 
enabled  the  fighting  knight  to  caiiy  on,  for 
over  half  a  century,  the  strange  career  to 
which  he  piously  believed  himself  especially 
ouUed  by  the  Almighty — a  sort  of  vigi- 
lance committee  of  one. 


are  beginning  tj  t)e  de- 
serted by  their  scaly 
denizens.  Herrings  no 
longer  ascenJ  tlie  Hud- 
son, as  of  old.  The 
country  is  dotted  with 
salmon-falls,  wiiere  no 
salmon  are  ever  seen. 
The  luscious  white  fish 
is  vanishing  from  our 
upper  lakes.  A  new 
system  of  legislation  is 
requisite  to  protect  fish, 
especially  in  breeding- 
seasons,  applying  to  them 
the  laws  njw  applicable 
to  oysters  al;/ne.  The 
sale  of  fresh  fish  during 
Summer  might  be  safely 
and  profitably  enjoined, 
as  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  it  is  then 
to  many,  esp3cially  of 
the  female  sex,  a  very 
unsafe  diet. 

o 

Hemp-Steeping 

ON 

The  Biver  Bhine. 

The  Rhineland  is  mt 
a  mere  park  for  tourists. 
It  is  a  land  of  industry.  Ai 
the  cars  wheel  you  along  from 
Kehl  to  Appenweir,  you  notice 
numbers  of  little  ponds  walled  in  by  rude  bar- 
riers of  stone  ;  a  nearer  approach  shows  them 
teemmg  with   fish,   ani    evjn   from    the    car 


Salmon-Watclimg  on  the  Ehine, 

Omt  of  the  results  of  modern  improve- 
inents  in  travel  is  the  diffusion  of  food  and 
the  more  general  distribution  of  articles 
suited  for  the  nourishment  of  mankind. 
Formerly  districts,  scantily  peopled, 
Bwarmed  with  bird,  fish,  and  animal  far 
beyond  the  wants  of  the  population,  but 
which  could  not  be  taken  to  a  market 
profitably,  because  there  were  no  con- 
T'eyances  capable  of  delivering  them  fresh. 
Then  these  things  were  sought  for  sport, 
or  as  a  delicacy,  by  the  few  who  could 
steal  away  from  the  busy  centres  for  a 
few  days'  life  in  the  mountain  or  moor. 
Now  every  article  of  food  becomes  an 
article  of  commerce,  and  we  are  menaced 
with  an  absolute  destruction  of  animal 
life. 

Our  engraving  shows  a  salmon-watcher's 
tower  on  the  Rhine,  an  excellent  salmon- 
stream,  abounding  in  fishing-stations 
which  do  a  very  lucrative  business.  But, 
as  we  have  said,  they  menace  to  destroy 
tneir  own  trade.  At  certain  seasons  the 
watcher  can  signal  and  count  every  fish 
that  passes  in  the  water  below  him,  and 
eyery  fish  passing  can  be  caught  by  those 
oii'the  look-out.  The  sketch  of  a  salmon- 
Watcher's  tower  on  the  great  German  rivd 
will  interest  readers  who  have  never  seen 
Ihat  beautiful  stream. 

la  this  country  our  once-teeming  waters 


A  SAXON   LANTEBN. 


CTIKIOUi  OAK   TREE. 

you  mark  t!ie  wagtails  ever  in  motion.  But  il 
late  in  the  year  you  happen  to  pass,  it  seems  a 
very  home  of  pestilence.  These  are  the  poolfi 
of  the  hemp  cultivators.  Hemp  {CannaMi 
Saliva),  a  plant  of  the  same  family  as  thp 
nettle  and  the  Cannahk  Indica,  or  hasheesh 
came  originally  from  Persia,  and  soon 
became  cultivated  in  Europe,  far  and 
wide,  as  the  best  of  the  plants  of  coarsei 
fibre  for  rope  and  cordwork.  Hemp,  left 
to  itself,  grows  tall  and  stout,  with  manj 
branches.  In  cultivation  it  is  sown  broad 
cast  iH)  as  to  crowd  it  and  prevent  branch 
ing.  When  the  hemp  reaches  its  f  .1 
growth,  it  is  cut  and  gathered  in  bundles, 
in  order  to  undergo  in  these  ponds  tho 
steeping,  which  produces  a  fermentation 
leading  to  tho  dissolution  of  the  vegetnblo 
glue  that  holih  the  fibre,  also  deconjposi- 
tion  of  the  wo'»dy  matter,  and  the  reienci 
of  the  fibre.  The  bundles  are  kepi  under 
water  by  piling  stones  on  them,  and  after 
twenty-four  hours,  tho  riyng  bubbles  and 
the  emission  of  offensive  gas  show  that 
Nature  has  begun  her  chemical  labors. 
When  the  proper  moment  arrives,  the 
villagers  gather,  each  bearing  a  etool : 
the  bundles  arc  tnken  up,  dried,  and  a 
fire  kindled,  aiouud  which  they  sit  and 
begin  to  separate  the  fibre  by  hand  It  is 
like  a  corn-husking,  merriment  and  labor 
combining  with  some  '•sparking,"  nn- 
doubtedly.  This  hand-dreseed  hemp  of 
the  Rhine  commands  a  high  price ;  Ae 
coarser  kinds  are  beaten  with  a  fiat  wooden 
beetle,  and  produce  an  inferior  article. 

The  principal  hemp-producing  countries 
are  Russia,  Italy  Holland,  Turkey,  the 
East  Indies,  and  the  United  States.  With 
US  the  cultivation  of  heaap  datos  back  to 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


SCHILLEB  S  nOUSE,  AT  WEIHAB. 


famous  is  that  concerning  tlie  mill.  The  view 
from  the  gardens  was  marred  gieatly  by  an  old 
mill.  The  king  resolved  to  buy  and  demolish, 
it ;  but,  to  his  annoyance,  the  miller  ol  jected. 
It  had  been  his  father's,  and  nis  grandfather's, 
and  he  wished  to  die  as  they  had  done — owner 
of  the  mill.  So  he  refused  point  blank  to  sell. 
The  king  raised  his  offer,  and  as  this  failed,  his 
temper  rose.  He  threatened  to  take  it  without 
paying.  At  this  the  miller  drew  up.  "  What ! 
take  my  mill!  You  might  if  there  were  no 
courts  of  justice  in  Berlin."  This  settled  it. 
The  king  laughed  to  think  that  in  his  reiga 
there  was  such  confidence  in  the  integrity  of  th& 
judiciary,  and,  turning  to  his  friends,  h» 
said: 

"  We  must  change  our  plana.  KeighDor,  keep 
your  own ;  your  answer  is  a  good  one." 

Historians  have  endeavored  to  give  the  anec- 
dote authenticity ;  but,  perhaps,  the  oest  cor- 
roboration is  in  the  fact  that  the  late  King  of 
Prussia,  finding  the  mill  in  a  state  of  decay,  and 
the  miller's  descendants  poor,  rebuilt  it  at  hia 
own  expense,  and  secured  it  to  them. 


1629 ;  but  more  valuable  crops  have  attracted 
the  attention  of  our  people;  and  where  raisel, 
the  object  is  frequently  not  the  fibre  but  the 
i,  which  gives  a  valuable  oil. 


The  Mill  of  Sans-Souci,  Prussia, 
Sans-Sotjoi  was  the  favorite  residence  of  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  where  at  one  time  gathered 
around  him  the  most  brilliant  literary  cderie  in 
Europe,  till  quarrels  and  petty  jealousies,  from 
which  even  the  heroes  of  war  and  letters  are  not 
exempt,  broke  up  the  circle. 

All  was  here  simplicity  itself.  The  king  lived 
with  no  state  whatever.  At  night  a  corporal 
and  four  grenadiers  came  to  guard  it  till  day- 
break, and  this  was  all  the  sign  of  pomp  to  be 
seen.  One  day  a  stranger  whom  the  king  had 
invited  arrived  at  Sans-Souci,  entered,  but  foimd 
nobody — so  he  knocked  at  a  door.  A  little  man 
dressed  in  blue  quietly  opened  it^Frederick 
himself.  On  another  occasion  the  king,  pre- 
serving his  incognito,  showed  a  tourist  over  the 
grounds  of  Sans-Souci,  and  received  an  offer  of 
money  from  the  delighteJ  traveler. 

Of  all  the  .anecdotes  of  the  place,  the  most 


THE  FESTIVAL  OF  THE  TIIEEE  KINGS,  IN  THE  HARTZ  MOUNTAINS. 


A  MARIlIAaE  IN  THCRINOIA. 


Mining  in  the  Open  Air,  at  Eammelsnergv 
in  the  Hartz. 

Mining  is  generally  associated  in  our  ihinda 
with  subterranean  working,  with  shafts  or  tun- 
nels Slink  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  running 
at  times  even  under  the  restless  roaring  ocean, 
as  in  the  famed  Botall.ich  mine  in  Cornwall, 
where  the  miners  at  their  work  hear  the  raging, 
tempest  above  them,  as  it  tosses  some  ship  as  • 
toy. 

Mines  for  metals  are  generally  worked  in 
steps,  as  the  lodes  usually  have  a  high  inclina- 
tion to  the  horizon,  and  sometimes  are  even 
vertical.  According  to  the  point  struck,  these 
steps  are  either  direct  or  descending,  cr  else  re- 
verse, or  ascending.  In  either  caee  the  pxcava 
tions  are  disposed  in  steps,  like afli;ht of  st^rs. 
The  direct  or  descending  steps  are  most  profit- 
able, as  they  enable  the  miner  to  make  with 
ease  a  preliminary  sorting  of  the  ore  and  rock 
and  collect  the  metallic  dust.  Occasionally, 
though  on  rare  occasions,  superflcial   deposii! 


GETIMATTT. 


239 


occur  like  those  of  nlluvial  ores  w'h\ch  spread 
out  at  the  surface  in  gigantic  out-crops,  like  (lie 
Iron  ore  of  Elba,  or  tiie  cjpi)er-beds  of  lUin- 
melsberg,  in  the  Hartz  Mountains,  shown  in 
our  illustration.  Here  minin:^  is  robbet!  of  its 
gloom,  of  its  terrible  fire-damp  and  explosions, 
and  of  danger  from  fire.  The  miner  works  in  the 
open  air,  under  the  glad  sky.  isith  tlie  voices  of 
nature  to  cheer  him  on,  and  his  humble  home 
'n  sight,  end  not  in  a  subterranean  gloom. 


the  great  national  museum,  -nhere  many  relics 
of  early  Scandinavian  art  arc  preserved.  These, 
with  the  jewels,  mini  itures  and  portraits,  are  all 
arranged  in  chronolojiic  il  order. 

Among  the  curiosities  here  preserved  is  the 
celebrated  Horn  of  Ol  lenborg,  which  our  readers 
will  perceive  to  be  a  most  elaborate  piece  of 
work'nanship.  It  was  executed  about  1455  by 
Daniel  Aretaens,  a  native  of  Corvey,  in  West- 
phalia, hy  commaad  of  Christian  I.  of  Denmark, 


enriched  with  ornamentation  in  green  and  tIo 
let  enamel,  representing  scenes  of  feudal  domo^ 
tic  life  at  the  time. 

Student  Life  at  Heidelberg. 

The  mode  of  life  of  the  student  varies  with 

his  condition.     Some  live  in  style,  having  fine 

suites  of  apartments,  and  keeping  open  house 

from  one  year's  end  to  another.    Some  Jive  in 


As  wiii  DC  seen,  they  have  cut  away  so  much 
of  the  mount  lin-sido,  and  sent  it  whirling  down 
the  long  incline,  that  the  superincumbent  rock 
lies  like  a  c-ip  on  (h3  civity. 


The  Hom  ot  Oldenborg. 
The  Castle  of  Rosenborij;,  at  Copenhagen — a 
palace  of  the  Danish  kings — is  now  in  reality 


THE  MILL  OF  SANS-SOUCI,  PRUSSIA. 

who  intended  it  as  a  votive  offering  at  the  shrine 
of  the  Three  Wise  Men,  or,  as  they  are  generally 
called,  "  The  Three  Kings  of  Cologne." 

Christian  had  been  made  mediator  between 
the  Archbi  hop  of  Cologne  and  his  chapter,  but 
failing  to  restore  peace  between  prelate  and 
canons,  made  no  offering.  And  so  the  horn  re- 
mained as  an  heirloom.  It  is  an  exquisite 
specimen  of  the  goldsmith's  art  of  silver  gilt, 


attics,  paying  about  two  dollars  per  month  fiJT 
their  rooms,  where  they  eat,  sleep  and  studjT- 
But  the  most  usual  plan  is  for  a  number  of  pta 
dents  to  club  together  and  rent  several  apart- 
ments in  the  same  house,  with  a  "  parlor  "  f'^r 
the  use  of  the  entire  party  ;  here  they  congre- 
gate, keep  late  hours,  smoke,  drink,  sing  songs, 
and  do  all  in  their  power  to  "make  night  hide- 
ous."    Some  of  their  songs,  however,  are  really 


240 


THE    WOKLDS    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


beautiful.  In  the  early  part  of  the  night,  before 
the  fumes  of  the  lager  have  affecteii  their  brains, 
they  sometimes  sing  touching  melodies,  which 
fl,re  charming  to  listen  to. 

The  corps-students  dress  usually  in  high-top 
6oot«,  Bhort  coats,  and  small,  round,  colored 
caps.  They  wear  badges  across  the  breast  to 
denote  the  corps  to  which  they  belong.  Every 
time  a  student  "fights  a  duel,"  two  swords, 
cros.sed.  are  stamped  u;)on  his  badge.  Fabricius, 
the  captain  of  tiie  ' '  Sch waben ' '  corps,  who  was 
considered  the  best  duelist  at  the  university, 
had  one  hundred  stamps  upon  the  badge  which  he 
wore  daily. 

The  manner  in  whicli  the  duels  are  conducted 
fs  singular.  They  are  often  gotten  up  by  the 
dltfercnt  corps  as  trials  of  slcill,  but  more 
commonly  proceed  from  some  real  or  imagined 
insult.  , m^K 

The  Staubbach,  or  Dust  Pall. 

The  famous  Staubbach  is  one  of  the  loftiest 
waterfalls  in  Europe,  measuring  between  eight 
hundred  and  nine  hundred  feet  in  height.  We 
suppose  the  term  cataract  might  be  applied  to  it; 
bat  the  stream  is  so  thin  anl  broken  in  its  de- 
scent, that  it  has  acquired  the  name  of  "Dust 
Fall,"  and  is  altogether  a  very  twiddling,  misty 
business.  Byron,  however,  compared  it  to  the 
"  tail  of  a  white  horse  streaming  in  the  wind," 
suddenly  enlarging  the  timile  by  adding,  "such 
as  it  might  be  conceived  would  be  that  of  the 
pale  horse  on  which  Death  is  mounted,  in  the 
Apocalypse." 

Wordsworth  has  called  it  a  "sky-born"  water- 
Sill  ;  and,  indeed,  when  the  clouds  rest  upon  the 
mountains  and    cover  the  S'jot  from  which  it 


■^nc. 


TARGET-MAUKEK    ANNOUNCINO    A   GOOD    SHOT. 

leaps,  it  seems  to  come  from  the  skies.  In 
Winter  this  constantly  falling  spray  makes  a 
pyramid  of  ice,  which  is  said  to  accumulate 
sometimes  to  the  height  of  three  or  four  hundred 
feet. 


The  Klapperstein— An  Old  Punishment. 

At  Mulhouse,  one  of  the  Alsatian  towns,  is  a 
strange  monument  which  we  engrave,  hung  by 
a  chain  beneath  the  window  of  the  City  Hall, 
facing  the  street  of  William  Tell,  and  bearing  a 
German  inscription.  It  was  a  punishment  for 
scolds,  and,  until  th3  cljse  of  the  last  century, 
any  woman  convicted  of  the  crime  had  to  carry 
it  around  her  neck  from  the  public  square  to 
one  of  thD  city  gates,  an  1  then,  unless  there  was 


another  culprit  to  relieve  her,  back  agun, 
kneeling  at  the  church-door  to  ask  pardon.  A 
large  label  on  the  back  gave  the  name  and 
offense  of  the  woman  thus  disgraced. 

llie  word  Klapperstein  means  Stone  of  Cack- 
lers,  or  Evil  Tongues.  1  he  inscription  may  be 
translated  thus  : 

"  I  am  called  the  ScuM'S  ntone, 
Vi'eU  known  to  evil  tongues ; 
Whoever  delights  in  quarrel  and  dispute 
Kast  wear  me  through  the  city." 

The  Eeichenbach  Palls. 

In  the  foreground,  across  the  flat  valley,  are 
the  falls  of  the  Reichenbach.  In  staying  two  or 
three  days  in  the  valley,  do  not  stop  at  this 
latter  place  ;  the  view  irom  it  is  much  less  strik- 
ing than  that  from  Meyringen. 

We  walked  to  the  falls  after  strolling  about 
the  village.  All  the  best  points  of  appro.ich 
have  been  taken  possession  of  by  chalets,  the 
occupiers  of  which  make  you  pay  for  the  view. 
That  which  commands  the  principal  fall  is 
skirted  by  a  boarding  so  high  and  close  that  the 
tourist  is  compelled  to  pay  the  fee  or  lose  the 
sight.  Ton  hear  the  roar  of  the  cascade,  and 
go  up  some  steps  into  a  house,  the  back  windows 
of  which  open  right  upon  it.  Generally  they 
are  closed  by  shutters,  which  arc  not  thrown 
back  till  the  spectator  is  placed  in  his  propel 
spot  Then  the  attendant  flings  them  wide 
open,  and  you  look.  The  suddenness  of  this 
view  does  perhaps  add  to  its  effect ;  but  it  is  not 
pleasant  to  force  your  way  to  any  grand  natural 
sights  through  fees  and  flunkeyism.  It  is  a 
good  thing  to  climb,  or  wait,  or  in  any  way  work 
hard  for  what  you  enjoy ;  but  this  fashion  of 


PAYING    THK   WORKMEN. 


GERMANY. 


241 


making  a  peep-show  of  the  sublime,  at  sixpence 
a  head,  is  offensive.  ITiey  do  not  actually  make 
a  charge  in  this  particular  chalet,  but  point 
ou'.  a  book  of  fees  on  a  table  close  by  the  open 
window.  Tliis  plan  is  objectionable-,  nor  can 
anything,  in  tlie  world  of  small  financial  irrita- 
tion, he  more  provoking  than  "  We  will  leave  it 
to  you,  sir. "  These  people  gave  us  the  book,  a 
pen,  and  a  smile. 

The  fall  is  very  beautiful,  and  we  know  no 
spot  where  the  tourist  can  better  study  the 
crrxxwy  character  of  a  waterfall.  TTie  stream 
here  is  considerable,  and  takes  a  fine,  buoyant 
header  off  a  shelf  of  rock  upon  the  hard  stone 
floor  of  the  chasm  below.  Of  course  it  burst:* 
and  splashes  off  all  round,  with  much  noise,  and 
flings  so  much  spray  up  the  sides  of  the  basin 
into  which  it  leaps,  as  to  provide  materials  for 
a  number  of  baby  falls,  which  run  back  like 
young  ones  to  their  parent.  These  cascades 
make  a  mist  so  thick  as  to  wet  you  through  in 
a  short  time.  But  the  most  striking  feature  in 
the  composition  of  such  a  fall  as  that  of  the 
Eeichenbach  is  its  arrowy  character.  It  is  like 
a  sheaf  of  water-rockets,  rushing  downward. 
The  moment  the  stream  leaps  clear  of  the  rock 
it  begins  to  form  tliese  barbed  shoots,  as  if  it 
<jfished  to  pierce  the  stones  beneath. 


*Elie  Swede  Stone  on  the  Pield  of  Lutzen, 
where  Gustavus  Adolphus  fell. 
TiixT  being  gone,  Wallenstein  was  appointed 
to  command  the  Imperialists.  The  opposing 
armies  met  on  the  field  of  Lutzen,  and  on  the 
6th  of  November,  1682,  Gustavus  opened  the 
battle.  In  the  morning,  he  knelt  in  front  of  his 
lines  and  offered  up  a  prayer.  Then  he  gave 
out  Luther's  Hymn,  and  a  well-known  hymn, 
said  to  be  his  own,  beginning — 

'  "Fear  not,  thou  little  chosen  band." 

"  God  with  us !"  was  the  battle-word.  All  being 
ready,  he  cried  aloud:  "Now,  in  God's  name, 
let  us  at  them  !  Jesus,  Jesus,  Jesus,  let  us  fight 
for  the  honor  of  Thy  holy  name  ! ' '  and  dashed  at 
the  enemy.    A  pistol-shot  broke  his  arm.    "  It  is 


TUE  ROYAL  HDNT  IN  THB  ORUNIVALE,  NBAE  BERLIN. 


nothing:  follow  me!"  he  exclaimed;  but  his 
strength  failing  he  turned  his  horse's  head,  and 
muttered  to  the  Duke  of  Lauenburg  by  his  side: 
"  Cousin,  take  me  hence,  for  I  am  wounded." 
As  he  turned,  an  Austrian  trooper  shouted: 
' '  Art  thou  here  ?  I  have  long  sought  for  thee ! ' ' 
and  discharged  his  carbine  into  the  king's 
shoulder.  Gustavus  fell  from  his  horse,  with 
the  last  words,  "  My  God!"  The  tidings  flew 
through  the  army  that  the  king  was  slain  ;  that 
he  was  taken  prisoner ;  and  in  revenge  and 
despair  his  men  fought,  as  Schiller  says,  "  with 
the  grim  fury  of  lions,"  until  victory  crowned 
the  day.  Defaced  with  wounds,  trodden  under 
feet  of  boi-ses,  the  body  of  Gustavus  was  dra\vn 
from  beneath  a  heap  of  slain,  and  laid,  amid 
weeping,  with  his  fathers  in  Sweden.   The  neigh- 


lAGBR  BIER   GARDEN   IN   BERLIN. 


borhood  of  the  place  where  he  fell  is  marked  to 
this  day  by  a  porphyritic  boulder,  with  the 
simple  inscription,  "G.  A. — 1632." 

Thus  died  Gustavus  Adolphus,  in  his  thirty- 
eighth  year,  and  in  the  third  of  his  champion- 
ship of  Protestantism.  His  success  had  begun 
to  awaken  alarms  among  his  allies,  who  feared 
in  him  a  possible  Protestant  emperor  ;  yet  oi 
this  ambition  he  gave  no  signs.  "The  devil," 
he  told  his  chaplain,  who  found  him  reading  his 
Bible—"  the  devil  is  very  near  at  hand  to  those 
who  are  accountable  to  none  but  God  for  their 
actions.''  What  might  have  been  his  dreams 
we  can  never  know,  but  he  has  left  one  of  the 
noblest  and  purest  memories  in  history.  Had 
he  lived,  it  is  likely  he  would  have  ended  (juickly 
that  awful  war  which  afliicted  Germany  for  six- 
teen years  after  him. 

>i^i» — — — - 

Le  Chateau  de  Heidelberg. 
The  City  of  Heidelberg  was  called,  by  the 
Romans,  Myrtiletum,  and  is  celebrated  for  its 
famous  Tun,  which  was  once  the  largest  recep- 
tacle for  wine  in  the  world.  It  is  also  equally 
well  known  for  its  Chciteau,  of  which  we  give  a 
correct  illustration.  Heidelberg  is  a  city  of  the 
Grand  Duchy  of  Baden,  on  the  Lower  Hhine, 
and  has  a  population  of  about  fifteen  thousand 
persons.  It  is  also  noted  for  its  University,  which 
was  founded  by  the  Elector  Kupert  I.  in  the 
fourteenth  century.  In  1384  the  Emperor  Wen- 
celas  signed  in  the  Chateau  the  celebrated  Union 
of  Heidelberg,  by  which  the  different  leagues  of 
German  cities  were  united  in  one. 


Saxon  Lantern. 
The  magnificent  lantern  of  which  we  give  an 
illustration  is  of  Saxon  origin,  and  tells  of  timea 
When  our  forefathers  had  no  paved  walks,  and 
no  lights  in  the  streets.  We  can  imagine  that 
this  lantern  was  used  by  some  rich  old  citizen, 
who,  with  it  in  hand,  led  the  "way  to  and  from 


242 


IHE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


church,  his  numerous  family  and  retinue  fol- 
lowing in  the  rear. 

Lanterns  have  not  been  long  out  of  date. 
They  were  common  in  London  a  century  since, 
and  not  fifty  years  ago  they  could  be  found  sus- 
pended beside  the  old  "fire-buckets"  in  most 
of  the  substantial  houses  of  New  York  City. 


Barks  on  the  Danube. 

The  Danube  is  like  our  great  American  rivers. 
It  produces  a  feeling  of  awe  and  power,  as  it 
rolls  through  the  vast  plains,  deluging  them  at 
times,  and  tearing  away  whole  tracts  with  its 
■waves.  In  some  parts,  it,  indeed,  resembles 
other  European  rivers,  with  its  frowning  for- 
tresses, and  its  antique  towns. 

The  river  is  motley  with  boats,  new  and  old ; 
the  steamboat  puffing  along,  carrying  its  varied 


unprotected  seas ;  for  after  the  Vikings,  or  sea- 
kings,  had  carried  dismay  on  every  coast,  the 
peaceful  mariner  was  harassed  by  their  pirati- 
cal successors,  who,  although  comlucting  their 
plundering  operations  on  a  smaller  scale,  wore 
scarcely  less  injurious  to  the  rising  interests  of 
commerce. 

'ITie  Hanseatic  League  was  a  confederation  of 
towns  interested  in  maintainmg  a  safe  inter- 
course by  sea,  and  from  the  period  of  its  forma- 
tion, at  the  end  of  the  twelfth  or  the  beginning 
of  the  thirteenth  century,  the  piracies  and  dis- 
orders which  it  was  intended  to  suppress  grad- 
ually diminished. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  eighth  century,  Bre- 
men was  made  a  bishop's  see,  its  jurisdiction 
including  Greenland  ;  subsequently  it  was  in- 
corporated with  the  archbishopric  of  Hamburg  ; 
but  this  led  to  a  series  of  contests  which  only 


I      The  Weser  divides  Bremen  into  two  unequal 

'  portions — the  old  town,  with  its  large  suburbs, 

'  containing  handsome  mansions  and  villas,  bsing 

;  on  the  right  bank,  and  the  new  town,  begun  in 

162-5,  being  on  the  left,  without  any  suburbs. 

The  narrowness  of  the  streets   and  the  lofty 

houses  give  a  gloomy  appearance  to  the  more 

ancient  part  of  Bremen,  though  it  also  contains 

some  spacious  streets,  and  in  the  new  town  they 

are  wide  and  straight. 

Cemeteries  have  been  formed  outside  the 
town,  and  the  deserted  churchyards,  no  longer 
employed  as  burial-grounds,  allow  of  a  freer 
circulation  of  air,  and  as  these  are  almost  the 
only  open  spaces  of  any  magnitude  in  the  old 
town,  they  render  it  more  healthy. 

Tlie  ramparts,  as  we  frequently  find  in  old 
towns  on  the  Continent,  have  been  razed  and 
converted  into   agreeable    promenades.      Tha 


freight,  of  European  and  Asiatic,  the  English 
tourist,  and  the  white-shrouded  woman  from  a 
Turkish  harem.  Then,  too,  will  come  the 
heavy  flatboat,  such  as  our  engraving  shows, 
worked  by  a  sort  of  rudder-propeller— an  odd, 
cumbrous  concern,  contrasting  strangely  with 
the  modem  steamer  that  passes  it.  Yet,  such 
as  they  are,  the  great  bulk  of  the  agricultural 
produce  of  the  lands  along  the  Danube  finds  its 
way  to  market  by  this  slow  transportation. 


Town-Hall,  Bremen, 
Beemen,  on  the  Weser,  a  port  now  one  of  the 
great  avenues  of  fierman  emigration  to  Amer- 
ica, is  one  of  the  old  Hanseatic  towns  whose 
history  is  connected  with  the  commerce  of  that 
period  of  the  Middle  Ages,  when  a  solitary 
vessel  scarcely  dared  yet   to  venture  on  the 


THE   CHAMOIS  HUNTERS  ON    THE  LOOK-GOT. 

terminated  by  Bremen  being  made  the  seat  of 
the  archbishopric. 

Bremen  prospered  under  the  government  of 
its  ecclesiastical  rulers,  who  favored  its  union 
with  the  Hanse  towns. 

By  the  treaty  of  Westphalia,  Bremen  came 
into  the  hands  of  the  Swedes.  In  1712,  it 
became  a  conquest  of  Denmark,  and  was  sold 
by  that  State  to  the  Electorate  of  Brunswick. 

It  was  not  until  1731  that  Bremen  once  more 
enjoyed  its  former  freedom  ;  which  was  again 
subverted  by  the  French,  who,  in  1810  made  it 
the  capital  of  a  department  of  the  French 
Empire. 

Under  the  treaty  of  Vienna,  Bremen,  with 
sixty-seven  square  miles  of  adjoining  territory, 
became  a  member  of  the  Germanic  Confedera- 
tion, and  one  of  three  Hanse  towns",  Hamburg 
and  Lubeck  being  the  other  two. 


quays  on  each  side  of  the  river  afford  a  good 
view  of  the  town. 

Bremen  contains  about  five  thousand  nino 
hundred  houses  and  one  thousand  one  hundred 
granaries,  manufactories,  warehouses,  mills,  etc. 
The  population  of  the  town  amounts  to  about 
fifty  thousand,  chiefly  Lutherans. 

The  pathedral,  built  in  the  twelfth  century, 
and  the  church  of  St.  Ansgar,  with  its  hand- 
some spire  three  hundred  and  twenty-four  feet 
high,  arc  the  only  ecclesiastical  edifices  possess- 
ing much  interest. 

The  Town  Hall,  a  view  of  which  is  given  in  the 
the  cut,  was  the  palace  of  the  archbishops  ; 
it  has  been  completely  renovated  within, 
the  last  few  years,  and  the  piazzas  have  beea 
opened  to  the  public.  Here  is  the  former  Towa 
Hall,  built  in  1105,  below  which  are  the  famous 
wine-cellars  of  Bleikellero. 


GERMANY. 


243 


Fishing  Village  at  Apathin,  on  tne  Danube. 
The  fishermen  of  the  Danube  love  their  river 
OS  the  Csikos  do  the  Puszta.  Their  coBtiime  is 
the  Bame,  though  tlie  hat  is  larger,  and  they  do 
not  wear  spurs  Their  boats  are  small,  clumsy, 
rudderless.  Their  villages  seem  to  rise  amid 
the  waters,  with  their  spectral  poles  used  for 
drying  their  nets,  and  boat-houses  or  sheds, 
more  picturesque  at  a  distance  than  inviting 
when  approached.  These  villages  are  found 
near  the  city,  and  the  class  which  inhabits  them 
eeem  Inferior  in  many  points  to  their  country- 
men of  the  Puszta,  who  seem  the  genuine  off- 
•pring  of  the  hosts  of  Attila. 


A  Hop-Field  in  Winter. 

The  history  of  hops  is  inseparable  from  that 
of  beer,  for  it  is  to  the  property  that  they  pos- 
sess of  imparting  to  the  beer  a  bitterish  taste, 
and  preventing  it  from  souring,  that  the  hop 
owes  the  importance  which  it  has  obtained. 

Germany  is  essentially  the  home  of  beer. 
Tacitus,  in  his  description  of  that  country, 
speaks  of  a  beverage  made  of  fermented  barley, 
in  which  we  can  trace  the  origin  of  beer.  Tra- 
dition attributes  the  invention  of  beer  to  a  king 
of  Bravant,  named  Gambrinus,  and  the  brewers 
to  this  day  are  proud  to  count  a  king  in  the 
annals  of  their  trade.  The  Capitularies  of 
Charlemagne  recommend  cleanliness  in  the 
preparation  of  malt,  and  also  mention  the  man- 
ufacturers of  malt,  in  opposition  to  the  manu- 
facturers of  ciiler  and  perry,  or  pear's  juice. 
The  liquor  obtained  by  fermented  barley  was 
also  known  as  oel  (oil,)  a  name  stUl  preserved 

English  ale. 

Cut  these  drinks  cannot  be  called  beer  until 


THE  GAME   APPBOACHINQ. 

the  hop  enters  into  their  manufacture.  In  the 
year  822,  we  find  an  Act  by  which  the  Abbe 
Adelard  do  Corvcy  licenjes  the  millers  of  his 
district  to  cultivate  hops.  In  the  tenth  and 
eleventh  centuries  the  amount  of  hops  to 
be  given  to  the  churches  and  monasteries  was 
often  made  the  subject  of  a  special  clause  in 
leases  and  contracts.  In  the  thirteenth  century 
we  find  mention  of  hop-fields. 

In  the  fourteenth  century  the  growing  of 
hops  became  general  throughout  Germany  ;  and 
in  the  fifteenth  century  they  came  into  use  in 
England. 

The  manufacture  of  beer  first  came  to  perfec- 
tion in  the  convents,  where  life  in  common 
necessitated  its  production  iu  large  quantities. 


When  the  cities  grew  m  importance,  and  trade 
developed  itself,  corporations  of  brewers  were 
formed,  and  the  commerce  in  beer  became 
vastly  exten  led.  The  beers  of  Bremen,  Ham- 
burg, and  I.ul>eck  obtained  a  great  reputation, 
and  were  largely  exported,  having  grown  into 
the  demand  of  foreign  countries. 

Bohemia  and  Pranconia,  in  Bavaria,  were 
celebrated  for  producing  the  best  hops. 

In  Alsatia,  the  culture  of  the  hop  dates  back 
only  fifty-one  years,  and  yet  the  annual  incoma 
which  the  province  now  derives  from  thia 
source  is  set  down  at  one  million  of  dollars. 

The  hop,  of  the  nettle  tribe,  is  a  climbing 
plant,  whose  leaves  are  dioecious:  that  is  to  say, 
the  males  and  females  separate  on  two  different 
stalks.  The  shoots  are  hollow  ;  they  contain  a 
sugary  pith,  and  are  provided  with  tendrils  by 
which  they  cling  to  the  objects  which  they  wind 
about,  climbing  up  from  left  to  right.  Tha 
leaves  are  opposite  to  each  other  on  the  stalk, 
two  by  two ;  their  surface  is  rough,  and  tha 
edges  cut  like  the  teeth  of  a  saw.  The  male 
flowers  are  composed  of  a  calix  with  five  leaves  ; 
the  calix  or  cup  conceals  five  stamen,  opening 
in  July ;  these  give  forth  a  yellowish  dust, 
which  the  wind  carries  to  the  female  flowers. 
The  female  hops,  which  are  almost  exclusively 
cultivated,  bear  flowers  joined  in  amentum,  oi 
cat-kin,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  and  disposed 
in  clusters,  each  two  opposite.  B^ach  flower  is 
composed  of  a  little  scale,  at  the  base  of  which 
is  placed  the  ovarium.  ITiese  flowers  produce 
a  fruit  in  the  form  of  a  cone,  about  a  fifth  of 
an  inch  in  length,  of  a  bright  green  color, 
which,  at  its  maturity,  is  changed  into  a  clear 
or  deep  yellow.  The^e  cones  are  formed  by 
scales,  each  of  which  has  inside  its  base  a  littla 


TBf  SUCCESSFUL  CHAMOIS   UUNTKU   BETCBKING   UOUU 


844 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


'grain  wnicfl,  at  its  matnrity,  bears  a  yellow 
flower  containing  an  aromatic  oil.  This  yellow 
flower  furnishes  the  matter  necessary  for  the 
production  of  a  beer  which  shall  have  an  agreea- 
ble taste,  and  possess  that  important  quality  of 
not  turning  sour. 


Charlemagne  in  his  Tomb, 
Thb  Rhine  gives  a  charm  to  many  of  the 
titles  of  Germany,  which  without  this  addition 
would  be  passed  by  without  notice.  Among 
these  is  Aix  la  Chapelle,  which  would  other- 
ynse  appear  as  only  a  provincial  town,  kept 
clean  and  well  governed.  It  is  not  a  large 
city,  but  is  filled  with  the  memory  of  Charle- 
magne. Here  he  was  born,  and  here  he  was 
buried  in  the  church  he  had  himself  founded  ; 
and  here,  in  the  year997,  the  emperor  Otho  III., 
Impelled  by  a  strong  feoling  of  singular  cu- 
riosity, visited  him  in  his  tomb.  He  found  him 
seated  in  his  marble  chair,  his  crown  upon  his 
head,  the  sceptre  in  liis  ban  1,  and  the  imperial 
mantle  thrown  around  his  shoulders.  AH  of 
these  paraphernalia  of  royalty  had  suffered  some- 
what from  the  lapse  of  time.  The  earth-worms 
had  not  only  attackel  the  mantle,  but  also  t'.ie 
face  of  the  illustrious  dead  ;  his  nose  had  been 
destroyed.  Otho  had  it  replaced  with  one  of 
gold,  artistically  worked,  and  then,  after  bend- 
ing respectfully  before  the  hero,  after  having 
piously  trimmed  his  nails  himself,  he  retired, 
shutting  the  door  behind  him,  and  supposing 
that  he  sealed  it  for  all  eternity. 

Two  centuries  afterward  the  tomb  was  again 
visited.  In  1165  Frederic  Barbarossa,  actuated 
less  by  curiosity  than  the  lust  for  lucre,  opened 
the  doors  which  Otho  thought  he  had  shut  so 
securely.  He  took  possession  of  the  riches  of 
all  kinds  which  the  tomb  contained,  took  the 
body  from  the  chair,  and  forced  Charlemagne 
to  stand  before  him.  In  moving  the  liody  t'.io 
skeleton  broke  and  fell  into  fragments,  which 
Barbarossa,  under  the  pretense  of  having  them 
canonized,  distributed  about  as  relics.  The 
Saint-Chapelle  kept  a  portion  of  them,  as  well 
as  some  of  the  other  articles  found  in  the  tomb. 
There  can  be  seen  the  large  Roman  chair,  made 
of  white  marble,  upon  which  Charlemagne 
remained  sitting  for  three  hundred  and  fifty- 
One  years. 

Over  his  tomb  is  a  black  stone  placed  in  the 
middle  of  the  church,  with  these  two  words: 
Cabolo  Magno  ;  and  now  after  the  passage  of 
ten  centuries,  these  two  simple  words,  this  stone 
■which  covers  only  an  empty  tomb,  suffice  to  fill 
the  heart  with  profound  emotion.  The  church 
also  contains  the  wonderful  earrings  in  gold 
■which  the  tomb  formerly  contained.  For  the 
small  sum  of  five  francs,  the  curious  traveler  is 
shown  these  curiosities,  which,  besides  their 
intrinsic  value   are   precious  as  showing  the 


condition  of  art  at  the  commencement  of  the 
ninth  century.  And  besides  this,  if  the  guar- 
dians are  in  good  humor,  or  you  chance  to  take 
their  favor,  you  will  be  allowed  to  see  the  bones 
from  the  great  man's  skeleton ;  and.  perhaps, 
to  take  his  skull  in  your  hands.  Gustave  Dore, 
in  the  account  of  his  trip,  from  which  we  take 
this  illustration,  was  allowed  the  privilege,  and 
was  as  much  disgusted  with  the  shameful  trade 
of  making  a  show  of  a  great  dead  man's  bones 
for  money,  as  though  he  was  not  a  European : 
could  not  visit  any  place  made  sacred  I'y  being 
the  last  abode  of  departed  greatness,  without 
meeting  some  offensive  sho^wman  holding  out 
his  dirty  hand  for  a  fee. 


Lager  Beer  Gardens  in  Berlin. 
Although  we  have  made  considerable  progress 
in  this  country  in  cultivating  a  taste  for  lager 
beer,  the  temples  of  Gambrinus  here  cannot 
compare  with  the  immense  and  splendid  estal> 
lishments  dedicated  to  the  jolly  monarch  in 
Vienna,  Frankfort,  Munich,  and  Berlin.  Our 
illustration  represents  avast  beer-garden  in  the 
list-named  city  during  the  season  of  Bock  beer. 
This  is  simply  the  March  beer,  which  must  be 
drunk  fresh  in  the  Spring,  and  that  lasts  only  a 
fortnight  or  three  weeks.  But  during  that  time, 
immense  crowds  assemVile  to  enjoy  the  beverage, 
and  at  night,  as  the  "Bock"  has  considerable 
strength,  the  scene  is  of  the  most  lively  and 
noisest  character. 


Justice,  so  contrived  as  to  clasp  its  ■victims  in 
literally  an  iron  embrace,  and  that,  when  life 
was  almost  extinct,  the  machine  opened  at  the 
bottom,  and  the  unfortunate  sufferer  dropped 
into  a  chamber  below  upon  swords  which 
revolved  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cut  his  body 
into  small  fragments,  and  that  a  stream  of 
water  carried  these  away. 


The  Pestival  of  the  Three  Kings  m  the 

Hartz  Mountains. 
This  illustration  represents  one  of  the  tradi- 
tions so  common  in  the  Hartz  country.  It  is  a 
procession  in  honor  of  the  advent  of  the  Three 
Kings,  as  they  are  called  in  Germany,  or  the 
Magi,  as  we  know  them,  who,  following  the 
i  tar,  came  to  adore  the  infant  Saviour.  This 
visit  It  supposed  to  have  occurred  on  the  eighth 
day  after  his  bir'Ji,  cr  New  Tear's  Day,  which 
is  the  eighth  dr-y  from  Christmas.  The  Hartz 
Mountains  are  the  ccat  of  most  of  the  traditions 
which  play  so  important  a  part  in  the  life  of 
the  German  nation,  and  have  had  so  marked 
an  influence  upon  their  literature. 


Koyal  Hunt  in  the  Grunewald,  near  Berlin, 
The  hunting-grounds  of  Castle  Grunewald 
were,  on  St.  Hubertus's  Day,  15th  January,  '70, 
the  scene  of  a  great  royal  chase  for  black  game. 
King  William  of  Prussia,  the  royal  princes, 
the  Grand  Duke  of  Mecklenburg,  and  other 
princes,  assisted  by  hundreds  of  sportsmen, 
took  part  in  the  chase.  At  its  close,  all  the 
invited  sportsmen  and  hunters  partook  of  a 
splendid  collation  in  the  royal  hunting-castle, 
at  Grunewald,  built  in  1542  by  the  then  reign- 
ing duke,  Joachim  II.,  the  first  Protestant  sove- 
reign of  Brandenburg,  the  mother-country  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Prussia. 


The  "Jungfem  Kuss." 
Amono  the  instruments  of  torture  used  in 
Germany  was  one  called  the  "Jungfem  Kuss." 
It  is  believed  that  this  method  of  execution 
was  practiced  in  most  of  the  old  corporate 
towns  of  Germany,  in  the  Castle  of  Koenigstein, 
at  Nuremberg,  etc.,  etc.  In  the  course  of  our 
search  we  learned  that  the  "Virgin"  was  by 
some  supposed  to  be  in  figure  like  the  Virgin 
Mary;  by  others,  that  it  was  a  representation  of 


Bunting  the  Chamois  in  Bavaria. 
Op  all  sports,  hunting  the  chamois  is  one  of 
the  most  unprofitable,  as  well  as  the  most 
difficult  and  perilous.  The  chamois  has  been 
called  tlie  "Alpine  Antelope"  of  Europe,  and 
is  about  three  feet  long  and  a  little  over  two 
feet  in  height.  Its  smooth  black  hon\8  are 
about  six  inches  long,  rising  nearly  perpendicu- 
larly from  the  fore  part  of  the  brow.  It  is 
beardless,  but  the  body  is  covered  with  a  short 
thick  fleoi;  of  fine  wool,  to  protect  the  animal 
from  cold,  and  also  with  long  and  silken  hair 
of  a  deep-brown  color  in  Winter,  brown  fawn- 
color  in  Summer,  and  slightly  mixed  with  gray 
in  Spring.  The  head  is  silvery-yellow ;  the 
inside  of  the  thighs  and  ears  white,  and  the 
tail  black.  A  small  black  band  winds  from  the 
corner  of  the  mouth  around  each  eye.  The 
kids  are  of  a  deep  yellow-color.  Impatient  of 
heat,  the  chamois  remains  in  the  Summer  on 
the  topmost  ridges,  or  in  snowy  valleys,  clip- 
ping for  its  food  the  mountain  herbs,  and  the 
tender  shoots  of  shrubs,  and  rarely  drinking. 
It  is  remarkable  for  its  agility,  and  for  its  keen- 
ness of  sight  and  smell.  It  scents  a  man  at  a 
long  distance,  and  bounds  from  rock  to  rock 
with  admirable  grace,  and  ascends  and  descends 
cliffs  which  few  other  animals  would  attempt. 
The  chamois  is  very  easily  tamed,  and  becomes 
very  familiar  and  fond  of  those  who  feed  it. 
The  flesh  is  only  moderately  good,  being  far 
inferior  to  venison. 

Our  sketches  will  afford  the  reader  some  idea 
of  theexcitement  of  hunting  the  chamois.  Lord 
Byron  has  made  telling  use  of  this  sport  u  his 
"  Manfred.'' 


SWITZERLAND. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,   INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

KlBVBSnVO  rRTTIT— BEKNESF,  WOMEN  BEATING  HEMP— DILIGENCE    LEAVING  BEKNE— AN  AVALANCHE— THE    MATTEBHOEN— INTEELACHEN  ON  THB 

Aab— A  Glacieb  Table— The  Great  aletch  Glacier— Mont  Blanc— Chamois-hunting— Tourists  on  Lake  Geneva— The  Man  Man- 
TCAMAKER— Interior  of  a  Grotto  of  Topazes  — Caillb  Bridge  — The  Valley  of  Chamouni  — The  Oberland  Journey— Covelo,  a 
Fortress  jn  the  Tyrol— American  Lady  Ascending  Mont  Blano— The  RAiLVfAY  Tunnel  of  the  Alps— The  Grands  Mulets-Grand 
Plateau  —  Accident  to  Guide  — Crossing  the  Glacier  de  Bossons  — The  Huts  and  Eocks  op  the  Grands  Mulets  — The  Junofrao 
Mountain  — The  Summit  of  Mont  Blanc- The  Via  Mala  — The  Mer  de  Glace  — Fall  of  Rocks  from  Mont  Blanc  — View  in  the 
Gbisons— Festival  at  Neufchatel— harvest  in  the  Alps— Swiss  Travels— Dr.  Hamel's  ascent, 


ilLLIAM  TELL 
will  always  add 
an  additional  in- 
terest to  the  ro- 
mantic and  pic- 
turesque country 
with  which  his 
Hime  is  connect- 
ed. It  is  famous 
also  for  having 
preserved  a  re- 
publican form  of 
5'overniiientamid 
the  changes  o  f 
centuries  and  the 
political  muta- 
tions of  sur- 
rounding  nations  ;  is  situated  in  i^e  centre  of 
Europe,  and  has  preserved  its  national  inde- 
pendence more  by  its  inaccessibility  and 
poverty  than  by  its  strength.  It  consists  of 
twenty  -  five  provinces  —  named  cantons — has 
an  area  of  nearly  16,000  square  miles,  and  a 
population  of  2,800,000  persons,  of  whom 
about  1,000,000  are  Catholics,  and  1,600,000 
Protestants. 


Their  diversity  of  language  is  re- 
markable. On  the  north  and  northeast 
cantons,  the  German  dialect  prevails. 
The  French  prevails  in  the  cantons  of 
Vaud,  Geneva,  Neufohatel,  and  in  parts 
of  those  of  Valais,  Freiburg  and  Berne. 
The  Italian,  in  the  canton  of  Ticino  and 
part  of  the  Grisons. 

Switzerland  is  also  famous  for  being 
the  home  of  the  Alps.  The  Gla:;iers  of 
Switzerland  are  the  reservoirs  which  feed 
some  of  the  largest  rivers  of  Western  Eu- 
rope. The  llhine  and  Ehone  rise  there. 
It  is  also  the  land  of  lakes,  the  most  im- 
portant of  which  are  Geneva,  Constance, 
Lucerne,  Zurich,  Neufchatel,  and  the 
Lago  Maggiore.  Most  of  these  lakes 
are  traversed  by  steamboats,  crowded 
with  passengers  and  pleasure-seekers. 

No   country   in    the   world   possesses 
greater  interest  for  geologists  than  Swit- 
zerland.    Its  military  establishment  is 
upon     purely    democratic    principles, 
able-bodied    citizen  is  a   defender    of 
the  Republic. 

The  federal  army  consists  of  citizens,  from 
twenty  to  forty-four  years,  and  is  divided  into 
three  classes.  All  are  required  to  devote  a 
certain  number  of  days  to  drill.  They  are  re- 
nowned for  their  excellent  marksmanship. 

Their  entire  military  strength  is  202,397 
men.  The  first  inhabitants  are  supposed  to 
have  been  of  Celtic  origin,  and  to  have  immi- 
grated from  the  northeast.  Their  collective 
name  was  Helvetians.  In  113  b.  c,  two  tribes 
of  Helvetians,  the  Tigurini  and  Tugeni,  from 
which  are  derived  the  modern  names  of  Zurich 
and  Zug,  joined  the  Cimbri  and  Teutons  in 
their  inroads  into  Italy.  In  this  war  the  Hel- 
vetian general,  Divioo,  in  107  B.C.,  completely 
routed  the  Komans,  under  L.  Cassius  Lon- 
ginus.  In  the  time  of  the  great  Julius,  the 
Helvetians  were  defeated  in  their  invasion  of 
Gaul,  and  from  that  day  the  Romans  com- 
menced to  conquer  them.  Since  then  they 
have  passed  through  many  mutations.  Like 
all  mountaineers,  their  love  for  adventure 
induced  a  military    disposition,  while    their 


based 
Every 


poverty  and  the  want  of  agricultural  employii 
ment  led  them  to  offer  their  services  to  foreign 
nations.  About  1480  a  number  enrolled  them- 
selves in  the  bodyguard  of  Louis  XL,  as  did 
also  some  of  the  Scotch ;  but  readers  will  not 
fail  to  remember  Walter  Scott's  illustration  of 
this  fact  in  "  Quentin  Durward,"  and  how 
nobly  the  Swiss  mercenaries,  three  centuries 
later,  sealed  with  their  blood  their  devotion  to 
Louis  XVI. 

In  1481,  Fribourg  and  Soleuve  were  united 
in  one  canton,  and  eighteen  years  afterward 
Maximilian  I.,  Emperor  of  Germany,  acknow- 
ledged the  independence  of  Switzerland.  This 
induced  Schaffhausen  to  join  the  Union,  which 
now  began  to  grow  in  exten't  and  strength. 
This  led  them,  like  all  young  and  ambitious 
nations,  to  measure  their  swords  against  older 
and  stronger  Powers,  and  they  consequently, 
in  1513,  invaded  Milan,  then  guarded  by  th6 
French,  and  the  result  was  the  famous  battld 
of  Novara,  fought  on  the  6th  of  June  of  that 
year.  This  triumph  was  balanced  by  the  battle 
of  Mariguano,  in  1515,  when  the  Swiss  wero 
totally  defeated  by  the  French.  This,  however, 
did  not  prevent  France  and  other  European 
Powers  following  the  example  of  Germany,  and 
acknowledging  the  Swiss  Confederacy  as  an  in- 
dependent  nation.  In  1519,  the  Reformation 
commenced  at  Basle. 

With  the  exception  of  an  attempt  made  by 
Charles  Emmanuel,  of  Savoy,  to  subjugate  G*. 
neva,  in  1G02,  this  Alpine  republic  enjoyed  a 
tranquillity  not  shared  by  the  rest  of  Europe, 
until  1798,  when  the  French  overran  the  can- 
tons, dissolved  the  Helvetic  Confederation, 
and  proclaimed  the   Helvetian    Republic. 

In  1814,  on  the  downfall  of  Napoleon,  tha 
allies  occupied  the  country,  abolished  the  Re- 
public, and  restored  the  Federal  Government. 
After  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  when  the  star  oi 
the  great  Napoleon  finally  set,  the  five  allied 
and  triumphant  Powers  guaranteed  the  inde- 
pendence of  "  the  Mountains  of  Freedom,"  aa 
Rousseau  called  them,  some  generations  ago. 
The  number  of  cantons  had  now  been  in- 
creased to  twenty-two,  and  their  contented 
poverty  had  become  proverbial. 


24G 


th:^  woklds   great  nations. 


harvesting  Pruit  in  Switserland. 
Our.  engjaving  represents  a  Swiss  scene  fam- 
iliar to  travelers  who  h  -.to  journeyed  through 
Switzerland  in  the  early  Autumn.    As  soon  as 
'  Winter  has   invaded   the    peaks   of   the   high 
mountains,  and  his    breath    is    beginning  to 


of  apples  is  added  to  Ms  store.  A  huge  fire  i:i 
built  in  the  oven,  and  the  apples  dried,  after 
being  quartered,  and  the  shinlz,  as  the  fruit, 
after  it  is  submittal  to  this  process,  is  called." 
furnishes  a  pleasant  relish  for  the  family  during 
the  long  Winter  months.  The  Swiss  shore  of 
Lake  Constance  abounds  in  apple   and  pear- 


invite  1,  wagons  are  stocked  with  comestibles, 
and  young  and  old  make  the  time  of  harvest- 
ing the  fruit  a  pk'asure  rather  tlian  a  labor, 
.and  enjoy  their  alfresco  dinner  with  the  relish 
and  appetite  which  only  exercise  and  exertion 
can  give.  A  meal  in  the  open  air,  in  fino 
weather,  is  always  pleasant. 


^iM^^ 


■'V 


be  felt  on  the  lesset  elevations,  the  inhabitants 
of  tha  Alpinn  valleys  hasten  to  house  tlieir  fruit 
much  after  the  fashion  of  tha  resident*  of  a 
town  menaced  by  hostile  soldiery.  Tho  agri- 
culturist cast?,  an  anxious  glance  at  the  snow- 
capped peaks  which  rise  above  him  on  all  sides, 
and  indulges  ia  ft  sigll  of  relief  as  each  basket 


BAEViSTlNO  raUIT. 

trees,  and  appears  like  a  huge  orchard,  while 
its  inhabitants  drive  quite  a  flourishing  business 
in  cider  and  dried  fruit.  The  orchards  are 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  hoases  of  their 
owners,  but  in  cases  where  they  are  at  a  dis- 
tance from  any  habitation,  the  harvesting 
resolves  itself   into  a  frolic.      Neighbors  are 


A  Bernese  'Woman  Beating  Hemp. 
Thkrs  used  tu  be  Swiss  national  costumes, 
but  they  arc  fast  disappearing.  The  picture  we 
give  will  soon  be  of  the  past ;  and  this  is  to  be 
regretted,  for  these  costumes  were  not  only 
pictviresque   to  the  traveler's  eye,   but  were 


SWITZEKLAND. 


•247 


k    BKRNESK    WOMAN     BEATING     HEMP. 


248 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


substantial,  Trell-made, 
and  adapted  to  their 
life.  Their  place  is 
poorly  supplied  by  a 
tawdry  imitation  of 
expensive  French 
toilet.  Cheap  finery 
is  not  only  vulgar, 
but  sure  to  be  per- 
sonally unbecoming, 
as  we  see  in  the  case 
of  our  own  servants, 
who  flourish  in  ill- 
made  fineries  for  a  few 
years  before  descend- 
ing to  the  rags  of 
tenement-liouse  life. 

In  Switzerland  the 
shop- windows  show 
cards  of  the  difierent 
costumes,  but  except 
on  some  special  holi- 
day they  are  seldom 
seen. 

Our  illustration 
shows  the  Bernese 
house,  and  below  a 
Bernese   woman     in 

her  national  costume,  beating  out  hemp,  as 
they  are  often  seen  to  do — a  dusty,  disagree- 
able and  laborious  method,  which,  in  other 
lands,  would   be  done    by   some    mechanical 

process. 

— >  <  ♦  n . 

An  Avabnche  in  the  Alps,  Switzerland, 

Poets  have  sung  the  beauties  of  Alpine 
scenery,  and  tourists  have  related,  in  glowing 
terms,  their  experience  of  the  charm  and  tlie 
peril  of  those  grand  old  mountains,  whose  snon- 
capped  peaks  tower  above  pleasant  valleys  an  1 
beautiful  lakes.  Our  illustration  represents  the 
danger  that  attends  the  gratification  of  that 
craving  for  the  enjoyment  of  Alpine  views,  a 
danger  to  which  the  traveler  is  often  subjected, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Orisons  and  Alpine 
passes,  after  the  snow  has  accumulated  on  the 
heights.    There  are  three  sorts  of  avalanches. 

The  first  is  the  drift,  composed  of  the  loose 
snow  which  has  accumulated  in  the  upper 
regions,  anJ  is  put  in  motion  by  a  strong  wind, 
and  increases  in  volume  as  it  descends.  The 
damage  done  by  these  falls  is  not  very  great, 
since  the  snow  is  loose,  and  may  be  removed 
from  the  places  where  it  accumulates  ;  but  the 
compression  of  the  air  sometimes  chokes  men 
and  cattle,  and  has  been  known  to  overturn 
houses  by  its  force.  The  rolling  avalanche  is 
more  terrible,  for  it  comes  after  a  thaw,  when 
the  clammy  grains  of  snow  begin  to  move  and 
form  into  a  ball,  which  grows  as  it  rolls  down- 
ward imtil  it  forms  a  destructive  mass,  carrying 
all  before  it,  silently,  swiftly  and  surely.  It 
was  one  of  these  which,  in  1749,  involved  the 
whole  village  of  Rueras,  in  the  Orisons,  covere;! 
it  in,  and  moved  it  from  its  site,  without  a 
sound  loud  enough  to  awaken  the  inhabitants, 
some  of  whom  wondered  what  delayed  the 
morning  light,  and  one  hundred  of  whom  were 
dug  out,  sixty  still  living,  saved  by  the  air  that 
was  in  the  interstices.  In  1806.  in  Val  Calanca, 
a  forest  was  moved  from  one  side  of  the  valley 
to  the  other  by  a  rolling  avalanche,  and  a  pine- 
tree  was  placed  on  the  roof  of  the  parsonage  by 


DIUQENCE  lEAVINO   BEENE. 

its  vagaries.  Sliding  avalanches  are  awful 
enough,  but  they  are  formed  on  lower  slopes  by 
the  gradual  thawing  of  the  foundations  and 
the  slipping  en  masse  of  the  upper  accumulation 
of  frozen  snow.  They  slide  swiftly  downward, 
carrying  everything  before  them.  Sometimes, 
however,  they  come  to  a  steep  place,  topple 
over,  begin  to  roll,  and  becoming  a  great  ball — 
a  rolling  avalanche,  in  fact — may  meet  with 
a  hard  rock,  or  some  impregnable  obstacle, 
and  be  dashed  to  pieces,  so  as  to  resemble  a 
drift.  Thus  the  traveler  is  never  quite  certain 
h\  what  form  the  avalanche  may  come  upon 
him,  or  whether  a  whisper,  a  footfall,  the 
cracking  of  a  driver's  whip,  may  not  make  such 
a  concussion  of  the  light  atmosphere  as  to 
bring  the  enemy  upon  him  unawares.  This  is 
a  strange  fascination  about  danger  which  impels 
human  beings  to  delight  in  tempting  it,  akin, 
to  the  moth's  insane  craving  for  the  flame. 


THE  MATTERHORN,  OR   MONTB  CARVINO. 


Diligence  ol  Berne. 
A  TRAVBtER  taking 
the  diligence  at  Beme 
(for  in  a  country  that 
defies  railroads,  dili- 
gences still  prevail) 
thus  describes  Beme, 
the  seat  of  govern- 
ment in  Switzerland  ; 

"The  twenty -two 
cantons  of  which 
Switzerland  is  now 
composed  were  united 
in  1814.  The  sufirage 
is  universal.  There  is 
no  regular  army ;  but 
every  man  is  a  rifle 
volunteer,  and  the 
people  are  liable  to 
be  called  out  to  servo 
in  the  militia,  which 
is  a  tiresome  inter- 
ruption to  business. 
There  are  no  passports, 
no  customhouses,  no 
tolls  to  speak  of — at 
least,  none  that  in- 
terfere with  the  traveler's  comfort  and  inde- 
pendence. The  inns  and  roads  are  good,  and 
the  electric  telegraph  is  established  all  over 
the  country,  ordinary  messages  costing  a  franc. 
"  The  coinage  is  the  best  in  Europe,  pence 
and  halfpence  being  clean  and  very  light ;  a 
decimal  system  was  adopted  in  1850.  The 
change  must  have  been  very  great  in  Switzer- 
land, for  almost  every  canton  had  a  currency 
of  its  own.  Still,  in  six  months  after  the  new 
system  was  introduced,  almost  all  tiace  cf  the 
old  complicated  denominations  was  gone. 

"There  used  to  be  Swiss  national  costumes  J 
they  are  fast  disappearing.  The  greatest  dis- 
tinction is  now  seen  in  the  caps  of  the  women, 
which,  in  some  places,  are  wonderful  wisps. 

"Men  have  no  local  dress,  but  wear  either 
undyed  homespun  woolen  clothes,  very  clumsily 
made,  or  suits  of  coarse  blue  frieze.  In  all 
cases  their  coats  are  short  in  the  waist,  and 
high  in  the  collar. 

"  Berne  is  situated  on  the  Aar,  which  nearly 
surrounds  it.  The  town  is  approached  by  a 
stone  bridge  nine  hundred  feet  long,  across 
both  the  river  and  the  valley  in  which  it  flows. 
It  is  solid  and  well-built,  with  arcades  along  the 
streets,  under  which  the  principal  shops  are 
found,  and  contains  twenty-seven  thousand 
inhabitants. 

"  The  three  sights  we  were  taken  to  see 
were,  the  Bears,  tlie  Clock,  and  the  distant 
Bernese  Alps,  which  show  beautifully  from  the 
high  land  about  the  town. 

"  The  bear  is  the  crest  of  Beme,  and  appears 
everywhere,  in  stone,  and  wood,  and  in  the 
flesh.  There  is  a  pit  in  the  town,  where  three 
or  four  mangy  brutes  shuflle  about,  and  open 
their  mouths  to  the  public  for  sweet-cakes  and 
nuts,  quite  unconscious  of  their  heraldic  dis- 
tinction. 

"  The  clock-tower  is  in  the  middle  cf  the 
town,  and  a  parcel  of  idlers  generally  stop  to  see 
its  puppets  strike  the  hour,  especially  at  noon. 
Just  before  the  stroke,  a  procession  of  bears 
come  out  of  a  hole,  and  move  in  front  of  a 
wooden  king  on  a  throne,  who  marks  the  hour 


SWITZERLAND. 


249 


:250 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


A   GLACIBB  TABLE. 

of  the  day  by  gaping  and  lowering  his  sceptre 
as  if  he  were  rather  bored  with  Time  himself, 
but  graciously  permitted  it  to  pass  on  the  un- 
derstanding that  it  would  make  itself  useful  to 
common  people.  Then,  like  a  wise  king,  he 
shuts  his  mouth,  and  looks  straight  before  him 
till  he  is  wanted  again.  We  went  up  to  the 
Enghe  Terrace,  outside  of  the  town,  to  see  the 
Alps ;  at  least  a  dozen  are  visible  from  this  place, 
sometimes,  at  sunset,  of  a  glowing  rose-color. 

"  Here  we  hoped  to  look  back  upon  the  Ober- 
land,  or  Highlands,  in  which  we  had  spent  so 
pleasantly  the  last  ten  days;  but  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  of  them,  a  cloud-curtain 
shutting    the    distant   view    cmopletely   out." 

. >->♦>-< 

Interiachen,  on  the  Aar, 

This  place  is  famed  for  beauty,  being  set 
upon  the  stream  which  connects  the  two  lakes 
of  Thun  and  Brientz.     Its  scenery,  however,  is 
above  you.     There  is 
nothing  you  can  look 
down  upon   without 
first    climbing    to   do 
80.     All  the  hotels  are 
set  in  a  dead  flat. 

The  views  of  the 
Jungfrau  are  very 
beautiful,  especially 
when  its  snows  are 
relieved  by  the  deep 
dark-green  o  f  lower 
hills.  But  the  place 
is  desperately  hot. 

A  recent  visitor  to 
this  spot  says:  "We 
had  been  breathing 
the  fresh  air  of  the 
mountains  for  some 
time,  and  now  felt  as  if 
we  were  being  choked. 
Interlaohen,  however, 
contains  more  Sum- 
mer visitors,  perhaps, 
^ban  any  place  in 
Switzerland. 


"Thus  we  found  ourselves  all  at  once  sur- 
rounded by  the  abominations  of  civilization. 
Here  is  the  very  metropolis  of  easy-going  tra- 
velers, timid  ladies,  and  sick  people.  Swiss 
tourists  may  be  divided  into  three  classes.  The 
most  numerous  confines  itself  to  turnpike  high- 
ways, roads,  and  lakes,  traveling  altogether  by 
steamboat  and  axle.  It  contrives,  however,  to 
see  much,  several  of  the  most  famous  passes 
being  traversed  by  excellent  macadamized  roads. 
Those  who  stick  to  the  highways  gather  in  large 
numbers  at  Vevey,  Thun,  Interlachen,  etc., 
which  are  reached  by  carriage  or  steamer. 
The  worst  of  it  is,  however,  that  they  become 
dressy,  and  spoil  the  associations  of  Switzerland 
with  balls,  and  the  jingle  of  second-rate  dissi- 
pation. Gambling-places  have  been  opened — 
or,  if  not  opened,  winked  at  in  several  jjlaces. 
Thus,  instead  of  gaining  fresh  health  in  the 
glories  of  mountain  scenery,  some  people  wear 
themselves  with  '  amusement,'  which  would 
be  better  suited  to  the  doubtful  quarters  of  a 
large  city.  But  Interlachen  is  cheap.  The  hotels 
are  large  and  good  ;  and  you  may  find  several 
comfortable  places  where  you  can  live  at  five 
francs  a  day,  whereas  in  Geneva,  in  the  Summer- 
time, you  will  likely  be  charged  as  much  as 
that  for  a  bedroom  at  the  top  of  the  house. 

"Next  to  the  tourists  who  drive  about  and 
congregate  in  the  principal  places,  come  those 
who  ride  and  walk,  and  thus  reach  the  most 
beautiful  j^art  of  the  scenery.  The  greater 
number  of  the  passes  are  crossed  by  mere 
bridle-paths,  often  hardly  distinguished  from  a 
goat-track.  To  me  the  effect  of  the  mountains 
is  rather  destroyed  by  the  presence  of  a  turn- 
pike road  and  post-horses,  though  they  may  be 
snufBng  the  air  at  a  height  of  six  thousand 
feet  or  more  above  the  sea-level.  Nothing,  on 
the  other  hand,  can  be  wilder  than  the  course 
of  many  well-known  routes,  which  can  be  tra- 
versed only  on  foot  or  horseback. 

"The  smallest— the  select  class  of  Swiss 
visitors — are  the  climbers — the  Alpine  Club— 
who  often  turn  up  their  noses  at  the  more  fre- 


THE  UKEAT    ALETCH  GLACIBE. 

quented  spots,  however  established  their  mag- 
nificence, and  lead  a  life  of  enterprise  in 
higher  and  rougher  places  than  the  common 
tramp  aspires  to.  These  mighty  mountaineers 
sometimes  come  down  to  the  comfortable  inna 
of  the  towns,  to  relax,  eat,  and  be  admired." 


AVALANCHE   IN   THE   ALPS, 


The  Matterhorn,  or  Monte  Oervino. 
This  mountain,  which  will  long  be  famous 
for  a  terrible  disaster,  is  one  of  the  Pennine 
Alps,  between  the  Valais  in  Switzerland  and 
the   Val  d'Aosta  in   Piedmont.     The  famous 
pass,  traversed  in  Summer  by  mules  and  horses, 
is  eleven  thousand  feet  high,  and  the  summit 
towers  nearly  a  mile  above  this  dangerous  pass. 
This  summit  had  defied  the  tourists,  and  was 
deemed  inaccessible,  and  was  not  reached  till 
18G5.     At  its  foot  is  the  little  village  of  Zer- 
matt.     It  stands  near   the  junction  of  three 
valleys,   each  with  its   characteristic   glacier. 
Monte  Kosa  looks 
down    upon    it    from 
one  side,   the  Matter- 
horn  from  another. 

Between  these  and 
around  them  rise  a 
crowd  of  mountain- 
tops,  whose  snows  and 
ice  are  threaded  by 
those  trackless  routes 
which  lie  among  the 
higher  Alp  s — passes 
which  show  with 
tempting  accuracy  on 
the  map,  but  which 
must  be  found  and 
followed  not  by  the 
steps  of  those  who 
have  used  them,  but 
by  compass  and  land- 
marks like  the  sailor's 
course  at  sea — paths 
that  have  been  trodden 
for  years,  but  in  which 
the  snow  ever  fills  the 
print  >{  the  faet. 


aWlTZEKLANi;, 


251 


MONT    BIANa 


252 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


Ohamois-Htinting  in  the  Alps. 

There  are  yet  in  the  Alps  many  pasturages 
on  high  mountain  ridges  that  neither  cows  nor 
goats  are  able  to  ascend.  These  are  the  lonely 
retreats  of  the  grayish-brown  chamois,  that  roam 
in  flocks  from  one  rendezvous  to  another,  and 
there  feed,  after  the  guards  have  been  posted, 
80  that  they  may  be  made  aware  of  any  sudden 
attack.  For  hours  at  a  time  these  guards 
stand  on  the  summit 
of  a  rock,  where  there 
is  barely  room  enough 
for  the  feet  of  a  cha- 
mois. With  its  pointed 
horns  the  chamois  de- 
fends itself  from  eagles 
and  vultures  ;  but  from 
the  hunter's  balls  it 
secures  safety  only  by 
vigilance  and  swift- 
ness, as  well  as  by  bold 
leaps  up  and  down 
eteep  precipices,  and 
sometimes  over  wide 
chasms. 

It  excites  the  greatest 
astonishment  to  see 
with  what  certainty 
and  adroitness  these 
animals,  with  the 
smallest  start,  descry 
and  make  use  of  an 
almost  perpendicular 
wall  as  a  means  of  es- 
cape that  man  would 
think  an  impossible 
outlet. 

The  most  courageous 
inhabitants  of  the  Alps 
take  a  particular  plea 
sure  in  looking  for  and 
killing  the  chamois  in 
the  wilds  of  the  high- 
est mountains. 

Great  courage,  great 
presence  of  mind,  and 
great  perseverance  are 
wanted  in  chamois- 
hunting.  With  the 
thick-soled  shoes,  the 
iron-tipped  stick,  the 
pointed  hat,  o  r  n  a  • 
mented  with  a  chamois 
beard,  and  the  double- 
barrel  rifle,  the  hunter 
starts  In  the  evening, 
or  very  early  in  the 
morninGf,  to  surprise 
the  chamois  at  their 
pasturages. 

The  giddy  path  lies 
up  steep  walls,  over 
masses    of     rolling 

stones  and  fields  of  snow  and  ice.  To  help  him- 
self in  danger,  the  hunter  carries,  also,  an  ax 
and  a  rope ;  with  these  he  cuts  steps  or  lets 
himself  down  from  rock  to  rock. 

II  he  has  finally  reached  the  heights,  where 
the  chamois  feed,  he  must  approach  them  with- 
out 1  eing  seen,  and  must  take  care  that  the  wind 
blows  from  where  the  chamois  are.  toward  him. 
It  is  often  necessary  to  take  a  round-about  way, 
for  many  hours  at  a  time,  over  cliffs  and  pre- 


cipitous rocks,  and  it  is  not  rare  for  a  hunter  to 
be  from  eight  to  fourteen  days  before  he  can 
obtain  a  shot. 

In  such  a  hunt  it  is  not  a  rare  occurrence  if  he 
passes  the  night  under  the  blue  sky,  between 
high,  snow-covered  mountains.  He  generally 
takes  with  him  provisions  for  several  days.  If 
the  chamois  have  caught  sight  of  him,  tliey 
escape  up  the  rocks  ;  the  hunter  follows  them, 
often  incurring  great  danger  in  climbing,  wlien 


pice  ;  and  then,  with  from  a  hundred  to  a  hvm' 
dred  and  fifty  pounds  burden,  he  will  return 
home. 

He  binds  the  chamois's  four  feet  together,  and 
places  them  so  that  they  are  on  his  forehead, 
and  the  rest  of  the  body  is  on  his  shoulders  and 
back.  With  this  burden  he  goes  up  and  down 
precipitous  cliffs,  over  slippery  fields  of  snow 
and  dangerous  glaciers.  Often  thick  fogs  come 
up,  so  that  he  can  see  but  a  few  feet  ahead  ; 
or  a  furious  tempest 
breaks  out,  that 
threatens  to  precipi- 
tate the  hunter  into 
the  abyss  ;  cr  vultures 
hurl  themselves  down 
on  his  shelter,  when  he 
climbs  a  steep  preci- 
pice, and  try  to  push 
him  down. 

It  is  no  wonder, 
therefore,  that,  yearly, 
chamois  -  huE  ters  lose 
their  lives  in  falling 
down  a  gap  in  the  ice, 
or  a  precipice ;  and, 
nevertheless,  other  in- 
habitants' of  the  Alpa 
undertake  this  danger- 
ous chase,  that  only 
brings  them  a  few 
florins,  as  only  the 
skin  and  horns  of  the 
chamois  are  bought. 


CHAMOIS-ntTNTlNa    IN  THE   ALPS. 

he  has  reached  a  place  where  he  can  neither  go 
forward  nor  backward. 

If  the  chamois  have  become  quiet  in  the 
meantime,  the  hunter  looks  for  a  hiding-place, 
where  he  lurks  until  the  chamois  come  near 
enough  to  be  shot  at ;  then  it  costs  one  or  two 
of  them  their  life,  as  the  chamois-hunter  never 
misses.  If  he  has  killed  one,  he  commences  a 
new  ar'i  dangerous  work.  He  must  go  in  quest 
of  thepr^y,  that  has,  perhaps,  fallen  into  apreci- 


Tlie  Great  Aletch 
Glacier. 

Glactees  are  not,  as 
was  thought  cf  old, 
mere  fields  of  ice ;  they 
are  icy  rivers,  moving 
on  and  on  with  a 
steady  and  tremen- 
dous power.  One  of 
the  most  striking  is 
the  great  Aletch  gla- 
cier, which  from  the 
Bel  Alp,  near  Brieg, 
in  Switzerland,  sweeps 
beneath,  as  it  is  turned 
aside  by  the  slopes  of 
the  Aeggischorn,  and 
winds  among  the 
mountains.  Here  it  ia 
a  very  river;  its  rippled, 
channelly  surface 
speaks  the  tale.  The 
moraines,  cr  edges  of 
the  branches  cf  thii 
river,  which  feed  its 
current,  show  like 
wheel-tracks. 
As  fresh  ice  accumulates  above,  this  mass  ia 
pushed  forward,  showing  far  more  elesticity 
than  would  be  supposed.  The  rocky  barrier 
that  in  its  course  deAes  its  power,  sees  it  divide, 
leaving  it  an  island  ;  yet  the  ice  will  clcte  again 
below,  leaving  no  trace  of  the  fissure.        * 

Rocks  thi.t  fall  upon  or  are  borne  along  ar« 
generally  forced  to  the  surface,  where,  some- 
times protecting  the  ice  on  which  they  rest,  while 
that  around  melts,  thej  stand   like  pillared 


SWITZERLAND. 


253 


•entinels.  The  rate  of  progress  of  glaciers  is 
various.  On  the  glacier  of  Aar,  Mr.  Heagi 
erected  a  hut  in  1827,  at  the  foot  of  a  fixed  rock. 
In  183G  the  hut  was  two  thousand  two  hundred 
feet  from  the  rock.  In  1810  it  had  made  as 
touch  more,  showing  more  than  double  its 
former  velccity.  A  line  of  stakes  across  a  gla- 
cier will  in  a  sliort  time  show  that  the  centre 
mores  faster  than  the  sides. 


surface,  wh'ich,  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  "in  the 
hotter  months,  is  wet,  and  covered  with  little 
rills.  Now,  when  a  large  stone  lays  on  the  ice, 
it  screens  a  portion  of  it  from  the  heat.  By 
degrees  the  sunshine  welts,  and  therefore  lowers 
the  glacier  round  tlie  etone,  which  then  stands 
upon  a  short  column  of  chaded  ice,  until  it 
breaks,  and  the  stone  begins  to  construct 
another  base  bv  protecting  it  from  the  melting 


man  is  occasionally  elevated  to  the  proud  posi- 
tion of  mantuamaker!  There  are  Worths  in 
quiet  little  Switzerland  as  well  as  in  Paris,  and 
the  rustic  dame,  whose  measure  the  equall/ 
rustic  tailor  is  co  consciously  happy  in  taking, 
will  tio  doubt  glory  over  her  gos.iiping  friends 
with  the  boast  that  her  garb  is  the  work  of  a 
master.  It  is  not  long  ago  that  an  American 
lady  of  some  note  astonished  the  ladies  of  New 


A  GHacier  Table. 

Ii  is  curious  that  the  heavier  stones  do  not 
aink  into  the  glacier  which  carries  them ; 
indeed,  the  bigger  they  are  the  less  likely  they 
are  to  do  so  ;  in  some  cases  they  rise.  How  so  ? 
Taus:  T&ej^lacier  shrinks,  from  several  causes. 
Tue  gun  hai;  considerable  etiect  ut>on  iu  uptro^r 


T0TJEIST3   ON   LAKE  GENEVA. 

rays  of  the  sun,  and  rises  again.  These  mounted 
stones  are  called  glacier  tables. 


The  Man  Mantuamaker. 
It  is  not  alone  in  these  degenerate  days  of  fash- 
ion and  display,  of  folly  and  finery — ^it  is  not 
alone  in  Paris  and  London  and  New  York  that 


York,  in  her  published  letters,  with  tha  reTe- 
lation  that  she  was  assisted  at  her  toilet,  while 
abroad,  by  men,  and  not  by  maids.  "They  are 
much  more  apt,  and  do  their  work  better,"  was 
her  compliment  to  their  abilty.  And  as  full- 
grown  men  esteem  it  no  derogation  to  sell  pins 
and  ribbons,  and  keep  miilineiy  bhops,  y>bj  fJPi 
fit  lad'"?'  dr^SSii. 


254 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


TUB   MAX    srANTUAMAKEB. 


Grotto  of  Topazes. 
A  TEW  years  ago  -. 
grotto  was  discovere  1 
In  Switzerland  that 
might  well  be  called 
the  Wonderful  Grotto 
It  Is  near  the  Pielfen 
Glacier,  at  the  height 
of  one  hundred  feet 
In  a  part  of  the  rock 
hitherto  Inaccessible 
The  grotto  Is  forty-fire 
feet  long,  sixteen  '3 
height  at  the  entrance, 
twelve  at  the  further 
end,  and  twenty  six 
feet  wide.  After  diffi- 
culties almost  insur 
moun  table,  after  the 
most  perilous  toll, 
which  compelled  the 
workmen  to  remain 
eight  days  and  nights 
on  tlie  glaciers,  at- 
tempting to  enlarse 
the  entrance  to  the 
grotto,  they  succeeded 
in  extracting  some 
iplendid     blocks      of 


IHTEBIOR  OF   A   GROTIO  OF  TOl' 


topaz.  With  great 
diiiiculty  some  of  the 
blocks  were  conveyed 
acres;  the  perilous 
glacier  to  the  village 
of  Guttannen,  the  in- 
habitants of  which 
were  mostly  all  en- 
gaged in  the  labor  of 
opening  the  cave. 

Ihe  value  of  the 
stents  is  considerable, 
and  the  villagers  were 
enriched  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  unex- 
pected treasure. 

Oailie  Bridge. 
BtTWEFN  Chambery 
and  Geneva,  beyond 
the  villages  of  Metz, 
Ca\al,  aiid  Alouzier, 
is  an  immense  tleft 
in  the  rock,  such  as 
we  have  learned  to 
call  a  canon.  At  the 
bottom  murmurs,  or 
roars,  according  to 
the  season,  a  torrent 


SWITZERLAND. 


25S 


256 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


six  hnndred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
rocky  wall.  This  is  the  defile  of  Usses,  and 
over  this  abyss  modem  engineering  has  thrown 
a  wire  bridge  known  as  the  Charles  Albert,  or 
Caille  Bridge.  This  bold  work  was  inaugurated 
June  10,  1839.  It  is  nearly  six  hundred  feet 
long  by  about  eighteen  wide.  There  are  two 
paths  for  foot-passengers.  Travelers  generally 
stop  to  experience  the  effect  of  throwing  a  stone 
from  the  bridge  into  the  torrent.  The  sound, 
reverberating  from  side  to  side,  reaches  the  ear 
like  a  peal  of  thunder  or  the  roar  of  cannoa. 


The  Oberland  Journey. 
L»  the  journey  of  the  European  tourist  the 
Bernese    Oberland  plays  a  conspicuous    part. 


The  Vdley  of  Ohamouni. 
Chamouni  is  now  so  well  known  from  the 
accounts  of  various  travelers  that  little  need  be 
said  of  it  here.  It  is  a  large  and  important 
community,  and  in  its  bustle  during  the  Sum- 
mer months  resembles  an  English  watering- 
place.  With  the  exception  of  some  enormous 
hotels  erected  here,  Chamouni,  like  other  Swiss 
and  Savoy  villages,  retains  its  original  appear- 
ance. The  greater  portion  of  the  place  was,  in 
1855,  burned  down.  The  grand  white  mass  of 
Mont  Blanc,  and  its  accompanying  aiguilles  and 
glaciers  are  very  beautiful ;  so  is  the  valley  of 
which  we  give  a  view.  By  some  writers  it  is 
said  to  have  a  desolate  air  about  it,  but  with 
such  an  environment  this  can  scarcely  be  the 


gather  from  this  document  the  origin  of  th« 
name  Chamouni.  The  words  campus  munitus,  or 
fortified  field,  come,  as  seems  most  likely,  from 
its  mountain  boundaries ;  but  this  name  does 
not  occur  after  the  adoption  of  Prieurd. 

The  praises  of  the  excursions  around  Cha- 
mouni have  been  celebrated  by  writers  of 
various  grades.  The  poets  naturally  feel  en- 
chanted in  the  midst  of  such  scenery. 

In  the  immediate  neighborhood  is  the  cele- 
brated Mer  de  Glace,  the  enormous  glaciers 
which  terminate  in  the  Glacier  du  Bois,  and  tho 
source  of  the  Arveron,  in  the  Valley  of  Cha- 
mouni. From  the  Montaurent  the  Mer  da 
Glace  is  seen  to  an  extent  of  two  leagues  up  tho 
valley,  toward  the  Mount  Periades  and  tha 
Aiguilles  of  Lechand,  on  either  side  of  which  a 


Pull  of  varied  scenery,  the  eye  has  a  continual 
feast  spread  before  it.  But  not  without  toil  of 
body  is  this  feast  to  be  obtained.  Perilous 
heights  must  be  scaled,  frightful  chasms  crossed, 
fearfully  frail  bridges  traversed,  with  the  ter- 
rible avalanche,  continually  threatening. 

Our  illustration  represents  the  ascent  of  the 
famous  Jungfrau,  one  of  the  Bernese  Alps  So 
steep  and  circuitous  is  the  only  path  to  the 
summit,  that  the  majority  of  venturesorrte 
ladies  can  ascend  only  in  chairs  slung  on  f  )oles, 
and  carried  by  mountaineers.  Those  who 
attempt  to  ride  are  placed  in  great  peril  from 
falling  off  the  mules.  In  the  picture  one  of 
Uie  ladins  is  just  remounting  by  the  aid  of  one 
itf  the  guides. 


COVELO,  A   FOKTEESS   IN   THE  TYKOL. 

general  experience.     The  valley  stands  above 
the  level  of  the  sea  some  3,370  feet. 

The  village  of  Chamouni,  or  La  Prieure,  as  it 
has  sometimes  been  named,  from  a  Benedictine 
convent  established  here  about  the  end  of  the 
eleventh  century,  was  known  at  a  very  early 
period.  The  original  act  for  founding  the 
priory,  according  to  the  authorities  on  the  sub- 
ject, bears  the  seal  of  Count  Aymen,  and  a  refer- 
ence to  "  Papa  Urbano"  (Pope  Urban  II.), 
which  fixes  the  date  between  1088  and  1099. 
This  deed  conferred  a  grant  of  the  Vale  of  Cha- 
mouni, from  the  Col  do  Balme  to  the  torrent  of 
the  Dioza,  near  Servoz — about  seven  and  a  half 
leagues  in  length  by  about  three  in  breadth, 
including  the  mountain  sides  and  slopes.     We 


branch  continues  ;  that  on  the  south-west  form- 
ing the  great  glacier  of  Jacul,  and  that  on  the 
east  and  north-east  the  glaciers  of  Lechand  and 
Talfefie.  The  view  of  this  enormous  sea  of  ice 
is  one  of  the  most  striking  scenes  of  wonder, 
but  its  great  extent,  from  the  vast  size  of  every 
object  about  it,  Is  not  appreciated  at  first. 


The  Eailway  Tunnel  of  the  Alps. 

The  works  of  the  Grand  Tunnel  are  now 
constructed  along  its  whole  length,  between  the 
valley  of  the  Arc,  in  Savoy,  and  the  valley  ol 
Kochemolles,  opening  into  that  of  the  Dora 
Riparia  in  Piedmont. 

The  process  of  drilling  a  tunnel  through  tbf 


SWIIZERLAND. 


257 


Alps  was  commenCeii  in 

IfioT,  and  the  special 
apparatus  for  usino;  the 
force  of  compressed  air 
in  boring  was  first 
applied  in  June,  18(il  ; 
60  tliat  the  idea  of  con- 
structing a  railway  tun- 
nel through  the  moun- 
tain had  been  conceived 
long  before.  The  arc  of 
the  tunnel  is  nearly 
semi-circular ;  it  is  25 
feet  34  inches  wide  at 
the  base,  2G  feet  2| 
inches  at  the  broadest 
part,  and  24  foot  7  inches 
high  at  the  Modane  end, 
but  111  inches  higher  at 
the  Bardonneche  end. 
Its  roof  and  walls  are 
cased  with  masonry  ;  at 
the  Bardonneche  end  the 
vault  is  of  brick,  and 
the  sides  of  stone,  but 
at  the  Savoy  end  the 
whole  is  built  of  brick. 

The  boring  apparatus 
is  used  at  the  freshly  cut 

extremity  of  each  gallery,  and  consists  of  an 
iron  frame  or  carriage,  running  on  the  rails 
The  boring-needle  is  simply  an  iron  bar,  with  a 
point  two  inches  wide,  shaped  like  that  of  a 
chisel,  and  requires  frequent  sharpening.  These 
needles  are  connected  with  the  propelling 
cylinders  by  flexible  tubes  of  india-rubber,  so 
that  the  men  in  attendance  can  direct  the  point 
in  any  desired  direction.  A  second  pipe  ac- 
companies each 
borer,  and  pours 
in  a  little  water 
to  moisten  the 
rock. 

It  is  calculated 
chat  to  bore 
eight  holes  of 
the  required 
depth,  which  is 
about  four  feet, 
the  piston  rod 
must  give  .57,600 
strokes.  When- 
ever the  re- 
quisite number 
of  holes  have 
been  made,  the 
engine  travels 
back  out  of  the 
gallery,  the  men 
cliarge  the  holes 
wUh  mining 
powder,  lay  a 
train,  and  retire 
behind  the 
heavy  doors,  till 
the  rock  is  blown 
up.  A  strong 
jet  of  com- 
pressed  air  is 
then  thrown  in, 
which  disperses 
the  smoke ; 
wagons  are 
broueht  to  re- 
17 


THE  OBERLAND  JOUKNEY. 

move  the  broken  stone,  and  the  machine 
driven  forward  for  a  new  blast. 


Mont  Blanc. 

In  the  September  of  1850  a  very  interesting 
ascent  of  Mont  Blanc  was  accomplished  by  Mr. 
Erasmus  Gal  ton. 

We  take  from  Mr.  Galton's  journal  the  sub- 


AMESICAN   LADY    ASCENDING    MONT  BLANC. 


stance  of  the  narrative 
of  his  ascent: 

'•On  Sept.  4th,  1850, 
at  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  the  weather 
looking  fine,  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  ascend  ilcnt 
Blanc. 

"On  the  morning  cf 
the  5th  the  weather 
looked  doubtful,  and  it 
was  not,  consequently, 
until  ten  o'clock  that 
my  party  started.  It 
consisted  of  six  guides, 
named  respectively,  Jean 
Tairray,  Victor  Tairray, 
Alexander  Dirousseux, 
Joseph  Tairray,  Jean 
Carrier,  Basil  Tairray  ; 
seven  porters,  one  vo- 
lunteer (a  young  guide), 
and  a  German  mechanic. 
"I  rode  a  mule  for 
the  first  hour,  when, 
the  path  ceasing,  I  had 
to  dismount;  and 
having  stripped  off  my 
coat,  waistcoat,  nccU. 
clotli,  and  turned  up  my  sleeves,  etc.,  we  began 
the  ascent  in  earnest,  Victor  Tairray  guing  first, 
myself  second,  and  the  rest  following.  The 
pace  was  slow  but  constant.  At  about  one,  T.  si., 
we  reached  the  ice,  wliich  we  never  left  again, 
crossing  the  Glaciers  de  Bossons  and  Tacounez. 
These  glaciers  are  very  dangerous,  as  on  the 
left  above  there  is  a  succession  of  high  preci- 
pices, down  which  avalanches  are  continually 

falling:  they 
come  down  at  a 
great  pace ;  and, 
as  the  whole 
glacier  is  full  of 
gigantic  cre- 
vasses, it  is  im- 
possible to  get 
outof  their  way. 
"At  half  past 
4,  p.  M.,  on  ar- 
riving at  a  tre- 
menduous  cre- 
vasse, we  left 
the  porters  be- 
hind to  return 
t3  Chamouni, 
and,  loading 
ourselves  wit'.i 
the  provisions 
and  other  re- 
quisites which 
they  had  brought 
so  far,  we  crossed 
the  crevasse 
without  acci- 
dent, and  stepped 
out  for  the 
Grands  Mulets, 
where  we  arrived 
at  45  minutes 
past  four,  p.  M. 
Here  we  were  to 
sleep;  so  we 
all  immediately 
changed   .  OUT 


N 


258 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


RAILWAY  TUNNEL  OF  THE  ALPS — SECOND  WORKING  OALLERV  OF  THE  TUNNEL  EXCAVATION. 


clothes,  and  put  on  dry  and  extra  ones.  We 
next  had  our  supper,  and  then  to  sleep.  The 
guides  rigged  up  a  tent,  made  out  of  four 
Alpenstocks  laid  against  the  rocks,  and  then 
spread  some  light  canvas.  The  whole  width 
of  the  place  was  five  feet ;  and  as  I  slept  the 
outside  man,  by  lifting  up  my  head,  without 
moving  my  body,  I  could  look  down  about 
four  hundred  feet  upon  the  glacier  below. 

'■  At  eight  p.  M.  the  guides  awoke  me  to  see 
the  view  at  sunset.  It  was  the  most  sublime 
Bcene  possible  to  conceive,  all  the  valleys  being 
filled  i^-ith  clouds  (we,  being  far  above  them, 
had  a  perfectly  clear  sky)  ;  therefore,  on  look- 
ing down,  the  whole  world  seemed  gone,  and 
in  its  place  a  sea  of  clouds  below  us,  with  just 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  showing  through 
like  small  islands ;  and  the  vapor  being  divided 
into  masses,  looked  like  an  immense  sea  of  ice. 

"  It  was  a  sight  that  no  writing  can  explain. 
The  thought  that  crossed  my  mind  at  the  time 
was,  '  O  God,  how  wonderful  are  Thy  works !'  " 

"At  twelve  o'clock,  midnight,  we  again  pro- 
ceeded. No  moon,  but  the  reflection  from  the 
snow  gave  considerable  light.  The  leading 
man,  with  a  lantern,  to  be  used  at  crevasses : 
and  all  tied  together,  at  about  nine  feet  apart. 
The  rope  to  each  person,  after  being  knotted 
round  his  own  waist,  was  tied'  to  the  rope  at 
the  back  of  the  next  man.  By  this  means,  if  a 
mau  fell  into  a  crevasse,  the  next  man  to  him, 
both  before  and  behind,  must  assist  to  get  him 
out,  as  by  this  plan  they  cannot  release  them- 
selves, which  an  alarmed  man  might  do  if  he 
could,  and  the  rope  were  fastened  in  front. 

"  We  continued  walking  all  night,  steadily 
but  slowly,  till  about  six  a.  m.  ,  when  my  respi- 
ration began  to  be  affected  (this  was  the  Grand 
Plateau).  H«re  our  volunteer,  the  young  guide, 
and  the  German,  gave  out ,  they  had  plenty  of 
pluck,  but  were  utterly  exhausted.  I  was  quite 
grieved  for  them.     We  got  on  well  till  about 


seven  a.  m.,  when  I  fell  dovm  on  my  face  till 
my  lungs  became  inflated.  From  that  time  till 
nine  A.  m.  I  continually  became  almost  uncon- 
sciotis  and  partially  blind  and  stupefied,  and 
tumbled  about  like  a  drunken  man ;  but,  in 
every  case,  after  lying  down  for  about  two 
minutes,  I  easily  got  up  and  started  without 
difficulty.  At  half  past  nine  a.  m.  we  gained 
the  summit,  when  we  all  again  la}-  down  for 
about  four  minutes,  and  then  got  up  much  re- 
vived. The  sky  was  cpiite  clear  and  the  bound- 
less view  perfect,  but  on  too  great  a  scale  for 
the  mind  to  take  it  all  in. 

' '  I  wanted  so  much  to  see  everything,  that  I 
could  not  calmly  look  at  each  point  separately, 
more  particularly  as  one  of  my  guides  was 
suffering  very  much  from  cold  and  difficulty 


of  breathing,  and  implored  me  to  descend. 
I  think  I  could  have  staid  on  the  summit 
for  an  hour  or  two ;  but  the  party  who  last 
came  up  having  had  three  persons  frost-bitten, 
I  did  not  feel  justified  in  keeping  the  guides 
long  on  the  sumraiC.  In  about  fifteen  minutes 
we  began  to  descend,  which  I  found  to  be  much 
more  dangerous  than  the  ascent.  I  had '  two 
ropes  tied  to  me,  very  long  ones,  as  it  is  ot 
great  consc-quencc  not  to  give  a  sudden  jerk  to 
your  next  man,  in  case  you  slip.  In  descend- 
ing the  steep  slopes,  one  man  goes  first  to  cut 
each  step  in  the  snow.  It  seemed  to  me  a 
service  of  great  danger,  as  he  is  not  allowed  to 
have  a  rope  tied  to  him,  the  object  being  to 
oblige  him  to  cut  each  step  deep  and  quite  safe, 
as  the  steps  wear  so  fast  from  the  friction  of  the 
feet  that  the  last  mau  would  be  in  danger  of 
slipping  down — a  most  serious  matter,  as  he 
would  push  the  others  before  him,  outward 
from  behind  ;  and,  not  having  any  one  to  check 
him,  if  a  second  one  slipped,  all  would  probably 
be  carried  away.  We  arrived  at  the  Grands 
Mulets  by  one  p.  M.,  where  we  took  off  our 
extra  clothing.  The  guides  dined,  and  I  slept 
till  two  p.  M.,  when  we  again  descended,  cross- 
ing at  our  old  route,  the  Glacier  de  Bossons,  as 
far  as  we  were  able ;  but,  in  the  few  hours 
which  had  passed  since  we  had  crossed  it  in  our 
ascent,  many  of  the  crevices  had  been  much 
altered — some  closed,  and  one  (a  very  large 
one)  fresh  formed.  At  five  we  reached  the 
chalet  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  At  half- 
past  six  p.  M.  we  arrived  at  the  inn  in  Cha- 
mouui." 

Another  writer  says : 

"  Whoever  has  made  the  tour  of  Mont  Blanc 
knows  that  it  is  but  an  easy  journey  round  its 
base,  familiar  to  every  mountain  traveler  in 
Switzerland,  and  having  its  beginning  and  its 
end  at  Chamouni.  An  ascent  of  Mont  Blanc  is 
a  very  different,  and,  as  the  reader  hereof  will 
presently  be  shown,  a  much  more  difficult  and 
dangerous  matter. 

' '  First,  the  glaciers  are  to  be  encountered.  And 
now,  before  we  go  any  further,  let  us  come  to  a 


EAILWAV   TLNNKL   OK  TllE   ALPS— SECOND  AND  THIKO  UALLEEIES   OF  TUE  TUNNEL   EXCAVATION, 


SWITZERLAND. 


25» 


OAILLE    BKIBGE,     IN    SAVOY. 


260: 


TEE    WOKLDS    GREAT    NATlONd. 


MONT  BLAXC— ENCAMPED  ON  THE  OEANDS  MULEIS. 


confusion  by  mingling  their  ruins.  The  mo- 
raines with  which  the  surface  hfis  been  chargeil 
are,  as  a  matter  of  uecessit}',  dispersed  into 
every  fissure  by  the  discontinuity :  and  the 
masses  thus  fallen,  and  ground  by  the  press- 
ure of  the  ice,  are  from  time  to  time  rolled 
down  the  rocky  steep,  and  finally  are  borne  to 
a  certain  distance  by  the  impetuous  torrent 
which  flows  from  its  base. 

"  'Among  the  most  dangerous  accidents  of 
glacier  traveling  are  the  fragments  of  stone 
which,  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  are  discharged 
and  roll  down  from  the  rocks  al:ove.  A  stone, 
even  if  seen  beforehand,  may  fall  in  a  direction 
from  which  the  traveler,  engaged  amidst  the 
perils  of  crevasses,  or  on  the  precarious  footing 
of  a  narrow  ledge  of  rock,  cannot  possibly  with- 
draw in  time  to  avoid  it.  And  Eeldom  do  they 
come  alone  ;  like  an  avalanche,  they  gain  others- 
during  tlie  descent.  Urged  with  the  velocity 
acQuued  in  half  rolling,  half  bounding  down  a 
precipitous  slope  of  a  thousand  feet  high,  they 
strike  fire  by  collision  with  their  neighbors,  are 
split,  perhaps,  into  a  thousand  shivers,  and 
detach  by  the  blow  a  still  greater  mass,  which, 
once  discharged,  thunders  with  an  explosive 
roar  upon  the  glacier  beneath,  acccmpanied  by 
clouds  of  dust  or  smoke,  produced  in  the  col- 
lision. These  dry  avalanches  are  among  the 
most  terrible  of  the  ammunition  with  which  the 
genius  of  these  mountain  solitudes  repels  tl:c 
appro.^.ch  of  curious  man.'  " 

This  especial  danger  is  so  well  illustrated  by 
Mr.  Hinchliff,  in  "  Peaks,  Passes  and  Glaciers," 
a  volume  recently  published  in  London  by  mem- 
bers cf  the  Alpine  Club,  that  we  cannot  forbear 
extracting  his  very  graphic  account.    The  party. 


right  understanding  of  the  answer  to  that  in- 
teresting question,  'What  is  a  glacier?'  pro- 
fessor Forbes,  in  his  capital  little  book,  'The 
Tour  o)  Mont  Blanc  and  of  Monte  Rosa,'  has  a 
chapter  on  'Glaciers  and  their  Scenery,'  a 
caadensation  or  which  will  give  the  reader  all 
the  information  required  on  this  point: 

"  '  When  a  glacier  descends  a  steep  mountain 
ravine,  traversed  by  one  of  those  majestic  frozen 
torrents  which  course  down  the  tremendous 
gorges  which  the  chain  of  Mont  Blanc  presents 
on  its  southern  side,  the  condition  of  the  ice 
differs  considerably  from  that  which  we  have 
described.  Urged  onward  in  its  flow  upon  the 
immense  bed  of  rocks  on  which  it  reposes, 
forced  sometimes  to  discharge  itself  over  the 
bank  of  a  precipice,  the  rigid  mass  is  fissured  in 
all  directions.  Swayed  hither  and  thither  by 
the  uneveiinesst-  its  base,  the  fissures  maintain 
no  constant  direction,  but  subdivide  the  ponder- 
ous mass  into  rude,  prismatic  fragments,  whose 
height  is  the  thickness  of  the  ice,  and  the  form 
of  their  bases  is  determined  by  the  melting  of 
the  fissures  which  form  them.  These  fissures 
become  transformed  into  pyramids  more  or  less 
rude  by  the  action  of  the  atmospheric  waters, 
the  contact  of  air  and  evaporation  which  soon 
sharpen  their  summits,  rising  in  a  thousand  fan- 
tastic forms,  whilst  their  bases  here  and  there 
irregularly  cut  through  by  the  escape  of  glacier 
torrents,  become  excavated  into  not  less  fantas- 
tic labyrinths  in  the  deep,  blue  depths  of  the 
ice,  which  often  preserves  here  its  most  charac- 
tenstic  purity.  As  the  excavation  proceeds, 
these  pyramids,  doubly  acuminated  above  and 
tclow,  topple  over  and  increase  the  apparent 


OBAND  PLATKAC,  MONT  BLANC. 


SWITZERLAND. 


261 


of  which  Mr.  Hinchliff  formed  one,  had  reached 
the  Trift  Pass  on  their  perilous  ascent.     Mr.  n. 

says: 

"The  continuous  exertion  and  great  excite- 
ment of  the  three  hours  and  a  half  since  leaving 
the  Col  were  admirably  calculated  to  put  the 
•whole  party  in  a  high  state  of  satisfaction  at 
coming  to  so  smooth  an  anchorage,  and  in  the 
highest  spirits  we  pripaied  to  improve  the  occa- 
jsion  to  the  uttermost.  The  provision  knapsacks 
were  emptied  and  used  as  seats  ;  bottles  of  red 
wine  were  stuck  upright  in  the  snow  ;  n  goodly 
Jeg  of  cold  mutton  on  its  sheet  of  paper  formed 
"the  centre,  garnislied  with  hard  eggs  ancJ  bread 
and  cheese,  round  which  we  ranged  ourt.<jlves  in 
A  circle.  High  festival  was  held  under  the  deep 
blue  heavens,  and  now  and  then,  as  we  looked 
up  at  the  wondrous  wall  of  rocks  which  we  had 
descondel,  we  congratulate  J  ourselves  on  the 
victory  with  a  quiet  nod,  indicative  of  satisfac- 
tion. M.  Seller's  beautiful  oranges  supplied  the 
Tare  luxury  of  a  dessert,  and  we  were  just  in' the 
full  enjoyment  of  the  delicacy  when  a  l)ooming 
sound,  like  the  discharge  of  a  gun  far  over  our 
iieads,  made  us  all  at  once  glance  upward  to  the 
tjp  of  the  Trifthorn.  Close  to  its  craggy  sum- 
mit hung  a  cloud  of  dust,  like  dirty  smoke,  and 
in  a  few  seconds  another  and  a  larger  one  burst 
forth  several  hundred  feet  lower.  A  glance 
through  the  telesc3pe  showed  that  a  fall  of  rocks 
had  commenced,  and  the  fragments  were  leap- 
ing down  fro;ii  led:^e  to  ledge  in  a  series  of  cas- 
cades. Each  block  dashed  off  others  at  every 
point  of  contact,  and  the  uproar  became  tre- 
mendous ;  thousands  of  fragments  making 
every  variety  of  noise,  according  to  their  size, 
*Jid  producing  the  effect  of  a  fire  of  musketry 


MONT   BLANC — A   GUIDE'S   ACCIDENT. 


UONT  BLANC — CBOSSIMC    T'dE  QLASSIEB   DE   B0S80KS 


and  artillery  combined,  thundered  downward 
from  so  great  a  height  that  we  waited  anxiously 
for  some  considerable  time  to  see  them  reach 
the  snow-field  below.  As  nearly  as  we  could 
estimate  the  distance,  we  v/ere  five  hundred  yards 
from  the  base  of  the  rocks,  so  we  thought  that, 
come  what  might,  we  were  in  a  tolerably  secure 
position.  At  last  we  saw  many  of  the  blocks 
plunge  into  the  snow  after  taking  their  last  fear- 
ful leap ;  presently  much  larger  fragments  fol- 
lowed, taking  proportionably  larger  bounds ; 
the  noise  grew  fiercer  and  fiercer,  and  huge 
blocks  began  to  fall  so  near  to  us  that  we 
jumped  to  our  feet,  preparing  to  dodge  them  to 
tlie  best  of  our  ability. 

"  '  Look  out !'  cried  some  one.  and  we  opened 
out  right  and  left  at  the  approach  of  a  monster 
evidently  weighing  many  hundredweight,  which 
was  coming  right  at  us  like  a  huge  shell  fired 
from  a  mortar.  It  fell  with  a  heavy  thud,  not 
more  than  twenty  feet  from  us,  scattering  lumps 
of  snow  into  the  circle  where  we  had  just  been 
dining  ;  but  scarcely  had  we  begun  to  recover 
from  our  astonishment  when  a  still  larger  rock 
fiew  exactly  over  our  heads  to  a  distance  of  two 
hundred  yards  beyond  us.  The  malice  of  the 
Trifthorn  now  seemed  to  have  done  its  worst : 
a  few  more  blocks  dropped  around  us,  and  then, 
after  an  incessant  fire  for  about  ten  minutes,  the 
fallen  masses  retired  in  rsgular  gradation,  til! 
nothing  remained  in  transitu  but  showers  of 
stones  and  small  debris  pouring  down  the  side  of 
the  mountain  ;  the  thundering  noise  died  away 
into  a  tinkling  clatter ;  and,  though  clouds  cl 
dust  still  obscured  the  precipice,  silence  was 
soon  restored." 


2G3 


THE    WORLDS     GREAT     NATIONS. 


"Just  attei-  crossing  the  Glaicer  de  Bbs- 
8ons,  while  we  were  crossing  a  steep  slope  of 
snow,  one  of  the  porters  (the  man  who  carried 
the  ladder)  slipped  and  fell.  He  first  shot  down 
along  the  snow  about  thirty  feet,  then,  ounding 
off  the  edge,  fell  headforemost  into  a  crevasse, 
about  thirty  more.  We  all  thought  that  he  was 
killed.  After  some  minutes  we  got  round  to  the 
other  side  of  the  crevasse  :  we  looked  down  and 
saw  him  lying  insensible  He  had  fallen  on  a 
ledge  of  snow  and  ice,  about  four  feet  wide,  with 
the  ladder  propping   him   up.      Had    he  not 


cautious  we  must  be.  By  this  accident  my 
thermometer  was  unfortunately  broken,  so  that 
I  had  no  means  of  registering  the  degree  of  cold 
which  we  experienced. 

"At  half-past  four  p.m.,  on  arriving  at  a  tre- 
mendous crevasse,  we  left  the  porters  behind  to 
return  to  Chamouni,  and,  loading  ourselves  with 
the  provisions  and  other  requisites  which  they 
had  brought  so  far,  we  crossed  the  crevasse  with- 
out accident,  and  stepped  out  for  the  Grands 
Mulcts,  where  we  arrived  at  forty-five  minutes 
past  four  P.M.     Here  we  were  to  sleep ;  so  we 


possible  to  conceive,  all  the  valleys  being  filleA 
with  clouds  (we,  Deing  far  above  them,  had  a. 
perfectly  clear  sky) ;  therefore,  on  looking  down, 
the  whole  world  seemed  gone,  and  in  its  place 
a  sea  of  clouds  below  us,  with  just  the  tops  of 
the  mountains  ■  showing  through  like  small 
islands." 


Oovelo. 

OoYELO,  or  Kofel,  is  a  Tyrolese  fort,  between 
Primolano  and  Cismone,  in  the   wild  ravino 


bounded  off  the  edge  of  the  glacier  with  great 
velocity,  and  so  fallen  on  this  ledge  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  crevasse,  he  must  have  gone 
to  the  bottom,  a  distance  little  short  of  sixty 
feet.  After  a  little  time  he  revived,  and,  being 
tied  to  the  ladder,  wo  all  got  hold  of  the  rope 
and  hauled  him  up.  He  was  much  shaken,  and 
his  arm  so  painful  that  we  were  obliged  to  leave 
him  behind,  with  a  porter  to  take  care  of  him, 
and  then  we  proceeded.  This  catastrophe  de- 
tained us  nearly  an  hour,  and  showed  ub  how 


HDTS   AND   ROCKS  OP  THE  ORAND9  jrULETS. 

all  immediately  changed  our  clothes  and  put  on 
dry  and  extra  ones.  We  next  had  our  supper, 
and  then  to  sleep.  The  guides  rigged  up  a  tent, 
made  out  of  four  Alpine  stocks  laid  against  the 
rocks,  and  then  spread  some  light  canvas.  The 
whole  width  of  the  place  was  five  feet ;  and  as  I 
slept  the  outside  man,  by  lifting  up  my  head, 
without  moving  my  body,  I  could  look  down 
about  four  hundred  feet  upon  the  glacier  Ijelow. 
At  eight  P.M.  the  guides  awoke  me  to  see  the 
view  at  sunset.     It  was  the  most  sublime  scene 


watered  by  the  Brente.  Cut  in  the  i-ock,  a  hun^ 
dred  feet  and  more  above  the  lower  surface  o£ 
the  valley,  it  commands  the  valley,  and  is  in- 
visible, except  when  quite  near.  Its  garrison  is 
five  hundred  men.  Tlie  Emperor  Maximilian 
took  it  from  the  Venetians  in  1509.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1796,  General  Augerau  took  it,  and,  in. 
1848,  it  was  the  scene  of  a  struggle  between  the 
Austrians  and  Italians.  Around  it  lie  sevea 
settlements,  called  the  Selle  Commune,  thoroughly 
German. 


SWITZERLAND. 


2G3 


a 

o 

> 


5 


234 


THE    WORLD'S    GBEAT    NATIONS. 


SraUII  OF  UONT  BLANa 


from  a  world  of  beauty— the  vale  of  Domschleg, 
under  the  old  Etruscan  castle  of  Eealt,  spiked 
in  the  cliff  like  a  war  club,  four  hundred  feet 
above  you  and  totally  inaccessible  on  every  side 
save  one— and  are  plunged  at  once  into  ascene 
of  concentrated  and  deep  sublimity,  such  awe- 
inspiring  grandeur,  such  overwhelming  power, 
that  you  advance  slowly  and  solemnly,  as  if 
every  crag  were  a  supernE.tural  being.  The 
road  is  carried  with  great  daring  along  the. per- 
pendicular face  of  crags,  cut  from  the  rock 
where  no  living  thing  could  have  scaled  the 
mountain,  and  sometimes  it  completely  over- 
hangs the  abyss,  a  thousand  feet  abcve  the 
raging  torrent.  Now  it  pierces  the  rock,  now 
it  runs  zig-zag,  now  spans  the  gorge  on  a  light 
dizzy  bridge;  now  the  mountains  frcivn  en 
each  other  like  tropical  thunder -clouds  about 
to  meet  and  discharge  their  artillery,  and  now 
you  come  upon  mighty  insulated  crags,  thrown 
wildly  together,  covered  with  fringes  of  mces 
and  shrubbery,  constituting  masses  cf  verdure. 
Nothing  can  be  finer  than  the  effect  where  ycu 
look  through  the  ravine,  as  through  a  mighty 
perspective,  with  the  Eealt  Castle  hanging  to 
the  clifif  at  its  mouth,  and  the  t-i.nny  air  and 
earth  expanding  in  such  contrast  with  the 
frowning,  gloom  invested,  tremendous  passage 
behind  you.  We  leaned  over  the  parapet  and 
endeavoreJ  to  guess  at  the  depth  of  the  chasm. 
It  was  very  dizzy  to  look  at.  The  tall  black  fir 
forests  on  the  mountain  shelves,  and  the  blasted 
pines  on  the  inaccessible  peaks,  seemed  to  gaze 
gravely  at  us,  as  if  we  had  come  unauthorized 
into  a  sanctuary  of  nature  too  deep  and  awful 
to  be  trodden  by  the  foot  of  man. 


The  Via  Mala. 

The  Rhine  ceases  to  be  navi- 
gable above  Lake  Constance. 
The  main  point  of  interest  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  stream 
is,  unquestionably,  the  Via 
Mala.  The  noble  river  is  here 
in  its  infancy.  Coruijressed 
between  the  rocks  which  in- 
close  its  bed.  it  is  scarcely 
wider  t'lan  a  rivulet,  but  the 
chasm  which  it  has  cleft  for 
itself  is  one  of  the  most  ira- 
posing  and  awe-inspiri  ng 
gorges  in  the  world.  The 
valley  seems  to  be  absolutely 
closed  up  by  an  impenetrable 
barrier  of  rofk,  and  it  is  only 
on  a  neir  approach  that  a 
narrow  rift  is  discovered,  out 
of  which  the  infant  river 
bursts.  Entering  this  gorge, 
the  mountains  on  either  side 
rise  higher  and  higher ;  the 
chasm  becomes  narrower ;  far 
below  the  raging  torrent  roars 
and  thunders  in  its  rocky  bed, 
sometimes  at  a  depth  so  great 
as  to  be  almost  inaudible  ;  a 
narrow  strip  of  sky  is  all  that 
can  be  descried  overhead,  and 
the  ravine  beneath  lies  in  im- 
penetrable darkness.  In  soma 
places  the  cliffs  on  either  hand 
rise  to  a  height  of  sixteen  hun- 
dred feet. 

You  enter  this  savage  pass 


HOKT   DLAMO   AND   TUB  "  uer    riu  OI.»CE.' 


SWITZERLAND. 


265 


THE    VIA    MAIiA,   NEAE    THE    SOTJECE    OF    THE    RHINE. 


266 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


a:id  crawls  upward  till  you  look  back  and 
admire  the  labor  and  skill  which  permits  tho 
heavy  diligence  to  thread  its  way  through  such 
a  hopeless-looking  cleft.  We  strolled  along, 
now  pausing  to  fix  the  memory  of  some  sudden 
corner  of  the  route  upon  our  minds,  now  to- 
throw  pebbles  down  the  gorge — ;n  doing  which 
I  most  unluckily  and  stupidly  pitched  away  a 
pet  pencil  case — now  to  peep  over  the  parapet, 
•where  the  river  rushed  immediately  under  our 
elbows  at  a  depth  of  about  four  hundred  feet. 
Close  to  this  a  bridge  steps  across  the  ravine, 
and  '  the  climax  of  stern  sublimity  is  attained.' 
An  old  man  who  was  mending  the  roads,  seeing 
us  approach,  waited  with  a  huge  stone,  ready 
to  heave  it  over  the  brink  the  very  moment  w» 
looked  an  assent.  So  we  treated  ourselves  to 
twopenny-worth  of  the  loudest  splash  1  ever 
heard.  The  smack  of  the  stone  upon  the  water 
was  like  the  report  of  a  gxin.  Then  our  friend 
gave  a  grunt,  as  if  s;iying,  '  I  suppose  that  is. 
what  you  like,'  did  »  profound  obeisance  for 
the  twopence,  and  shambled  back  to  bis  work." 


MONT   BLANC — DESCENT  OF  STONES. 


The  Jungtrau  Mountain. 

Travelers  wlio  have  visited  the  Swiss  Alps 
have  boon  warm  in  their  expressions  of  admi- 
ration of  this  grand  and  stupendous  mountain. 
It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  a  more  sublime 
and  imposing  sight  than  is  presented  by  the 
towering  height  of  the  snow-capped  Jung- 
frau.  On  all  sides  it  is  surrounded  by  immense 
masses  of  rocks  and  vast  and  dizzy  precipices, 
which  cause  a  tlirill  and  a  shudder  as  we  look 
down.  Its  height  is  13,671  feet,  and  the  snow 
on  its  summit  is  perpetual.  But  vast  as  is  its 
height,  and  insurmountable  as  would  seem  to 
be  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  the  ascent,  the 
top  of  the  Jungfrau,  or  "Maiden  Mountain," 
has  twice  been  reached,  once  in  1812  by  the 
brothers  Meyer,  of  Aarau,  and  also  in  1841  by 
Agassiz  and  Professor  Forbes. 

Its  position  is  on  the  boundary  line  between 
the  cantons  of  Berne  and  Valais,  about  seven 
miles  west  of  the  Finster^aarhorn. 


although  it  lies  between  rugged  mountain  pre- 
cipices, which  seem  sometimes  as  if  they  met 
in  front,  and  had  swallowed  the  intruding  road 
which  crept  within  its  jaws.  But  what  with 
bridges  and  tunnels,  and  great  grooves  along 
the  face  of  the  sheer,  upright  rocks,  it  dodges 


Festival  of  the  Men-at-Arms,  at  Neufchatel. 
The  ancient  "armorers''  festival  at  Neuf- 
chatel, which  had,  for  some  time,  been  allowed 
to  fall  into  desuetude,  was  revived  on  the  31st 
of  October,  1868.  The  origin  of  this  public- 
holiday  is  thus  related:  "Between  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries  the  Dukes  of 
Savoy,  who  possessed  the  territory  on  the  south- 
ern banks  of  the  lake,  at  present  represented  by 
the  Cantons  of  Vaud  and  Freibourg,  were  un- 
able to  contemplate  without  envy  the  towers 
and  turrets  of  the  old  castle  of  Neufchatel, 
which  commanded  the  town.  Long  considera. 
tion  had  brought  them  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
might  easily  be  take  nby  surprise,  if  only  a  few 
determined  retainers  could  be  introduced  with- 
in its  walls  :  and  the  result  was.  that  on  a  cer 
tain  day,  some  boats  were  seen  oil  the  lake, 
approaching  from   the  direction   of   Yverdon. 


View  in  the  Orisons. 
"  It  was  a  threatening  day,"  says  a  tourist  in 
Switzerland,  "when  we  started  from  the  excel- 
lent Steinbock  hotel,  at  Coire.  in  a  little  one- 
horse  chaise,  for  Thusis.  We  reached  it  in 
alxjut  three  hours,  and,  after  a  hasty  luncheon, 
set  off  to  walk  through  the  defile  of  the  Via 
Mala,  which  begins  at  once  above  the  village. 
"We  had  heard  and  read  so  much  about  the 
'  terrible  sublimity'  of  this  famous  gorge,  that 
we  were  rather  disappointed  with  a  capital 
macadamized    road,  as  good  as  in   England, 


FESTrVAL   OF  IHS  «EN-AT-ABMS,  STECFCHATH:, 


SWITZERLAND. 


26T 


■whenffG  the-y  hnri  brought  n  present  o?  a  few 
tuns  o£  wine  for  tlio  Governor's  table.  These 
tuna  were  deposited  in  the  courtyard  of 
the  castle,  and  left  there  without  suspicion; 
but  in  the  evening  soino  of  the  children,  who 
■were    playing  at  hide-and-seek  in  the  open 


like  the  horse  of  Troy,  the  tuns  contained 
stout  Savoyard  soldiers.  The  red  stream  that 
ran  from  the  broken  staves  was  not  wine,  but 
blood,  and  every  foe  were  slain." 

This  was  the   origin  of  the  festival,  an  il- 
lustration of  which  we  present  to  our  readers. 


fi,Ked.  The  alps  are  generally  considered  a» 
divided  into  throe  terraces  or  sections,  the 
highest  of  whicn  cannot  be  occupied  before- 
the  month  of  August. 

The  hay  gathered  in  ispots  which  cattle  can- 
not reach  is  called  tcildheu,  and  the  reapers,. 


space  of  the  old  fortress,  fancied  they  heard  a 
strange  sound  in  one  or  two  of  the  big  casks, 
and  ran  off  to  tell  their  fathers,  who  at  once 
snatched  up  such  arms  as  they  could  mo.st 
readily  find,  and  went  up  to  the  castle,  lighted 
by  the  children,  who  carried  torches.  The 
present  was  intended  to  be  a  fatal  one,  for, 


-        VIBW  IN  THE  QKIS0N3. 

The  Harvest  in  the  Alps. 
Alp  means  properly  the  mountain  pasturage 
to  which  the  shepherds  lead  their  cattle  in 
Summer,  and  where  butter  and  cheese  are 
made.  These  spots  are  precious,  and  the  cattle 
each  may  place  there  is  carefully  estimated  and 


wildheuer.  Yet,  as  the  grass  here  is  finer,  green: 
and  aromatic,  and  prized  by  the  cattle,  there  is 
no  lack  of  men  to  gather  it.  The  Swiss  and 
Tyrolese  mountaineers  climb  the  most  abrupt 
summits  to  gather  it,  using  their  iron-shod 
stock,  and  irons  on  their  feet.  The  ascent, 
when  loaded  with  merely  a  sickle,  is  dangerou* 


^68 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


cnougli ;  but  the  descent,  loaded  with  the  hay, 
is  enough  to  make  the  coolest  and  most  expe- 
rienced falter.  tot 

Eeminiscences  of  Swiss  Travels. 
In  1865,  a  very  intelligent  clergyman  made 
a  prolonged  tour  amidst  the  wildest  retreats  of 
this  wonderful    land 
— and,    giving    more 
lime  to  his  task  than 
the  majority  of  trav- 
elers, has  written  one 
•of     the    pleasantest 
books  about  the  sub- 
ject    that    we     have 
seen.    We  make  room 
for    a    few    extracts 
from  his  three  trips : 

WKESTLING  MATCH. 

"There  is  a  beau 
tiful  w.alk  just  abo\e 
the  Alpbach,  up  some 
broad   zigzags,   from 
which  the  scenery  of 
the  valley  shows  its 
special    charms.     In- 
deed, there    are    nvi 
merous     varied     ex 
cursions  around 
Meyringen,  which  ^^e 
staid     there     long 
enough  to  appreciate, 
though     not     to    e\ 
laust.   It  is  the  centre 
of     six      well-known 
roads,  but  there   aie 
many  more  used  by 
the    country   people 
and  quite  easy. 

"After  dinner  the 
waiter  told  me  that 
the  Schwing-feste,  or 
wrestling- match  be 
tween  the  men  of 
H  a  s  1  i  and  Unter 
walden,  was  to  be 
held  the  next  morning 
on  the  Eugsthlen  Alp 
about  two  hours  and 
&  half  abovo  the 
■village;  so  I  desired 
him  to  get  brealifast 
ready  in  good  time,  as 
I  should  go  myself 

"It  was  aboiit 
half-past  seven,  how 
«ver,  the  next  moin 
ing,  when  I  walked 
lip  the  zigzags 
beyond  the  Alpbach 
fall,  in  the  direction 
indicated  by  the 
•waiter.  As  the 
■day    was    a     great 

;one  for  the  Meyringen  people,  I  expected  to 
have  seen  many  on  the  road ;  but  I  was  late  and 
alone.  The  path  soon  reached  a  table,  or  rather 
shelf  of  land,  and  then,  traversing  this,  I 
mounted  the  hillside  beyond  it.  The  scenery 
was  lovely.  Picturesque  cottages  and  park-like 
grass,  with  irregular  groups  of  large  trees,  lay 


immediately  around  me ;  in  front  the  hills  rose 
again,  huge  swells  of  alp  or  pasturage :  be- 
neath me  was  the  vale  of  Hash,  and  beyond  it 
the  opposite  low  range,  above  which  the  snowy 
peaks  of  the  Vvetterboru  shone  white  in  the  sun. 
But  they  were  soon  all  hid,  for  clouds  came 
down,  and  though  they  were  dry  .■non.r),.  ti,,,^ 


ASCBNT  pP  MONT  BLANC  BY  Dg.  HAMEL 

off  not  only  the  view  of  the  mountain,  but  that 
of  the  path.  While  it  was  clear,  I  had  made  my 
way  toward  a  summit  near  which  I  knew  the 
gathering  was  to  be  held.  Now  the  summit 
was  gone,  and  I  had  got  fairly  into  the  cloud 
region  with  the  smallest  inkling  of  my  path, 
and  no  compass.     After  looking  and  turning 


round  several  times,  I  had  not  the  slightest  ii»ea 
which  way  to  go.  Presently  I  came  to  a  cluster 
of  chalets,  but  there  was  not  a  soul  in  or  near 
them.  At  last  I  heard  a  great  hallooing  at  a 
distance.  It  proceeded  from  rustics  who  were 
guiding  some  companions  to  their  path.  '  Are 
^•.„,  r,„jug  to  the  Schwing-feste?'  said  I.  'Yah,' 
they  replied ;  so  I 
shortened  sail  and 
followed  astern.  Pre- 
sently we  emerged 
from  the  stratum  of 
clouds  upon  tho 
shoulder  of  a  hill, 
over  which,  my 
friends  told  me,  tho 
games  were  held.  In 
a  few  minutes  we 
came  upon  tho  place, 
a  small,  flat  plot  of 
grass  with  rLsing  tuif- 
lianks,  on  which  the 
people  of  Hasli  and 
Uuterwalden  respect, 
ively  sat,  tier  above 
tier.  We  found  our- 
selves on  the  Hasli 
side.  The  great  body 
of  the  Unterwaldeu 
people  had  not  ar- 
rived, though  their 
opponents  were  pre- 
sent in  force.  My 
companions  greeted 
friends,  and  I — looked 
about  me. 

"The  grass  arena 
was  surrounded,  at 
the  height  of  about 
twenty  feet  up  the 
bank,  by  a  fringe  of 
wine-casks  under  um- 
brellas. They  had 
been  brought  up  on 
men's  shoulders,  and 
were  thus  shaded 
from  the  sun.  The 
arena  itself  was  oc- 
cupied l>y  three  or 
four  couples,  who 
danced  upon  the 
green.  A  thin  sprin- 
kling of  Uuterwalden 
peoi^le  sat  on  the 
opposite  bank,  every 
now  and  then  look- 
ing up  the  range  of 
grass-hills  behind 
them,  over  the  ridge 
of  which  they  ex- 
pected to  see  their 
friends  and  cham- 
pions approach. 
Presently  they  came 
almost  all  together,  and  charged  down  the 
slope  with  a  howling  chorus.  It  was  a  defiant 
war-cry,  and  I  could  hear  strife  in  the  sound. 
' '  The  friends  of  the  rival  wrestlers  soon  settled 
themselves  down  on  their  respective  banks,  and 
the  umpires  cleared  the  arena  ;  the  last  to  move 
off  it  being  some  pigs,  which  snouted  away  and 


SWITZERLAND. 


20» 


flicked  their  tails  in  total  uiiconcera  of  the 
whole  matter.  The  pigs  belonged  to  a  solitary 
chalet  which  stood  some  hundred  yards  off,  and 
which  v.-as  made,  for  the  day,  into  a  pablic- 
bousc. 
,  "  The  whole  affair  was  a  genuine  one,  and 


TBS  HABTESI  IN   THE  ALPS. 

quite  unlike  some  which  are  occasionally  got  up 
for  show  ia  places  where  tourists  resort.  The 
chatter  of  the  crowds  soon  ceased,  and  the 
rulers  of  the  games  brought  forward  the  first 
two  pair  of  wrestlers.  They  wore  tlieir  ordinary 
shirts  and  trowsers,  but  over  these  last  they  put 


on  very  strong  drawers,  by  the  w.iistband  of 
which  each  man  held  his  opponent.  None  wore 
any  shoes.  There  was  perfect  silence  when  the 
first  pair  came  together.  Each  washed  his  arms 
with  white  wine,  shook  hands,  knelt  down,  laid 
hold  of  the  waistband  of  his  adversary  before 


270 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


end  behind,  and  tried  to  turn  him  on  his 
■back.  It  was  a  graceless  exhibition  as  long  as 
ihe  men  remained  thus  writhing  on  their  knees, 
but  occasionally,  when  they  rose  to  their  feet, 
there  was  an  exciting  struggle.  All  was  con- 
ducted with  fairness  and  proprietj'.  Whenever 
a  champion  was  victorious  his  friends  on  the 
bank  yelled  applause  :  and  then  he  went  round 
among  them  with  a  hat,  and  got  a  heap  of  cop- 
pers. There  was  no  sport  but  the  wrestling  ;  no 
races,  leaping,  or  hurling.  Pair  after  pair  came 
down  into  the  grass-jilot  and  tugged  at  their 
respective  waistbands.  Some  of  the  men  were 
Vv'ell  built,  and  showed  remarkably  muscxilar 
forearms.  I  noticed  this  to  a  German  gentle- 
man who  sat  by  me  on  the  grass,  and  spoke 
English  well.  '  Ah,'  said  he,  '  that  is  caused  by 
milking ;  when  a  man  milks  for  hours  every 
'day,  he  gets  such  muscles  as  you  see.' 

' '  There  was  only  one  reall  j'  fine  figure  among 
the  WTestlers,  and  he  was  apj^arently  the  best 
man  on  the  Unterwalden  side,  for  they  kept  him 
to  the  last.  The  Hash  representiitive  was  a 
clumsy,  round-shouldered  fellow,  but  with  an 
ominously  dogged  look,  and  limbs  like  a  cart- 
horse. He  walked  up  with  a  straw  in  his 
mouth ;  and  the  excitement  of  the  day  rose  to 
its  highest  pitch  when  this  pair  were  locked  in 
silent  grapple.  Three  times  they  hugged  and 
spent  their  breath,  being  obliged  to  unclasp 
without  an  inch  of  gain  on  either  side.  Then 
-the  Unterwalden  champion  lost  his  temper,  and 
the  umpires  coming  forward,  forbade  him  to  try 
again.  I  never  saw  a  man  in  such  a  rage.  He 
shook  like  one  in  a  fit,  and  it  took  four  of  his 
friends  to  keep  him  down.  He  tried,  among 
other  things,  to  throw  his  boots  at  his  rival — so 
fierce  was  his  resentment.  This  closed  the 
games,  which  I  was  glad  to  have  seen,  as  they 
take  a  high  place  in  Swiss  life  ;  but  they  were 
very  dull  and  monotonous.  The  victory  re- 
sulted slightly  in  favor  of  the  Hasli  people,  who 
probably  prized  it  all  the  more.  An  easily  won 
triumph  has  few  charms." 

' '  There  is  a  proverb  here  which  says,  '  No 
money,  no  Swiss.'  It  may  be  doubted  whether 
they  have,  as  a  people,  any  natural  enterprise 
about  their  mountains,  and  ever  took  seriously 
to  climbing  them  till  they  began  to  be  paid  by 
"tourists  for  doing  so.  What  does  a  goatherd 
■care  about  the  top  of  the  peak  ?  He  toils  after 
iiis  froward  charge  because  they  bring  ..im  a 


living  ;  but  why  should  he  be  more  adventurous 
than  they  ?  Wh}'  should  he  go  v,'here  there  is 
no  grass  ?  All  at  once  the  peasant  awakes  to  the 
fact  that  foreign,  ruddj^  -  faced,  long  -  pursed 
tourists  want  to  find  their  way  mainly  where  it 
is  least  plain,  and  that,  though  they  possess 
knapsacks,  they  seldom  carry  them  themselves. 
Thus  the  crags  and  glaciers  become  fruitful,  and 
i  the  lad  qualifies  himself  as  a  guide  or  porter,  in 
places  the  only  attraction  to  him  of  which  is, 
that  some  one  will  pay  him  for  going  there. 
The  scenery  he  cares  most  for  is  a  handful  of 
money.  No  doubt  there  are  a  few  enthusiasts 
among  the  Swiss  themselves ;  but  you  may 
depend  upon  it  most  of  them  would  make  their 
peaks  into  turniji-fields  if  they  could,  and 
change  their  Summer  snow  into  manure. 

"I  was  riding  once  by  moonlight  through  a 
famous  valley,  when  I  fell  into  conversation 
with  a  Swiss  about  his  native  land.  '  Do 
you  live  in  this  part  of  the  country  ?  I  asked. 
'  Yes,'  he  reijlied.  '  It  is  very  beautiful,'  I 
said.  'Ah!'  ho  rejoined,  with  some  show  of 
enthusiasm,  '  it  is  indeed,  monsieur :  it  bears 
excellent  potatoes.'  '■' 

Yv'e  cop}'  an  amusing  account  of  Mr.  Jones's 
ascent  of  the  Titlis : 

' '  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  go  on  to 
the  little  inn  on  the  Joch,  which  we  found  quite 
full.  However,  the  landlord  gave  us  a  bed  in 
one  of  the  chalets,  over  a  cow-shed,  and  some 
clean  linen  of  his  own.  The  bedroom,  which 
opened  far  out  into  the  starlight,  and  indeed 
was  the  whole  house,  had  a  rough  wooden 
fastening  to  its  door,  like  that  of  a  clumsy  field- 
gate,  and  was  reached  by  a  sort  of  loft-ladder. 
It  was,  however,  welcome  enough,  and  we  had 
a  pleasant  chat  with  a  party  of  people  who  filled 
the  little  inn,  several  of  whom  had  been  up  the 
Titlis  that  day.  This,  though  something  short 
of  11,000  feet  in  height,  commands  superb 
views,  being  at  the  end  of  the  great  chain  of 
snow-mountains.  As  we  were  so  near  it,  I  de- 
termined to  make  the  ascent  the  next  morning, 
if  the  weather  should  be  fine  and  the  landlord 
could  provide  me  with  a  guide.  '  Oh,  by  all 
means,'  said  he ;  'I  have  an  excellent  guide. 
He  shall  be  prepared,  and  call  you  at  two  to- 
morrow morning.'  This  sent  me  off  to  the  cow- 
shed at  once,  to  get  as  much  sleep  as  I  could 
summon.  It  was  necessarv'  to  stir  betimes,  in 
order  to  traverse  the  snow  before  the  sun  had 


power  upon  it.  Besides,  as  I  wanted  to  go 
down  to  Meyringen  after  ascending  the  Titlis, 
which  latter  business  generally  consumes  somo 
nine  or  ten  hours,  an  early  start  was  good 
economy  of  the  day. 

' '  Between  two  and  three  we  set  off,  my  guide 
affecting  to  show  the  way  with  a  lantern  swing- 
ing at  his  knees. 

"  Leaving  a  large  lake  on  our  right,  we  soon 
reached  the  notch  in  the  ridge  ovei'  which  the 
path  leads  down  toward  Eugelberg.  This  is  the 
top  of  the  Joch.     Here  we  turned  to  the  right. 

"  After  a  succession  of  rock,  slopes  of  dihris, 
grass,  and  a  small  patch  of  bastard  glacier,  we 
came  to  a  saddle,  which  led  away  from  our  right 
toward  the  great  rounded  snow-summit  of  the 
mountain.  The  view  was  magnificent.  Toward 
the  Bernese  Oberland  the  air  was  clear  ;  beneath 
us,  over  the  Lake  of  Lucerne,  lay  a  sea  of  clou'^ , 
out  of  which  Pilatus  and  the  Eighi  rose  lit  3 
islands. 

' '  Beyond,  the  more  level  land  toward  Stras- 
bourg, from  which  it  is  said  the  summit  on 
which  we  were  standing  is  sometimes  visible. 
It  consists  of  a  grand  swell  of  ncte,  or  frozen 
snow,  approached  on  one  side  by  snow-slopes, 
and  on  the  other  flanked  b}'  a  series  of  preci- 
pices down  which  avalanches  continually  fall 
during  the  day,  starting  from  the  great  cake  of 
ice  then  beneath  our  feet.  There  is  a  little  bit 
of  rock  on  the  summit ;  here  I  sat  down  and 
looked  around.  I  enjoyed  the  grandeur  of  the 
jianorama  for  an  hour,  and  got  back  to  the  inn 
on  the  Joch  by  twenty  minutes  past  eleven.  I 
should  have  returned  sooner,  but  my  man,  hav- 
ing brought  far  more  provision  than  was  needed, 
insisted  on  stopping  several  times,  apparently 
with  the  sole  object  of  consuming  it.  Guides 
have  wonderful  capacity.  This  one  ate,  and 
ate,  and  ate  again,  the  whole  way  back.  When 
we  were  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  off  from 
the  inn,  on  our  return,  he  finished  the  last 
mouthful  of  his  store,  and  set  up  a  salute  of 
announcing  howls,  as  if  to  show  that  he  had 
come  back  \inchoked.  But  he  was  a  good- 
huEQored,  sturdy  fellow,  though  greedy.  I 
found  my  wife  at  breakfast,  so  I  joined  her  in 
that  meal,  and  we  both  set  off  to  Meyringen  at 
half-past  twelve.  We  passed  through  Wyler  and 
Imhoff  on  our  return,  and  got  to  the  '  Hotel  du 
Sauvage,'  after  several  paxisos  to  rest  and  look 
about  us,  between  five  and  six  in  the  evening." 


BBIDOE  OVEK  THK  BHINE,  AT  BASLS, 


THE   AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 

AUSTRIA,  BOHEMIA,  TYROL,   HUNGARY,  CROATIA  AND  GALICIA. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL    AND     HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

rrHE  CASTLE  OF  DrKRENSTEIN-UUNGAIUAN  SUEPHERDS-THE  CZIGANY.  OK  HlINOAEIAN  GIPSIES-HUNOAKIAN  COSTUMES-PRESBURO.  T.IE  CAPITAL 
OF  HUNGARY -HOTGABIAN  VAIL  WOKN  BY  PEASANT  WOMEN-ANCIENT  FEMALE  PCN  SHMENTS-SAXON  GIRL  IN  TKANSYLVANIA-HERMITAOE 
AND  CAVE  OF  BUOSES-DANUBIAN  LIFE  -  AUSTRIAN  PEASANTS  -  HlNGAEIANS  SINGING,  FOLLOWED  BY  A  GIPSY  MUSICIAN -THE  ABBEY  OF 
MOELK  ON  THE  DANUBE  -  MAUSOLEUM  OF  MARIA  CHRISTINA  -  THE  MASS  IN  THE  CAVE  OF  SERVOLO,  IN  THE  COAST  MOUNTAINS,  NEAB 
TRIESTE-GUARD-HOUSE  ON  THE  DANUBE-ST.  STEPHEN'S  CROWN-HAY-BOAT-MORAVIAN  PEASANTS-EECRUITINO  THE  AKMY-RIFLE  MEET- 
ING AT  VIENNA-COSTUMES -RAFT  ON  THE  DANUBE-MILITARY  POST  ON  THE  BANNAT-SCENE  IN  THE  MARKET-PLACE  AT  PESTH-PASS- 
ENGER  STEAMER-SWINEHERD  ON  THE  PUSZTA  -  MARKET-PLACE  AT  BRUNN-THE  CSARDA-PEARANTS  ENCAMPED-A  PASSENGER  EAFT-THE 

^^^Ssja  Village  Kinq-JC».ib  at  pesih-life  in  Vienna-Hungarian  Wedding-A  Codbt  ^cene-Costumes  of  bdkowlne. 


J  rIE  Austrian  Empire  is  a  vast  aggre- 
gation of  States  and  nationalities, 
united  under  a  common  ruler,  but 
imperfectly  fused  as  respects  political 
institutions.  Taken  at  its  full  extent,  it 
stretches  through  nearly  nine  degrees  of  lati- 
tude from  the  extreme  south  of  Dalmatia  to 
the  frontier  of  Saxony,  and  through  seventeen 
degrees  of  longitude  from  the  Lake  of  Con- 
stance, in  the  West,  to  the  outer  bend  of  the 
Carpathians  in  the  East.  It  has  an  area  of 
about  two  hundred  and  forty  thousand  square 
miles,  and  a  population  of  over  thirty-two  mil- 
lions. The  empire  falls  into  two  great  divis- 
ions, which  meet  at  the  river  Leitha,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Vienna,  to- wit:  Austria,  the 
empire  proper,  comprising  the  Cis-Leithan,  or 
German  provinces,  together  with  Galicia,  Buko- 
wina,  and  Dalmatia  ;  and  Hungary  or  theTrans- 
Leitha  section,  which  forms  a  separate  kingdom, 
independent  of  Austria,  as  r.>gards  its  internal 
administration,  but  united  to  it  by  the  personal 
fcond  of  a  common  ruler,  as  well  as  by  various 
common  interests  of  a  financial  or  military 
character. 

Austria  is  pre-eminently  the  empire  of  the 
Danube.  She  holds  the  entire  ceniral  basin  of 
that  river  where  its  expansion  is  greatest,  and 
ite  boundaries  best  defined,  and,  consequently, 
she  exercises  vast  influence  along  that  stream. 

Both  name  and  State  of  Austria  originated  in 
the  establishment  of  a  border  province  between 
the  Enns  and  the  Kaab  by  Charlemagne,  in  791, 
which  was  the  most  Easterly  portion  of  his 
vast  empire,  Oesterreich,  which  means  the  Eastern 
Kingdom. 

From  984  to  1246,  this  province  was  held  by 
the  Bavarian  Courts  of  Babenberg,  who  atided 
to  it  Austria  above  the  Enns,  in  1156,  and  Styria 
in  1192.  On  the  extinction  of  the  Babenbergs, 
the  sovereignty  was  given,  in  1251,  to  Bohemia, 
but  was  wrested  from  that  power  in  1273,  by 
the  Hapsbnrgs,  in  whose  hands  it  still  remains. 
Our  space  will  not  allow  us  to  give  in  detail 
the  date  of  each  addition  to  this  empire.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  in  1772,  the  first  partition  of 
Poland  was  effected,  and  that  Venetia  was  ceded 
to  Austria  by  the  peace  of  Campo  Formeo. 
Both  Lombardy  and  Venetia  have  been  given 
to  the  King  of  Italy — the  former  in  1859,  after 
the  battle  of  Solferino,  and  the  latter  in  1866, 
after  the  battle  of  Sadowa. 

The  population  of  the  Austrian  Empire  is 


composed  of  the  following  principal  elements —  i  account,  and  seeks  its  outlet  chiefly  by  way  of 


Germans,  nine  millions  ;  Slavonians,  seventeen 
millions ;  Magyars,  six  millions ;  Koumans, 
two  and  a-quarter  millions,  and  two  and  a-quar- 
ter  millions  of  sundry  races. 

Austria  is  a  constitutional  monarchy,  with  a 
representation  of  a  somewhat  complicated  char- 
acter. Hungary  is  also  a  constitutional  mon- 
archy, with  its  own  separate  Diet,  which  was 
re-established  in  1867.  This  meets  at  Buda, 
and  is  composed  of  the  four  States  of  the  king- 
dom— prelates,  magnates,  representatives  of 
the  nobles,  and  of  the  royal  free  cities. 

The  great  bulk  of  the  population  is  attached 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Primary  edu- 
cation is  very  general  i'l  the  German  provinces, 
but  is  much  embarrassed  in  the  East  and  South- 
east, by  the  great  diversity  of  language.:!,  which 
sometimes  necessitates  the  use  of  three  or  four 
languages  in  a  single  school.  The  higher  edu- 
cation is  conducted  in  two  hundred  and  fifty-six 
public  schools,  and  the  seven  universities,  of 
Vienna  (1365),  Prague  (1348),  Cracow  (1343), 
Pesth  (1794),  Innspruck  (1826),  Gratz  (1826), 
and  Lemberg  (1816). 

The  natural  resources  of  the  empire  are  of 
the  highest  order,  but  are  very  imperfectly 
developed.  The  soil  varies,  but  is  generally 
fertile.  The  most  fertile  regions  are  the  plains 
of  Lower  Hungary,  particularly  the  Bannat, 
Moravia,  parts  of  Bohemia,  T^ower  Austria,  and 
the  coast-land  of  the  Adriatic. 

Bohemia  abounds  with  valuable  mineral 
springs — among  which,  those  at  Toplitz,  Ma- 
rienbad,  Eger  and  Carlsbad  are  best  known. 
Baden,  in  Lower  Austria,  Gastein,  in  the  Tyrol, 
and  the  Hercules  Baths,  near  Mehadia,  in  the 
Bannet,  are  also  much  frequented. 

Hungary  possesses  some  of  the  finest  vine 
districts  in  the  world — the  most  noted  being 
about  Tokay,  on  the  slopes  of  the  Euygalle. 
Tokay  U  considered  one  of  the  finest  wines  in 
the  world,  and  is  proportionally  costly.  The 
peculiar  wine  called  Johannisberg,  which  is 
from  a  vineyard  on  Prince  Metternich's  estate, 
has  acquired  great  renown. 

The  manufactures  of  Austria  are  almost 
wholly  confined  to  the  German  provinces,  and 
even  there  are  carried  on  languidly.  Bohemia 
is  the  most  manufacturing  district  of  Austria. 
Its  glass  enjoys  great  reputation.  Moravia  is 
largely  engaged  in  the  woolen  trade. 

The  foreign  commerce  of  Austria  is  of  little 


the  Adriatic.      Trieste  is  its  only  seaport  oi 
importance. 

Vienna,  the  capital  of  the  Austrian  Empire, 
stands  on  the  right  bank  of  an  arm  of  the 
Danube,  about  two  miles  south  of  the  main 
stream.  It  consists  of  two  parts,  the  old  town, 
which  is  circumscribed  by  the  line  of  the  old 
fortifications,  and  the  suburbs,  which  surround 
the  old  town  in  all  directions,  with  broad  and 
regular  streets,  radiating  from  it  as  from  a 
centre.  The  glacis  of  the  old  fortifications, 
which  are  now  demolished,  is  converted  into 
ornamental  grounds.  One  of  the  subuiis  lies 
across  the  arm  of  the  river,  and  contains  the 
Prater,  or  Park,  and  the  Augarten,  or  Public 
Gardens.  The  whole  town  is  surrounded  by 
fortifications. 

Prague,  the  ancient  capital  of  Bohemia,  is 
centrally  situated  on  the  Moldau.  the  bulk  of 
the  town  on  the  right  bank,  the  Hradschin,  or 
Palace,  with  other  buildings,  on  the  left  bank. 
The  ground  rises  from  each  side  of  the  river, 
and  gives  the  place  a  verj'  imposing  aspect, 
which  is  enhanced  by  the  numerous  spires  and 
domes  of  the  buildings.  It  is  the  focus  of  the 
commerce  of  Bohemia. 

Trieste  is  the  only  seaport  possessed  by  Aus- 
tria, and  is  regarded  as  the  "Southern  Ham- 
burg." It  stands  on  the  East  shore  of  the  gulf 
named  after  it,  in  a  crescent  form — the  old  town 
on  rising  ground ;  the  new  town  on  a  small 
plain  between  the  old  town  and  the  sea ;  the 
harbor  is  forme  1  by  a  mole  2,290  feet  long.  It 
is  a  free  port,  and  carries  on  a  large  commerce, 
not  only  with  the  Levant,  but  with  distant 
countries. 

Gratz,  the  capital  of  Styria,  owes  its  pros- 
perity to  its  favorable  position,  midway  between 
Vienna  and  Trieste, 

Briinn,  the  capital  of  Moravia,  is  the  first 
purely  manufacturing  town  in  the  empire. 

Linz,  the  capital  of  Upper  Austria,  is  well 
situated  at  the  Point  where  routes  converge  to 
the  Danube  from  Bohemia,  and  is  an  important 
military  post. 

Innsbruck,  the  capital  of  Tyrol,  is  situated 
on  the  river  Inn,  as  its  name  implies,  and  is 
surrounded  by  magnificent  scenery. 

Salzbarg,  on  the  Salza,  is  yet  more  beauti- 
fully situated.  Trent,  the  chief  town  in  the 
Italian  Tyrol,  is  on  the  Adige.  Ohnutz  is  a 
strong  fortress  in  Moravia. 


372 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


Castle  of  Durrenstein. 

DiTHRBSSTErN  is  a  town  of  Lower  Austria,  and 
is  situatecl.  on  the  Danube,  about  forty  miles 
from  Vienna.  It  belongs  to  the  House  of  Star- 
hemberg,  and  its  population  is  about  five  hun- 
dred. The  old  castle  in  the  centre  is  famous  as 
the  prison-house  of  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion,  held 
ciptive  there  for  fifteen  months  by  Leopold, 
Duke  of  Austria.  Richard  was  seized  by  the 
duke  on  his  return  from  the  crusades  in  1193, 
and  the  spot  will  ever  be  interesting  to  lovers 
of  romsince  and  to 
admirers  of  faithful 
friendship,  for  it  was 
here  that  Blondel, 
Richard's  favorite 
minstrel,  sung  the 
romaunt  which  spoke 
of  the  heart  of  the 
imprisoned  king,  and 
from  those  old  loop- 
holes in  the  keep  the 
voice  of  Richard  leaped 
out  to  meet  the  wel- 
come tones  of  the 
gentle  troubadour,  who 
had  traversed  Europe 
to  find  his  master, 
singing  the  same 
strain,  'neath  the 
stancheons  of  every 
fortress  and  castle  on 
nis  way !       , 

By  this  touching 
and  romantic  mode, 
Richard  was  again 
restored  to  liberty, 
and    Durrenstein  will 


CASTIJC  or  DUBKKNSrnSIII,  ON  THE  DAKUBB. 

ever  be  memorable,  if  only  for  this  charming 
epi.<ode  of  King  Lion  Heart  and  Blondel. 


Hungarian  Shepherds. 
Odr  engraving  represents  a  picturesque  scene, 
illustrative  of  the  primitive  life  of  tlie  Hunga- 
rian peasantry.  The  vast  plain  watered  by  the 
Danube,  where  it  leaves  the  hills  below  Pesth, 
is  like  the  pampas  of  America,  so  great  is  its 
extent.  It  contains  vast  areas  of  fertile  land, 
but  thinly  inhabited  and  poorly  cultivatad,  and 


BTmOARIAN  SHZFHBRDS. 


in  many  places  only  occupied  by  Immense  tloc%s 
of  wandering  sheep,  tended  by  shepherds,  who 
make  their  homes  in  the  wilderness.  The  vil- 
lages on  the  banks  of  the  river  are  little  more 
than  collections  of  huts,  built  of  c\ay  and  wood, 
and  thatched  with  reeds.  For  nearly  four  hun- 
dred miles  the  banks  of  the  Danube  are  dull 
and  monotonous,  but  after  its  union  with  the 
Drave,  the  stream  changes  its  character,  ana 
its  course  is  fringed  with  those  great  forests 
that  furnish  timber  to  the  dockyards  of  Europe. 
In  those  solitudes  may  be  seen  sometimes 
groups  of  Hungarian 
peasants,  such  as  are 
represented  in  our  en- 
graving, with  swarthy 
skins,  wild  features, 
and  beard  and  hair 
unshorn,  who,  in  spite 
of  their  savage  ap- 
pearance, are  more 
honest  and  gentle 
than  the  polished  po- 
pulation of  more 
enlightened  and  intel- 
ligent communities. 

The  Ozigany. 
The  Czigany  of  the 
Hungarians  are  our 
gipsies,  for  it  is  im- 
possible to  doubt  their 
identity.  There  is  thf 
same  dark  eye  and 
curling  black  hair  — 
same  olive  com- 
plexion and  small; 
active  fono. 


THE    AUSmiAN     EMPIKE. 


273 


THE    CZIGANY,   OK    HUNGARIAN    QIPSIBS. 


274 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Then  their  occupations  and  manner  of  life, 
different  as  iire  the  countries  and  climates 
they  inhabit,  still  remain  the  same  ;  fiddling, 
fortuiie-telliag,  horse-dealing,  and  tinkering  are 
their  favorite  employments — a  vagabond  life 
their  greatest  joy.  Though  speaking  several 
tongues,  they  have  all  a  peculiar  language  of 
their  own,  quite  distinct  from  any  other  known 
in  Europe,  and  have  a  ruler  whom  they  honor 
and  respect. 

They  first  made  their  appearance  in  Hungary 
from  the  East,  about  the  year  1423,  when  King 


covering,  and  their  elders  with  much  loss  tii.in 
the  most  unfastidious  dei.enfy  requires.  Fillli 
obstructs  the  passage  ints  every  hut.  As  the 
stranger  ai^proaches,  crowds  of  black  urchins 
flock  around  l:im,  and  rather  demand  than  beg 
for  charity.  The  screams  of  men  and  women, 
and  the  bark'  \g  of  dogs — for  the  whole  tribe 
seems  to  be  in  t,  state  of  constant  warfare— 
never  ceasing  from  morn  to  i:ight.  It  is  rare, 
however,  that  when  thus  settled,  they  can 
remain  the  whole  year  stationary  ;  they  gener- 
ally disappear  during  part  of  the  Summer,  and 


seigneur's— not  the  peasants' — of  the  village  to 
which  they  belong.  In  fact  the  gipsies  have  a 
most  profound  respect  for  aristocracy,  and  thej 
are  said  to  be  the  best  genealc^ists  in  tie 
country.  y 

Their  skill  in  horseshoeing — they  are  the 
only  blacksmiths  in  the  country — and  in  brick- 
making,  renders  them  of  considerable  value  to 
the  landlord.  What  is  the  eiiact  state  of  the 
law  with  respect  to  them  we  know  not ;  lut  we 
believe  they  are  absolute  serfs  in  TYansylvania. 
We  know  the  settled  gipsies  cannot  legally  take 


Sigigmund  grsmted  them  permission  to  settle. 
Joseph  Uie  Second  tried  to  turn  them  to  some 
account,  and  passed  laws  which  he  hoped  would 
force  them  to  give  up  their  wandering  life  and 
betake  themselves  to  agriculture.  The  land- 
lords were  obliged  to  make  them  small  grants 
of  l.rnd.  and  to  allow  them  to  build  houses  at 
the  end  of  their  villages. 

It  i-i  impossible  to  imagine  a  more  savage 
scene  than  these  Czi/jdvy  vdros,  gips;|  towns. 
Children  of  both  sexes,  to  the  aije  of  fourteen, 
are  seen  rolling  about  witb  a  mere  shred  of 


HtTNGAKIAN  COSTCMES. 

only  return  when  Winter  obliges  them  to  seek 
a  shelter.  They  are  said  to  amount  to  sixty- 
two  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifteen  in 
Transylvania. 

The  Austrian  Government,  we  believe,  is  the 
only  one  in  Europe  which  has  been  known  to 
derive  any  advantage  from  its  gipsies.  By  (he 
tax  for  gold-washing,  it  must  derive  a  consid- 
erable revenue  from  this  people.  They  are  often 
taken  for  soldiers,  and  are  said  to  make  nretty 
good  ones.  Most  of  them  are  christened  and 
proiesfi   some   religion,  which   is   always   the 


permanent  service  out  of  the  place  he  was  bom 
in.  without  permission,  or  without  the  payment 
of  a  certain  sum  of  money. 


Hungarian  Costumes. 
KosstJTH  has  made  Hungary  a  country  familiar 
to  us,  by  exciting  an  interest  in  its  struggle  for 
a  separate  national  existence.  It  is  a  kingdom 
in  itself,  and  its  Magyar  population  do  not 
sympathize  with  the  German  rulers  or  the  Ger- 
man element  which  has  gradually  entered  tho 


THE    AUSTRIAN     EMPIRE. 


a75 


S^SSi^^ 


o 


o 


o 

s 

o 

W 


276 


THE    WOKLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONa 


VEIL    WOKN   By   BUNOARIAN   PEASANT  WOMEN. 

country.  One  great  hindrance  to  Hungarian 
progress  is  the  broad  hne  of  distinction  between 
nobles  and  the  common  people.  The  more 
democratic  ideas  in  Germany  have  piven  the 
Teutonic  nation  greater  power  and  strength ; 
and  till  the  common  people  in  Hungary  and 
the  Sclavonic  countries  rise,  and  the  nobles  are 
shorn  of  their  privileges,  there  can  be  little 
real  progress.  Much  of  Hungary  consists  of 
prairies,  and  the  wealth  of  the  people  is  their 
herds. 

All   Hungarians   are   fine  riders,  bold   and 

brave.     Our  illustration  shows  well-drawn  spe- 

'  cimens  of  the  costumes  to  be  seen  in  various 

parts,  from  the  hussar-dressed   noble  to  the 

herdsman  of  the  jilains. 

In  early  days  the  noble  dress  of  the  country 
smacked  strongl3'  of  Turkish  taste  iu  the  gaycty 
of  its  colors,  and  the  quantity  of  jewels  with 
•which  it  waa  loaded.  During  the  reign  of 
Joseph    it    received   a    most    unnatural    and 


ANCntNT  FEMALE   PCNlSHaENTS   IN   HUNQARr. 


Frenchified  cut,  and  the  coat  and  its  wearers 
were  very  near  losing  their  nationality  to- 
gether. It  has  now  again  as-sumed  its  antique 
proportions  and  original  form  ;  and,  while  all 
its  peculiar  beauties  are  preserved,  its  uncouth 
inelegancies  have  been  gradually  softened  down. 

It  now  consists  of  the  attilla,  a  frock-coat, 
reaching  nearly  to  the  knee,  with  a  military 
collar,  and  covered  in  front  with  gold  lace  ;  over 
this  is  generally  worn,  hanging  loosely  on  one 
shoulder,  the  mente,  a  somewhat  larger  coat, 
lined  with  fur,  and  with  a  fur  cape.  It  is  gen- 
erally suspended  with  a  massive  jeweled  chain. 
The  tight  pantaloons  and  ankle-boots,  with  the 
never-failing  spurs,  form  the  lower  part.  The 
kalpak,  or  fur-cap,  is  of  innumerable  forms, 
and  ornamented  by  a  feather  fastened  by  a  rich 
brooch.  The  white  heron's  plume,  or  aigrette, 
the  rare  product  of  the  sauthern  Danube,  is  the 
most  esteemed.  The  neck  is  open,  except  for  a 
black  ribbon  loosely  passed  around  it,  the  ends 
of  which  are  finished  with  gold  fringe.  The 
sabre  is  the  shape  of  the  Turkish  scimiter ; 
indeed  richly  ornamented  Damascus  blades,  the 
spoils  of  some  unsucccessful  Moslem  invasion, 
are  very  often  worn  and  highly  prized. 

The  sword-belt  is  frequently  a  heavy  gold 
chain,  such  as  ancient  knights  wore  over  their 
armor.  The  colors,  and  in  many  resiiects  the 
form,  of  the  Hungarian  uniform  depend  entirely 
on  the  taste  of  the  individual,  and  vary  from 
the  simple  blue  dress  of  the  hussar  to  the 
jeweled  costume  of  the  Prince  Esterhazy. 


Austrian  Peasants. 

A  Fkench  traveler,  after  speaking  with  little 
enthusiasm  of  the  Austrian  peasant  women, 
says  the  men  make  a  better  appearance.  The 
Austrian  type  is  generally  mild,  the  eye  pale- 
blue,  the  nose  long  and  somewhat  pendent,  the 
mouth  pouting,  but  lacking  in  firmness.  You 
cau  here  see  the  origin  of  the  heavy  lip  of  the 
Hapsburg  family. 

The  Austrian  peasant  wears  his  tall,  steeple- 
crowned  hat  on  the  back  of  his  head,  loves 
feathers,  and  uses  them  profusely.  The  man 
who  kills  an  owl  or  a  hawk  adorns  his  hat  with 
the  feathers,  using  the  head,  or  flowers,  as  a 
rosette  at  the  base.  Some  go  so  far  as  to  stuff 
the  bird,  insert  enameled  eyes,  and  set  it  on  the 
side  of  the  hat,  head  downward,  with  wings 
widespread,  and  the  tail  forming  the  plume. 
The  effect  of  these  eccentric  trimmings,  when 
a  group  gather  together,  is  very  striking.. 


Danubian  Lifj  and  Scenes. 
The  Puszta.  avast  plain  in  Hungary,  is  occu- 
pied during  the  Summer  months  by  immense 
herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep.  In  Winter 
these  are  brought  up  into  the  villages,  or  stabled 
in  those  solitary  farms  which  form  auothci- 
striking  iieculiarity  of  the  Puszta.  Far  from 
any  beaten  track  or  village,  the  traveler  ob- 
serves a  collection  of  buildings  inclosed  by  a 
thick  wall  of  mud  or  straw,  with  an  arched 
gateway,  and  containing  a  large  court,  sur- 
rounded by  stables,  barns,  sheep-houses,  and  a 
shepherd's  cottage  or  two.  Here  the  sheep  and 
cattle  are  wintered,  and  here  their  guardians 
remain  the  whole  Winter  without^exchanging 


KA-XON  GIRL   IN   TRANSYLVANIA. 

a  word  with  any  other  human  beings  than 
those  comjiosing  their  own  little  domestic  com- 
munity, for  the  trackless  snow  renders  commu- 
nication extremely  difficult.  In  Summer  the 
shepherd's  life  is  even  more  monotonous.  He 
often  remains  out  for  months  together,  till  Win- 
ter comes  on  and  obliges  him  to  seek  shelter. 

Almost  all  the  inhabitants  are  true  Magyars ; 
and  nothing  is  so  well  adapted  to  their  disposi- 
tion as  the  half-slothful,  half-adventurous  life 
of  a  Juhasz  or  Puszta  shepherd. 

His  dress  is  the  loose  linen  drawers  and  short 
shirt,  descending  scarcely  below  the  breast,  and 
is  sometimes  surmounted  by  the  gayly  embroi- 
dered waistcoat  or  jacket. 

His  feet  are  protected  bj'  long  boots  or  san- 
dals ;  and  his  head  by  a  hat  of  more  than 
Quaker  proportions,  below  which  hang  two 
broad  plaits  of  hair.  The  turned-up  brim  of 
the  hat  serves  him  for  a  drinking-cup-,  while 
the  bag  which  hangs  from  a  belt  round  his 


HERHITAOB  AND  GATE  OF  BU0SE3, 


THE    AUSTRIAN    ErilPIRE. 


21T 


neck  contains  the  bread 
and  bacon  which  forms  his 
scanty  meal.  Over  the 
whole  i.i  generally  cast 
the  bundu,  or  hairy  cloak. 

We  must  not  forget, 
however,  that  his  shirt  ami 
drawers  are  black.  Before 
he  takes  the  field  for  the 
season,  he  carefully  boils 
these  two  articles  of  dress 
in  h  ig's  lard  ;  and,  anoint- 
ing his  head  and  bo<ly  with 
the  same  precious  unguent, 
his  toilet  is  finished  fcr 
the  next  six  months.  Wo 
feel  assured  that  the  pe- 
netration of  our  shrewd 
readers  will  never  divo 
into  the  motive  f..r  all  this 
careful  preparation,  and 
that  they  wi';l  be  little 
inclined  to  believe  iis 
when  we  tell  them  it  is 
cleanliness !  Yet  so  it  is, 
for  the  lard  protects  him 
against  a  host  of  little 
enemie;;  by  which  he  would 
otherwise  be  covered. 

To  complete  his  accoutrements,  he  must  nave 
a  short  pipe  stuck  in  his  boot-top  ;  and  in  hi.i 
belt  a  tobacco-bag,  with  a  collection  of  instru- 
ments— not  less  iacompre'.iensiblo  to  the  unini- 
tiated than  t!ie  attendants  of  a  Scotch  mull  — 
Intended  for  striking  fire,  clearing  the  pipe, 
stopping  tlie  tobacco,  pricking  the  ashes,  and 
we  know  not  what  fumitory  refinements  beside. 

But  the  bunda  deserves  a  more  special  notice  ; 
for  in  the  whole  annals  of  tailoring  no  garment 


AUSTEIAN   PEASANTS. 

ever  existed  better  adapted  to  its  purpose,  and 
therefore  more  wortliy  all  eulogy,  than  tlie 
Hungarian  bunda.  It  is  made  in  the  form  of  a 
close  cloak,  without  collar,  and  is  composed  of 
the  skins  of  the  long-wooled  Hungarian  sheep, 
which  undergo  some  slight  process  of  cleaning, 
but  by  no  means  sufficient  to  prevent  them 
retaining  an  odor  of  the  most  aromatic  kind. 

The  wool  is  left  perfectly  in  its  natural  state. 
The  leatlier  side  is  often  prettily  ornamented  ; 


the  seams  are  sewed  with 
various-colored  leather 
cords,  bouquets  of  flowers 
are  worked  in  silk  on  the 
sides  and  borders,  and  a, 
black  lamb's-skin  from 
Transylvania  adorns  the 
upper  part  of  the  back 
in  the  form  of  a  cape. 
To  the  Puszta  shepherd 
the  bunda  is  his  house, 
his  bed,  his  all.  Rarely 
in  the  hottest  Jay  of 
Summer,  or  tiie  coldest 
of  Winter,  does  he  forsake 
his  woolly  friend. 

A  traveler  thus  describes 
a  scene  which  gives  some 
idea  of  their  herds  and 
flocks: 

"One  morning  as  we 
were  dozing  over  this 
wearisome  interval,  and 
just  as  the  sun  began  to 
show  his  pleasant  face  at 
the  far  end  of  the  village, 
we  were  roused  by  a 
clattering  of  hoofs,  tink- 
ling of  bells,  neighing  of 
horses  and  lowing  of  cattle,  as  though  a  four- 
footed  army  were  about  to  take  the  village  by 
storm.  A  troop  of  several  hundred  horses,  and 
almost  as  strong  a  homed  corps,  headed  by  the 
parish  bull  as  drum-major,  soon  came  galloping 
liy,  and  then  filed  off  each  to  his  respective 
quarters,  as  regularly  as  so  many  soldiers  to 
their  billets. 

"They  hiid  been  grazing  all  the  night  in  the 
rich  Puszta  p.astures,  and  were  now  driven  up 


BVttaABlAJiia  SINGING,  FOI LOWED   BY   A   GIPSY  MUSICIAN. 


278 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIOXa 


1  . 
I 


lUK  ABBEY  Ot  MOELK,  ON  TUE  UANUBE. 


for  the  work  of  tiie 
day.  Scarcely  were  the 
Ktable  doors  fairly 
opened  for  the  horses 
and  cattle  than  the 
pigs  and  geese  rushed 
out,  and  grunting  and 
cackling  their  satis- 
faction they  started 
off  to  the  well-known 
rendezvous,  where 
their  leaders  would  be 
ready. 

"  Pesth  is  the  great 
resort  to  the  inha'ji- 
tants  of  ths  Puszta. 
There  you  may  see 
them  in  the  markets, 
on  the  quays,  present- 
ing the  a;)pearance 
seen  in  our  illustra- 
tion. Long  rows  oi 
wagons  are  ranged 
along  the  river.  All 
these  vehicles  are  of 
the  same  form.  Lonrj. 
narrow,  four-wheeled, 
they  are  behind  a 
liind  of  tent,  in  which 
hang  great  baskets  of 
fruit  and  vegetables, 
or  cages  oi  poultry. 
While  the  husband 
di8p!ays  and  sells  his 
produce,  the  wife— for 
the  whole  family  come 


— goes  down  to  th« 
river  side  to  establish 
her  temporary  kitchen, 
fet  up  her  iron  pot 
and  cook  the  dinner. 
A  mat  spread  on  the 
ground,  with  hoops 
]'laced  over  it  on 
which  another  mat  is 
spread,  furnishes  a  re- 
treat for  the  children, 
play  or  sleep,  while 
the  horses  nibble  at 
the  scanty  grass,  their 
strange  collars  tower- 
ing on  high,  and  the 
metal  plates  rattling." 


UACS  <LEUM    OF   .i.\l!l.\    DlUUSTl.NA,    .II'.UIIDLCUI.S?    Vt     ALSLliiA. 


The  Saxon  Girls  in 
Transylvania.  • 

A  RECENT  traveler 
thus  den^ribes  these 
royal  looking  peasant 
girls: 

"It  was  Sunday 
when  I  strolled  ovei 
to  the  neighboring 
village  of  Harameis- 
dorf,  so  I  had  an  op- 
portunity of  seeing  the 
rich  dress  of  the  vil- 
lage lasses  when  going 
to  church. 

' '  Over  the  blue 
woolon  skirt  thev  havo 


THE    AUSriilAN    EMPIRK 


278 


280 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


HL'NGAKIAN   (il'AKII-noi-SK  ON   THE   UANL'BE. 


a  large  white  muslin  apron,  the  border  fancifully 
and  deftly  worked.  But  what  is  especially 
remarkable  is  a  broad  girdle  of  bronze,  thovigh 
sometimes,  and  more  frequently,  of  silver  gilt, 
and  dotted  all  round  with  high  knobs  or  but- 
tons set  with  turquoises,  amethysts,  garnets, 
and  old  pearls.  Some  are  handsomely  wrought 
with  filigree-work  in  dead  gold.  At  the  house 
of  a  rich  peasant  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
examining  one  more  minutely.  The  clasp  in 
front  was  embossed  and  massy ;  the  whole  was 
BO  handsome  that  an  emperor  might  have  worn 
it  at  his  coronation  to  belt  on  his  sword. 

"  In  dimension  they  arc  generally  larger  than 
sufficient  for  the  waist,  and  from  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  clasp  were  evidently  intended  to 
fall  downward  from  the  hips  in  front,  as  we  see 
in  pictures  of  Venetian  dames  when  Venice  was 
still  a  queen.  Indeed,  these  girdles  have  so 
noble  an  air,  and  from  the  broad  metal  and  the 
stones,  and  the  cunning  workmanship,  look 
so  regal,  that  one  cannot  help  wondering  how 
BO  costly  an  ornament  came  to  belong  to  the 
adornment  of  a  peasant  girl. 

"  With  the  girdle  is  worn  a  brooch,  around  a 
gilded  metal  disk,  variously  ornamented ;  and 


ST.  STEPHEN'S   CROWN. 

this,  too,  is  studded  with  garnets  and  other 
stones.  Sometimes  these  stones  are  massed 
together,  producing  a  fine  effect.     The  whole  is 


the  size  of  a  small  plate  ;  and  being  thus  SOm»» 
what  out  of  proportion  to  its  purpose  and  to- 
the  wearer,  this  shield-like  thing  has  rather  a 
barbaric  air.  Its  metals  and  jewels  contrast 
strangely  with  the  woolen  web  and  other  simple 
ornaments  of  dress.  A  small  sheepskin  jacket 
is  worn  either  open  in  front  or  fastened  at  the 
side,  and  when  new,  the  bright  red  and  olive 
embroidery  shows  on  the  white  ground  right 
gayly.  A  strange  cylinder  of  pasteboard,  cov- 
ered with  black  velvet,  is  perched  on  the  head, 
and  from  the  plaited  tresses  a  whole  collection 
of  tape-bands — red  and  green  and  blue — fall 
low  down  over  the  dress.  This  black  cylinder 
is  like  our  own  black  hats  without  the  brim. 
"The  married  women  also  have,  and  they 
only,  a  cloak  of  black  cloth,  plaited  together 
in  innumerable  folds,  siich  as  we  see  in  old 
Flemish  pictures.  But  this  does  not  close  round 
the  neck,  which  it  might  be  supposed  a  cloak 
was  intended  to  do  for  warmth's  sake.  Through 
the  collar  is  passed  a  strip  of  board,  so  that, 
when  worn,  the  xipper  part  forms  a  straight 
line  from  shoulder  to  shoulder.  The  whole 
garment  is  merely  an  ornament — a  sign  of 
matron  state — and  if  warmth  is  needed,   th». 


BBINGINO    HAT    FROM   THE   PUSZTA    DY   BOAT. 


THE    AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 


281l 


p 


g 


:282 


THE     WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONa 


EECEUITINQ   lOK  THE  ARMY. 


large  sheepskin  ooat  is  put  on  underneath.  Im- 
mediately on  returning  from  church,  the  cloak 
and  girdle  and  brooch  are  taken  off  and  care- 
fully laid  aside  in  the  large  long  locker,  ■which 
forms  part  of  the  furniture  of  every  peasant's 

liouse." 

»  »  » 

Vail  Worn  by  Hungarian  Peasant  Women. 

'•  In  the  valley  of  the  Gran,  which  is  in  some 
parts  so  beautiful  that  I  am  inclined  to  compare 
it  with  that  of  the  AVaag,"  says  a  traveler,  "we 
more  than  once  observed  a  curious  custom, 
which,  but  that  the  Turks  never  advanced  into 
this  part  of  Hungary,  I  should  have  attributed 
to  their  influence — viz.,  that  of  the  women 
vailing  the  lower  part  of  their  faces. 

' '  The  girls  conceal  only  the  chin,  but  the  mar 
ried  women  the  mouth  also.  This  covering, 
like  the  vail  of  the  East,  is  forme  1  of  a  long 
piece  of  white  linen  cloth,  passed  round  the 
head  so  as  to  bind  it  tightly,  and  then  turned 
round  the  neck,  crossing  the  face,  and  h:vngmg 
down  over  the  bosom. 

"It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that,  by  the  same 
persons  who  would  consider  it  immodest  to  go 
with  the  whole  face  uncovered,  the  petticoats 
are  worn  so  short  that  they  do  not  reach  to  tlie 
top  of  the  boots,  and,  inconsequence,  the  brown 
knees  filling  up  the  interval  are  exposed  with- 
-out  a  suspicion  of  impropriety." 


life  on  the  very  highest  pinnacle  of  the  rock, 
looked  as  though  gratitude  to  the  Dispenser  of 
that  something  had  been  there  to  hallow  the 
possession. 

We  pissed  the  gate,  and  mounting  a  steep 
and  narrow  footpath,  soon  came  in  sight  of  the 
cavern  and  hermitage  of  Bucses. 

"And  is  it  possible  that  any  human  beings  can 
have  selected  so  wild  and  solitary  a  spot  as  this 
for  their  abode?"  was  the  inquiry  of  all  when 
we  first  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  gaping  cave, 
and  of  the  small  line  of  white  buildings  which 
incloses  it  from  without. 

Our  guide  soon  furnished  an  answer  to  the 
question  ;  for  he  knocked  so  loudly  at  the  little 
door  t'.:at  an  old  monk  speedily  answered  Uie 
summons  :  and,  learning  the  object  of  our  visit. 


welcomed  us  in  Wallai;hian,  and  invited  us  to 
enter  the  callugcrie,  or  liermitage.  In  the  inte- 
rior, under  the  arc'.ied  v.iult  of  the  civern,  we 
found  a  small  Greek  chapel,  and  two  other 
buildings  of  wood,  containing  cells  for  seven 
or  eight  hermits. 

At  the  present  time  there  were  only  three  of 
them  at  home,  two  old  men.  wliose  gray  beards 
we  took  as  testimonies  to  their  ^•irtue,  and  one 
neophyte,  .a  half-cunning,  half-foolish-looking 
lad  of  sixteen.  One  of  them  was  busily  em- 
ployed in  superintending  the  Vioiling  of  a  pot, 
wliich  hung  from  three  sticks  over  a  wood-fire 
in  the  open  air,  and  formel  their  only  kitchen, 
while  another  was  cutting  mushrooms  and  some 
other  species  of  fungus  into  slices,  and  hanging 
them  up  to  dry. 

I  at  first  imagined  all  this  preparation  was 
for  making  Schramm  for  tinder  ;  but  no,  it  was 
a  Winter  stock  of  provisions  they  were  saving. 

Our  friend  assured  us  that,  except  this  dried 
fungus  and  Indian  corn,  and  a  little  goat's 
milk,  these  men  probably  tasted  nothing  but 
water  the  whole  Winter  tlirougli,  and  they  were 
happy  when  they  had  a  sufficiency  of  these. 
In  Summer,  the  shepherds  sometimes  bring 
them  fresh  food,  and  they  themselves  collect 
fruits  and  roots  among  the  mountains  near  ; 
but  their  .chief  support  is  derived  from  the  pro- 
cee  Is  of  their  begging,  in  the  form  of  maize, 
with  which  the  wanderers  return  in  Autumn. 
All  they  .ould  offer  us  to  aid  our  own  supplies, 
was  some  of  ihis  fungus,  toasted,  with  a  little 
grease  and  salt.  The  fungus  was  decidedly 
good,  as  far  as  it  went,  and  we  believed  we  could 
have  eaten  up  the  whole  store,  without  feeling 
.satisfied. 

The  cave  of  Bucses,  though  high  and  fine,  is 
not  extensive  ;  at  least,  it  is  not  possible  to 
penetrate  more  than  a  hundred  yards  from  its 
entrance,  however  nu.cli  further  it  may  really 
extend. 

The  monks  pointed  out  to  us  an  opening  in 


Hermitage  and  Gave  of  Bucses. 

An  hour's  descent  on  the  Wallachian  side 
"brought  us  to  the  bottom  of  the  first  valley, 
where  a  clear  rivulet,  the  course  of  which  we 
followed,  led  us  on  to  a  second,  which  was  termi- 
nated by  a  narrow  cleft  of  the  rocks,  somewhat 
like  that  we  have  already  seen  in  the  Thoadai 
Hasadek,  and  the  cavern  of  AlmAs. 

Here,  almost  for  the  first  time  since  we  had 
left  Terzburg,  did  wo  meet  a  sign  of  man's 
domination.  At  the  entrance  to  the  cleft,  a 
fence  of  firs  and  a  little  gate  showed  that  there 
was  something  within  considered  worth  protec- 
tion ;  and  a  small  cross,  placed  at  the  risk  of 


EIFLE  MEETING    AT   VIENNA. 


THE     AUSTRIAN     EMPIRE. 


388 


M 


284 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


the  direction  in  which  the  rest  of  the  cavern 
goes,  and  by  which  a  small  brook  makes  its 
way  out  to  the  d:iy  ;  but  they  have  blocked  it 
up  so  high,  to  render  their  cave  warmer,  that  it 
is  no  longer  possible  to  reach. 

Ancient  Female  Punisliments. 
The  castle  of  Altschl,  in  Hungary,  is  now 
used  only  as  a  prison  and  steward's  house  ;  and 
its  solid  gateway  is,  as  usual,  hung  with  hand- 
cuffs, leg-irons,  whips,  and  other  instruments 
of  torture,  "one  of  which,"  says  a  traveler,' 
"  was  new  to  us,  and  excited  our  curiosity.  It 
was  a  flat  board,  of  the  shape  of,  and,  from  the 
resemblance,  called  also  the  violin,  with  a  hole 
in  the  centre,  and  two  smaller  ones  at  the  end  ; 
the  former,  we  ascertained,  was  for  tlie  head, 
and  the  latter  for  the  hands  of  unfortunate 
transgressors  of  the  law. ' ' 


peasant,  he  is  a  cavalier.  He  has  his  minstrel 
to  sing  for  liim. 

The  musicians  are  generally  Tsigane  (gip- 
sies), and  when  the  Hungarian  young  men  will, 
when  mellowed  by  the  wine,  sing  their  national 
songs,  they  will,  as  in  tlie  sketch,  press  into  the 
service  a  Tsigane  to  accompany  them  on  tzim'- 
baloum'  or  cymbal,  a  flat  case  with  cords,  on 
which  they  play  with  two  very  flexible  sticks, 
terminating  in  balls.  '  This  instrument  is  very 
ancient,  and  may  possibly  have  accompanied 
the  first  gipsy  hordes  from  their  Indian  home, 
when  they  first  set  out  on  their  migrations. 

A  scene  like  this  depicted  is  by  no  means 
unfrequent  in  the  vicinity  of  Pesth,  about  mid- 
night, the  hour  when  the  Hungarian,  in  prefer- 
ence, gives  himself  to  the  charms  of  music  and 
conversation,  accompanied  witli  frequent  liba- 
tions of  a  certain  healiiiy  bever.-ge,  composed 
of  white  wine  and  a  farraginous  mineral  water. 


continued  to  advance  until,  from  a  compara- 
tively unimportant  town,  it  is  now  the  finest 
port  in  the  Austrian  Empire.  The  scenery 
aroimd  Trieste  is  of  the  most  picturesque  and 
romantic  character,  and  in  the  mountains, 
which  look  out  upon  the  gulf  near  the  city,  is 
the  celebrated  Gave  of  San  Servolo,  which  is 
noteJ  for  its  beauty  and  also  for  the  reli- 
gious worship  celebrated  within  its  dark  walls. 
No  cathedial  in  tlie  world  rivals  this  cave  for 
its  dim  religious  light  and  magnificent  aisles, 
its  inspiring  high  arched  roof.  The  altar  is 
erected  in  a  place  strikingly  picturesque,  and 
the  i5ervic.=,  Mf  High  Mass  is  always  attended  by 
a  crowd  of  persons,  generally  the  best  people 
of  the  surrounding  country.  Tlie  usual  solem- 
nities of  the  occasion  are  heightened  by  the 
surroundings,  an  1  a  deep  religious  awe  inspirea 
the  hearts  of  the  most  frivolous  ami  gay 
when  once   they  come  within  the   solemn   in- 


The  Tiolin  is  used  only  for  women ;  and  they 
are  generally  made  to  promenade  the  town, 
bearing  this  clumsy  instrument  of  torture. 

Our  readers  have  seen  descriptions  and  illus- 
trations of  the  hideous  masks  and  bridles  which 
women  wore  condemned  to  wear,  but  they  will, 
probably,  find  the  violin  a  new  form  of  ancient 
barbarity  to  the  gentler  sex.  * 


Hungarians  Singing,  followed  by  a  Tsigane. 

The  Hungarians  are  as  fond  of  music  as  the 
Germans,  but  are  not  themselves  musicians. 
This  comes  from  the  difference  in  the  two 
nations.  The  German  is  essentially  a  dreamer. 
The  Hungarian  a  man  of  action. 

The  songs  of  Hungary  are  the  old  war-songs 
of  the  race— the  march  of  Ra.coczy,  the  air  of 
Rakos,  of  Mohacz.  But  even  here  the  Hunga- 
rian is  often  not  the  singer  himself ;  noble  or 


R.\Fr  ON  THE  DAxNUBK. 

Gave  of  San  Servolo,  near  Trieste. 

The  City  of  Trieste  is  the  principal  seaport 
city  of  the  Austrian  Empire,  in  Illyria.  The 
city  consists  of  an  old  town  built  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a  steep  hill,  crowned  by  a  nearly 
ruined  castle,  and  inclosed  by  old  walls,  and  the 
new  city,  bordering  on  the  sea,  on  the  plain  at 
the  foot  of  the  castle.  The  new  town  especially 
is  well  built,  and  few  cities  on  the  continent 
can  vie  witli  it  in  the  solidity  and  comfort  of 
its  private  dwellings.  Trieste  is  a  bishop's  see, 
the  seat  of  an  imperial  academy,  a  school  of 
navigation,  and  contains  many  fine  churches. 
The  city  existed  imdcr  the  sway  of  the  Romans, 
but  never  rose  to  much  celebrity  until  about 
the  middle  of  the  last  century,  when  it  attracted 
the  attention  and  shared  largely  in  t!ie  munifi- 
cent patronage  of  Maria  Theresa,  who  liid  the 
foundation  of  it«  prosperity,   and   it  has  ever 


fluence   of   a  religious    service    celebrated   to 
the  Cave  of  San  Servolo. 


St.  Stephen's  Crown. 

The  crown  of  Hungary  is  regarded  with  su- 
perstitious reverence  and  veneration.  It  is  one 
of  the  oldest  in  Europe,  having  been  granted 
by  Pope  Sylvester  XL,  in  the  year  1000,  and 
hence  called  the  "  Holy  and  Apostolic  Crown." 
It  is  looked  upon  as  the  emblem  of  nationality, 
and  hence  is  regarded  with  jealous  care.  li 
ancient  times  the  crown,  the  regalia,  the  sword 
and  mantle  of  St.  Stephen,  were  watched  over 
by  a  body  of  veterins  ~  a  guard  of  honor  who 
kept  them  cirefully  locke  I  in  an  iron  chest, 
the  two  keys  of  which  were  confided  to  two 
grand  dignitaries  of  the  re-ilm,  elected  by  the 
Diet.     The  circlet  or  band  which  rests  upon 


THE    AUSTKIAN    EMPIRE. 


S86 


^ 


o 


V 


286 


THE     WOKLDS     GREAT    NATIONS. 


the  forehead  was  sent  by  the  Greek  Emperor, 
Michael  Ducas,  to  the  King  Gesay,  from  Byzan- 
tium. Two  ribs  of  gold  which  span  the  crown 
are  the  workmanship  of  the  angels ! — so  it  is 
Baid,  and  so  believed  by  the  peasantry.  It  has 
at  times  been  seized  by  usurpers  to  the  throne, 
been  hidden  for  years,  removed  tj  foreign  coun- 
tries, but  recovered,  to  be  regirded  with  in- 
creased admiration.  When  Joseph  II.,  son  of 
Maria  Theresa,  came  to  the  throne  of  the  Aus- 
trian Empire,  he  carried  it  to  Vienna,  a  pro- 
•jeeding  which  came  near  producing  an  insur- 
"sction.  The  Hungarians  had  saved  the  empire 
from  ruin  by  the  fiery  patriotism  which  granted 
all  that  Maria  Theresa  had  asked,  and  to  be 
Tobbfid  of  their  crown  was  too  much  for  human 
nature  to  bear.  Of  all  the  oppressive  measures 
of  Joseph  II.,  this  was  most  deeply  resenteri, 
and  it  has  rankled  in  the  hearts  of  the  Hunga- 
rians to  the  present  day. 

In  1849  Kossuth  carried  off  the  crown,  and 
caused  it  to  be  buried  n^ar  Orsova,  when  he  saw 
that  the  independence  oi  the  State  was  lost.  It 
was  recovered,  and  to-day  rests  upon  the  brows 
of  the  Emperor  of  Austria. 


SCaSNE  IN  THE  M.\RKEr-PLACE  AT  PESTH,  HUNGAKT. 

represented  in  our  engraving.  ITiere  the  traveler 
can  see  all  the  varieties  of  the  costumes  of  the 
Tcheque  country,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  and 
richest  of  Central  Europe. 


Austrian  Passenger  Steamboat  on  the  Balaton 
Lake,  Hungary. 
Our  engraving  shows  the  motley  group  of 
people  sometimes  assembled  on  the  deck  of  a 
Balaton  Lake  steamboat,  in  Hungary.  The 
passengers,  gay  cockneys  of  the  Austrian  me- 
tropolis, Magyar  farmers  or  shepherds,  and 
traveling  peddlers  from  the  remoter  provinces, 
are  mingled  in  the  same  narrow  space,  though 
not  in  company  with  each  other.  On  the  left 
hand  we  see  a  party  of  the  peasant  women  of  the 
district,  who  have  brought  a  quantity  of  their 
vegetables,  fruit,  and  poultry,  for  sale  to  the 
stewardess  of  the  vessel. 


The  Maiket-place  at  Brunn,  Austria. 
Brunn  is  the  capital  of  Moravia,  in  Austria, 
and  is  a  charming  and  picturesque  city.  The 
Spelberg  towers  above  it,  once  a  State  prison 
(celebrated  by  the  writings  of  Silvio  Pe'.lico),  but 
now  an  ordinary  fortress.  The  inhabitants-  are 
simple,  honest,  and  industrious.  To  study  them 
*?eU  they  should  be  seen  in  the  market-place,  as 


Mausoleum  of  Maria  Christiana,  Archduchess 
of  Austria. 

This  Inonument  is  considered  the  master-piece 
of  the  great  Italian  sculptor,  Canova.  To  typify 
the  bsneficence  of  the  princess.  Virtue  stands  at 
one  side,  in  the  costume  of  a  matron  crowned 
with  flowers,  attended  by  two  maidens  with 
funeral  torches,  and  supporting  the  ends  of  the 
garlands  which  descend  from  the  urn  containing 
the  ashes  of  the  princess,  which  Virtue  is  bear- 
ing into  the  open  tomb.  Charity  follows,  leading 
a  blind  man,  to  show  the  good  deeds  of  the 


deceased.  On  the  other  side,  the  winged  figure 
reclining  on  the  lion,  to  typify  the  valiant 
woman,  symbolizes  her  husband's  grief.  On  tha 
Egyptian  tomb  itself.  Felicity  bears  up  the  por- 
trait of  the  prhicess,  surrounded  by  the  emblems 
of  immortality,  wliile  a  winged  figure  holds  tha 
palm.  The  whole  design  and  execution  render 
it  a  most  beautiful  poem  in  marble. 


The  Abbey  of  Moelk. 

As  Tou  descend  the  Danube  toward  Vienna, 
you  pass  the  rapids  below  He  Woorth  and  come 
upon  a  promontory  of  massive  granite,  towering 
bleak  and  bare,  and  on  its  summit,  almost  at  the 
very  brink,  stands  the  large  and  magnificent 
Abbey  of  Moelk  crowned  with  a  ccpper  cupola 
of  turban  shape,  that  glitters  like  fire  in  the 
rays  of  the  sun. 

A  German  tra  iition,  which  rather  violates  the 
truth  of  history,  makes  the  name  of  Moelk 
come  from  ''  Jleadileda,''  the  expresaonof  Ceesar 
on  approaching  it  in  one  of  his  campaigns.  This 
became  tlie  name,  and,  corrupted  into  Medlik, 
at  last  become  Moelk. 

Monasteries  are  generally  placed  on  pictur- 
esque sites,  and  even  tha  gro\\th  of  population 
around  seems  not  to  make  them  less  fitted  for 
solitude  and  thought.  The  library  of  the  Bene- 
dictines of  Moelk  consists  of  twenty  thousand 
volumes,  and  the  wine-cellars  contain  enough 
to  supply  an  army  for  days  not  figuratively,  but 
really,  the  abbey  having  for  four  days  dealt  out 
sixty  thousand  pints  a  day  to  the  French  troopa 
in  1809. 


A  SWraE-HERI)  ON  THE  PUSKTJu 


THE    AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 


28T 


The  abbey  was  built 
by  the  architect  Pran- 
dauer,  and  contains 
three  hundred  and 
Bixty-five  windows. 
From  them  the  view 
is  beautiful  up  tlie 
river  toward  Mariaferl 
and  Vachlam,  and 
down  tlie  river  toward 
Schoembuchel,  the  fine 
ruins  of  the  Castle 
of  Aggstein  and  the 
Devil's  Wall,  a  very 
singular  agglomera- 
tion of  rocks. 


A  Passenger  Eaft  on 
the  Danube. 
Odr  engraving  does 
not  exactly  represent 
a  floating  palace.  On 
the  contrary,  nothing 
could  be  more  primi- 
tive, rude  and  in- 
elegant than  the  pas 

senger  raft  that  we  picture  on  the  broad  bosom 
of  the  Danube,  depending  upon  the  rapid  cur- 
rent of  the  stream  to  be  conveyed  to  its  des- 
tination. The  pjssengers  seem  to  be  as  uncouth 
as  their  unwieldy  bark,  and  are  evidently 
making  the  mcst  of  their  limited  opportunities 
to  enjoy  themsel\-es.  These  rafts,  having  reached 
their  destinations,  are  sdd  as  lumber,  as  they 
are  scarcely  fitted  to  ascend  the  stream.  Their 
errand  of  transportation  ia  socn  over,  and, 
after  claving  the  waters  of  the  Danube,  they  are 
knocked  to  pieces,  and  the  fragments  subjected 
to  inglorious  repose  in  the  lumber-yard. 


The  Osarda. 

In  the  "Puzstas"  of  Hungary  can  be  found 
small  houses  standing  alone,  and  often  frorn 
five  to  ten  miles  separated  from  each  other. 
These  houses  are  prairie-taverns,  and  called  by 
the  Hungarians  by  the  Turkisli  name  Csarda. 
The  interior  aud  exterior  of  such  csarda  arc 
very  simple ;  the  exterior  shows  a  very  ne- 
glected coat  of  whitewash,  and  the  interior  is 
generally  divided  into  three  rooms  :  the  saloon 
— if  wo  may  call  it  so — for  customers  and  pat- 
eengers ;  the  kitchen  and  the  bedroom  for  the 


A   PASSENGER   RAFT  ON  THE   DANUBE. 

landlord  and  his  family.  The  servants  have 
their  apartments  in  the  hor.^e-stable,  and,  if 
some  stranger  should  be  obliged  to  stay  during 
a  night  in  a  csarda,  he  is  obliged  to  sleep  as 
well  as  he  can  on  the  floor  cf  the  saloon.  The 
csarda  is  the  place  where  the  farmer  boys  from 
the  neighborhood  come  to  drink  "  slibowits,"  a 
very  strong  liquor  distilled  out  of  the  kernels  of 
plums  and  peaches,  and  tj  quarrel.  But  as 
often  as  a  gang  of  gipsies  enters  the  csarda  with 
their  musical  instruments,  consisting  of  violins, 
base,  piccclo  and  cimbal,  the  quarreling  ceases, 
;;11  tables  and  chairs  are  put  oside,  and  the 
dance  begins  with  thit  passion  and  vehemence 
for  which  the  hot-bloode!  Hungarian  dancers 
are  known  all  over  the  world. 


A  Timber  Eaft  on  th3  Danube. 

The  Danube  has  not  been  the  theme  of  poets 
and  travelers,  like  the  Khine  and  PJione,  yet  it 
is  a  noble  river,  flowing  through  many  of  the 
most  picturesque  situations  in  Europe.  The 
fact  that  its  mouth  is  in  the  hands  cf  the  torpid 
Turk  robs  it  of  half  its  value,  in  a  commercial 
point  of  view.  It  has  no  New  Orleans  at  its 
mouth  to   gather   and    distribute  the  wealth 


accumulating  on  it» 
banks.  The  variety 
of  nationality  and 
religion  in  the  valley 
of  the  Danube  would 
rather  increase  the 
commerce  than  other- 
wise. Our  r  e  a  d  er  s 
know  the  old  French, 
epigram  on  the  river, 
which,  alternately  Pro- 
testant and  Catholic,, 
at  last  turns  Turk. 

The  Upper  Danube, 
with  its  forests,  sup- 
plies much  of  thp 
valley  and  neighbor* 
hood  with  timber,  and 
rafts  pass  by  you  from 
time  to  time  as  tha 
steamer  speeds  on  het 
way.  They  look  mora 
compact  and  seem- 
mor.:  fitted  for  human 
habitation  than  those 
on  our  lakes  andi 
rivers,  and  take  their 
rank  as  passenger  vessels.  As  the  Danube  is 
not  free  from  rapids  an!  difficult  passages,  the- 
still  life  on  a  raft  is  occasionally  roused  ta 
excitement  as  the  foaming  water  looms  up 
before  the  ill-fastened  craft. 


Presburgi  the  Ancient  Oajital  of  Hungary, 
This  city,  the  ancient  Posonium,  is  the  legis- 
lative capital  of  Hungarv,  and  is  situated  on  the 
Danube,  thirty-four  miles  K  st  South-east  ol 
Vienna,  with  which  city  it  is  connected  by  rail- 
way. There  is  a  bridge  of  boats  over  the  river. 
Tlie  population  is  about  forty-three  thousand, 
excluding  the  Austrian  gairiscn,  which  varies 
with  political  emergencies.  The  piincijal  struc- 
ture is  a  ruined  castle  on  a  hill  mar  the  town, 
memorable  as  the  scene  of  the  appeal  made  in 
1741,  by  Maria  Theresa,  to  the  Hungarian 
States.  There  is  also  a  fine  Gothic  cathedral,  ir 
which  the  kings  of  Hungary  were  crowned 
Hall  of  the  Diet ;  the  County  Hall,  a  German 
theatre,  barracks,  and  the  Archljishop's  palaca 
It  has  al-io  a  Kcman  Catholic  academy,  a  Cal- 
vinist  college — both  of  which  institutions  have 
excellent  libraries.  There  are  also  many  othei 
educational  a.nd  charitable  buildings.  The 
principal  manufactures    are   silk    and  woolea 


PEASANTS  FROM  THE  PUSZTA   ENCAMPED  IN   THE  MARKET-PL.\CE   AT  PESTH. 


-288 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


THB   MARKET   AT   BKLNN. 


goods,  nitre,  tobacco,  leather,  etc.    It  has  nlso 

a  large  transit  trade  in  Hungarian  wines,  corn, 

^and  linen.     The  treaty  giving  Venice  to  the 

French,  and  Tyrol  to  Bavaria,  was  concluded 

.here  in  1805. 

►-•^ 

Eecrniting  for  the  Austrian  Army. 
-  Hecbtjitijjg  is  much  the  same  all  over  the 
■world  in  civilized  countries,  especially  where 
Ihe  conscription  laws  are  not  in  full  force,  and 
when  a  sxidden  emergency  calls  for  an  addition 
to  the  army.  In  England  and  Germany  the 
traps  for  these  raw  votaries  of  Mars  are  in 
■wine-saloons  and  beer-houses.  Our  sketch 
represents  the  recruiting  officer  handing  the 
"  bonus  "  to  the  future  warrior. 


from  the  hands  of  a  mounted  standard-bearer 
the  flag  that  he  holds.  The  distance  to  be  run  is 
about  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  the  successful  rider 
must  either  distance  all  the  rest,  so  as  to  capture 
it  before  they  can  come  up,  or,  as  more  fre- 
quently happens,  use  all  his  skill  and  address  to 
thwart  others  who  are  close  uj^ou  him,  and  so 
bear  off  the  prize  :  watchful  even  in  his  struggle 
that  others  do  not  suddenly  dash  up  aud  outwit 
him.  The  successful  champion  is  then  put  to 
another  test,  requiring  still  greater  strength  aud 


valor.  This  is,  to  catch  a  wild  bull,  selected  fo* 
the  purpose,  without  any  aid  or  help,  and  bring 
it,  bound  and  obedient,  to  the  village — a  very 
dangerous  feat,  often  ending  in  the  defeat  of  the 
aspirant.  If  he  succeeds,  he  enters  the  village 
in  triumph,  attended  by  his  less  fortunate  com- 
fietitors,  and  is  declared  King  of  the  Village  for 
the  ensuing  year.  His  prerogative  is  not  empty. 
He  can  ruu  wp  a  bill  at  the  inn,  during  his 
reigu,  at  the  expense  of  the  village ;  and  ho 
begins  by  a  ball,  to  which  all  are  invited,  and 
dance  and  song  and  merriment  run  riot  as  th« 
wine  flows  freelj'. 

►-♦-« 

Moravian  Peasants  Dancing. 
In  connection  with  the  spirited  engraving  of 
Moravian  po-^sants  dancing  before  a  party  of 
ofticers,  vie  may  indulge  in  a  few  remarks  on 
German  dances.  Thewultzis,  indeed,  essentially 
the  German  dance,  but  the  most  peculiar  dance 
performed  at  social  gatherings  is  that  which 
passes  by  the  name  of  the  German  cotillon,  and 
which  consists  of  a  series  of  games,  rather  than 
figures,  superadded  to  the  old  French  measure. 
This  dance  is  always  reserved  for  the  conclusion 
of  the  evening's  entertainment,  when  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  draw  their  chairs  from  the  side 
of  the  room  and  seat  themselves  in  a  large  circle 
toward  the  centre  of  the  dancing-hall  ;  after 
which  one  of  the  young  ladies  j^roceeds  to  tie 
a  liuot  in  one  corner  of  her  handkerchief,  and 
then,  doubling  the  knotted  end  into  the  form  of 
a  bow,  do  the  like  with  the  other  three  corners, 
in  which  no  knot  has  been  made ;  so  that  the 
several  ends  being  held  iu  the  iialm  of  the  hand. 
it  shall  be  difficult  to  tell  which  is  the  knotted 
coruer  and  whicli  the  unknotted  ones  belonging 
to  the  bows  left  projecting  above.  Thus  pre- 
pared, the  damsel  ajjproaches  any  gentleman 
whom  she  may  please  to  seek  for  a  partner,  and 


Austrian  Military  Post. 
Few  spots  are  more  dreary  than  an  Austrian 
military  post  in  the  marshy  land  of  the  south- 
ern provinces.  Vast  flights  of  storks  and 
■cranes  frequent  these  banks  of  the  Danube,  and 
become  so  accustomed  to  the  presence  of  man, 
■that  they  tranquilly  build  their  habitations 
and  stalk  aboxjt  amid  the  soldiers. 


•  The  Village  King  in  Hungary, 
'  In  Hungary,  where  long  border  war  with 
Turkey  gave  constant  exercise  to  the  courage, 
skill  and  address  of  the  young  men,  personal 
valor  and  physical  strength  are  still  the  titles 
to  public  esteem. 

Games  that  recall,  in  spirit,  the  Olympic 
games  of  Greece,  are  still  held,  to  test  the 
prowess  of  the  young  men,  and  decide  on  the 
champion.  Whitmonday  is  the  national  day,  aud 
then  the  whole  village,  led  by  a  band  of  gipsy 
musicians,  proceed  to  the  ground.  The  first  test 
is  a  horse-race,  in  which  the  object  is  to  ■wrest 


AUSTRIAN   PASSENGER  STEAMB0.^T  ON  THE  BALATON  LAKE,  H0NGABT. 


THK    AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 


^ 

^ 


5 
w 


19 


290 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


presenting  to  him  the  several  bows  of  the  hand- 
kerchief, he  selects  one  of  them ;  and  while  the 
lady  holds  the  ends  still  firmly  clasped  in  her 
palm,  the  gentleman  is  thus  led,  with  his  finger 
and  thumb  grasping  the  bow  he  has  chosen,  to- 
ward a  second  partner,  to  whom  the  handker- 
chief-ends are  in  the  same  manner  presented. 


tha  hand,  and  the  gentleman  who  has  selected 
the  corner  with  the  knot  to  it  is  claimed  as  the 
lady's  partner  for  the  dance. 

The  others  are  left  to  try  their  luck  once  more 
with  some  other  fraukin,  or  to  console  them- 
selves with  the  brief  pleasure  of  an  extra  tour, 
OS  it  is  called,  during  the  pauses  of  the  dance ; 


beg  that  he  may  be  allowed — if  the  frauiein 
be  not  too  tired — the  honor  of  dancing  an 
additional  round  or  two  with  her. 

Another  pastime  indulged  in  during  this  same 
cotillon  is  to  lead  one  of  the  most  admired  of 
the  German  coquettes  out  into  the  middle  of 
the  room,  and  to  arrange  a  table  and  toilet-glasa 


LIFE    IN    VIENNA. 


'When  he  in  his  turn  has  taken  hold  of  another 
of  the  bows,  the  couple  are  conducted  by  the 
lady,  as  before,  to  a  third  cavalier,  and  imme- 
diately this  one  has  grasped  the  remaining  bow 
(tor  the  lady  keeps  one  of  the  unknotted 
corners  for  herself),  the  ends  are  drawn  from 


for  it  is  the  custom  in  Germany  for  gentlemen 
who  are  unable  to  procure  partners  for  the 
waltz  or  polka  that  is  about  to  commence  to 
wait  until  some  of  the  couples  halt  for  a  few 
minutes'  rest,  and  then  to  approach  the  gentle- 
man to  whom  the  coveted  lady  is  engaged,  and 


there,  in  front  of  which  the  saucy,  clumsy  flirt  is 
seated.  Then  the  gentlemen  are  brought  forth, 
one  by  one,  and  presented  to  her  behind  her 
back,  and,  as  she  sees  their  figures  reflected  in 
the  mirror  before  her,  she  either  shakes  her 
head  or  bows  toward  the  looking-glass  as  a  sign 


THE    AUSTRIAN     EMPIRE. 


291 


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£5 


292 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


CSAEDA— TURKISH  NAME  OF  THE  IKNS  ON   THE  PRAIRIES  OF  HCKGART. 


that  such  company  is  either  displeasing  or  ac- 
ceptable to  )icr.  It  usually  happens,  however, 
that  the  head  is  shaken  as  repeatedly  as  the 
gentlemen  arc  successively  presented  to  the 
damsel  at  her  back  ;  for  the  vain  young  boor  of 
a  fraulein  loves  to  hear  the  titters  and  jeers  of 
the  people  in  the  room,  as  the  liand  of  each 
swain  after  the  other  is  indignantly  rejected  by 
her.  IndeeJ,  for  the  mere  sake  of  displaying 
their  power  on  such  occasions,  some  of  the  more 
bold  young  ladies  will  shake  their  head  at  a 
whole  roomful  of  gentlemen  successively,  as 
much  as  to  say  they  considered  there  was  no 
one  present  who  was  wortliy  of  being  their  part- 
ner— even  for  that  brief  occasion. 

A  third  sprightly  variety  of  the  same  dance 
consists  in  the  removal  of  the  toilet-glass,  and 
in  placing  upon  the  little  table  before  described 
n  large  papier-muchi  model  of  a  heart,  a  small 
velvet  slipper,  made  after  the  fashion  of  a  watch- 
pocket,  and  a  tiny  basketful  of  artificial  flowers. 
Then  the  lady  being  seated  in  front  of  these 
three  different  articles,  a  fresh  triad  of  gentlemen 
are  conducted  to  the  table  before  her,  when  she 
presents  the  slipper  to  the  one  whom  she  thinks 
is  likely  to  be  ruled  by  his  wife — the  monster 
brownpciper  heart  to  him  whom  she  desires  to 
dance,  and  the  basket  to  the  one  whose  hand 
Bhe  desires  to  reject  with  scorn,  for  in  Germany 
it  is  the  same  insult — in  the  vernacular — to  give 
a  gentleman  "  the  cori,"  or  basket  (since  it  is 
supposed  to  be  the  special  office  of  women  only 
to  carry  burdens  in  that  country),  as  in  our  own 
land  it  is,  vulgarly  speaking,  "  to  give  him  the 
sack." 


market-places  in  Vienna,  where  all  descriptions 
of  fruit,  vegetables  and  food  may  bo  purchased, 
saying  notliing  of  peddlers — male  and  female — 
who  deal  in  everytliing,  from  a  bodkin  to  an 
oven.  Tlie  time  is  the  sunny  part  of  the  day, 
and  the  display  of  umbrellas  shows  that  the 
season  is  Summer.  On  the  right  hand,  a  dealer 
in  children's  toys  is  offermg  to  the  fair  American 
lady  a  doll,  but  she  has  not  succeeded  in  gaining 
her  attention.  Behind  the  toy-dealer  is  her 
baby,  tied  up  in  a  bundle,  leaving  only  the  face 
exposed.  Altogether  it  affords  a  very  complete 
and    striking    contrast    to   market    scenes    in 

America. 

ii^i» 

The  Spring  Pair  at  Pestli,  Hungary. 

'•As  I  happened  to  be  at  Pesth  during  the 
great  Spring  fair,''  says  Spencer,  in  his  Travels, 
' '  I  was  not  only  provided  with  ample  materials 
for  amusement,  bat  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
the  motley  population  of  the  natives  and  stran- 


gers which  are  usually  attracted  on  this  occs^ 
sion  ;  for  though  the  Magyars,  who  have  giveui 
tlieir  name  to  Hungary,  are  the  greatest  landed; 
proprietors,  and  holil  the  reins  of  government, 
yet  they  are  inferior  in  numericd  force  to  the- 
Sclavonians  (or  Totoks),  the  original  inhabi- 
tants. These  are  divided  into  at  least  lialf  a 
dozen  separate  tribes,  each  speaking  a  difl'orent 
patois ;  and  if  to  them  we  add  the  colonies  cf 
Germans,  Wallachians,  Greeks,  Armenians, 
French,  Italians,  Jews  and  gipsies,  speaking 
their  own  languages  and  retaining  their  na- 
tional manners,  customs,  and  religions,  we  may 
term  Hungary  a  miniature  picture  of  Europe. 

"My  first  lounge  was  through  the  fair,  which 
afforded  as  many  groups  for  the  painter  as  fcr 
the  ob.server  of  life  and  manners.  The  Babel- 
like confusion  of  tongues  was  endless  ;  and  the, 
costume  and  appearance  of  the  motley  tribeg 
could  not  have  been  equaled  in  variety  by  any 
other  fair  in  Europe,  or  even  by  the  most  enter- 
taining maskers  that  ever  trod  the  Piazza  San 
Marco,  or  the  Corso  at  Rome  ;  because  here  each 
person  performed  his  natural  character.  Thc- 
most  prominent  figures  in  the  group  were  ever 
the  proud  Magyars,  particularly  those  just 
arrived  from  the  provinces.  The  dress  of  some 
of  these  noblemen  was  indeed  singular,  con- 
I  sisting  of  a  tight  sheepskin  coat,  or  mantle, 
the  woolly  side  inward  ;  while  the  other  was 
I  gaudily  embroidered  all  over  with  the  gayest 
flowers  of  the  parterre,  in  colored  silk,  among 
which  the  tulip  was  ever  the  most  prominent. 
Tliose  whose  wealth  permitted  it,  were  to  be 
seen  habited  in  their  half-military,  half-civil 
costume,  and  you  might  in  truth  fancy,  from 
their  haughty  demeanor,  that  you  were  behold- 
ing a  feudel  lord  of  the  Middle  Ages,  as, 
mounted  en  their  fiery  steeds,  and  armed  with 
sword  and  pistols,  they  galloped  through  the 
parting  multitude,  upon  wiiom,  when  -the 
slightest  interruption  occurred,  they  glanced 
with  scorn  and  contempt. 

'  'Among  crowds  of  Jews,  Turks,  Greeks,  Arme- 
nians, Tyrolians,  Germans,  Sclavonians,  Ital- 
ians, and  Hungarian  peasants,  were  groups  of 
gipsies,  their  black,  matted  locks  shading  their 
wild,  sunburnt  countenances,  exhibiting  their 


Life  in  Vienna. 


One  of  tho  great  moral  results  of  traveling  is 
the  enlarged  ideas  it  gives  of  human  life.  No- 
thing teaches  toleration  more  than  a  calm 
survey  cf  the  varying  manners  and  customs  of 
humanity  when  divided  into  races,  nations  and 
religions.  Foreign  travel  is,  therefore,  a  great 
corrector  of  egotism,  and  teaches  forbearance. 

Our  scene  represents  an  American  lady  and 
gentleman  visiting   one  of    those   numerous 


BUNQAfilAN   VTEDDWOl, 


THE    AUSTRIAN    EMPIRE. 


293 


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THE    WOELDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


dancing-dogs,  bears,  and  monkeys,  or  playing 
a  lively  tune  for  the  amusement  of  the  sur- 
rounding multitude,  these  itinerants  being  the 
popular  musicians  of  Hungary.  In  another 
part  of  the  fair,  mountebanks  on  elevated  plat- 
forms were  relating  the  exploits  of  the  famous 
robber  Schrubar  in  the  great  forest  of  Bakony ; 
or  the  ravages  committed  by  the  dreadful  mon- 
ster, half-serpent,  half-flying  dragon,  that  lately 
rose  out  of  the  Balaton  lake,  together  with  the 
most  veritable  history  of  the  reappearance  of 
the  renowned  Merman,  who  had  inhabited,  for 
the  last  two  years,  his  own  extensive  domain, 
the  H  msag  marshes.  All  these  astonishing  mar- 
vels, besides  hundreds  of  othors,  were  listened 
to  by  the  peasants  not  only  with  attentive  ears, 
but  open  mouths,  and  were  Illustrated  by  paint- 
ings as  largo  as  life,  depicting  the  extraordinary 
wonders,  executed  Ln  a  etyle  which  set  all  imi- 
tation at  defiance. 

"Bread,  cakes,  cheeses,  vegetables,  etc.,  were 
heaped  on  higii  i;i  tlie  streets,  with  the  owners 
of  each  separite  pile  squatted  in  the  midst. 
The  savory  odor  of  frying  sausages  attracted 
some  gourmands,  whilst  others  feasted  on  the 
lighter  refreshments  of  pastry  which  the  accom- 
plished cuisiniers  were  preparing  for  their  gratifi- 
cation But  the  popular  viand  was  evidently 
the  cray-fish,  which  all  ranks,  however  other- 
wise engaged,  were  incessantly  consuming;  nor 
did  thsy  in  this  manifest  any  deficiency  in  goiU, 
as  the  flavor  of  the  little  dainties  was  really 
excellent,  and  I  have  rarely  seen  them  exceeded 
in  size.  Indeed,  to  tliread  the  mazes  of  this 
great  Hungarian  fair,  so  as  to  obtain  a  view  of 
its  rarities,  was  an  undertaking  of  no  little 
difficulty,  on  account  of  the  immense  pyramids 
of  wool,  hides,  tobacco,  etc.,  which  ever  stool 
in  the  way ;  and  a3  the  articles  were  most 
tempting  baits  to  tlio  cupidity  of  the  Jew- 
ish traiirs,  they  might  constantly  be  seen 
nxakinj  us3  of  all  their  cajoling  eloquence, 
while  prevailing  upon  the  artl-ss  peasant  to 
dispose  of  his  w.ares  at  a  price  little  more  than 
nominal.  When,  however,  the  case  was  re- 
versed, and  the  gaudy  merchandize  of  the  Jew 
and  Armenian  traders  induce  1  the  peasant  to 
become  a  purchaser,  the  balance  of  trade  was 
considsrably  against  him. 

"But,  perhaps,  of  all  the  groups  over  which 
my  eye  wandered,  none  more  strongly  arrested 
my  attention  than  the  Saxon  colonists ;  these 
were  attired  in  the  samo  costume  in  which  their 
ancestors,  some  centuries  gone  by,  had  emi- 
grated from  their  fatherland,  their  blue  eyes  and 
heavy,  quiet  count  ^nan-^es  forming  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  vivid  glances  of  the  half-Asiatic 
people  around  them.  Nor  were  their  normal 
/  traits  les!  distinctly  defined  ;  for  the  prudent 
German,  well  knowing  he  was  in  the  society  cf 
some  of  the  most  nccomplished  pickpockets  on 
the  continent,  wisely  determined  that  they 
should  not  prey  upon  him  ;  he  did  not  once 
remove  his  hand  from  his  pocket,  while  his 
good  woman  never  failed  to  keen  watch  behind, 


attended  by  her  little  ones,  who,  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  half-wild  gipsy,  timidly  covered 
their  flaxen  heads  in  the  many  folds  of  mam- 
ma's cumbrous  petticoat. 

' '  I  would,  above  all  things,  recommend  every 
traveler  who  may  visit  Pesth  during  the  Spring 
fair,  not  to  leave  it  without  taking  a  morning's 
ramble  through  the  toivn.  He  will  then  see 
thousands  of  men,  women,  and  children  lying 
about  the  streets,  beneath  the  piazzas,  or  in  the 
numerous  barks  on  the  river,  with  no  other 
covering  save  the  canopy  of  heaven  and  their 
own  sheepskin  mantles.  Ho  will,  also,  still 
more  to  his  surprise,  behold  them  anointing 
their  persons  with  lard,  in  order  to  protect 
themselves  during  the  day  from  the  effect  of 
heat,  and  the  bites  of  vermin  and  insects." 


Types  and  Costumes  of  the  People  of  the 
Circle  of  Bukowine. 

The  Bukowine,  which,  in  the  language  of  its 
people,  means  "Red  Fore.^t,"  is,  with  Galicia, 
the  most  easterly  of  the  Austrian  States,  touch- 
ing on  Russia  and  Moldavia,  to  the  latter  of 
which  it  be  longed  till  1776,  when  it  passed 
under  the  Austrian  rule. 

The  people  strikingly  resemble  the  Moldo- 
Wallachians.  The  men,  booted  and  spurred, 
spend  whole  days  on  horseback,  overseeing  their 
vast  herds  of  cattle,  in  this  respect  resembling 
the  pamperos  of  S»uth  America  As  they  are 
often  exposed  to  cold  and  stormr,  they  dress  in 
sheepskins.  The  ax  is  almost  always  in  a 
man's  hand,  and  it  is  in  their  bands,  as  in  those 
of  a  Russian  peasant,  a  whole  tocl-chest.  In 
building  their  log-huts  they  handle  it  most 
skillfully,  and  it  is  the  great  weapon  against  the 
wolves  that  annoy  their  herds.  Here,  as  in  the 
Roumanian  rrincipalities,  are  many  gipsies, 
without  hearth  or  home. 

Tlie  chief  town  is  Czemowitz,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Pruth,  a  place  of  twelve  thousand 
inh.abitants.  It  is  the  seat  cf  a  bishop,  and  has 
a  philosophical  and  theolojical  institute,  llje 
commerce  is  limited,  but  it  is  the  centre  of  a 
lively  trade  in  jewelry  and  other  trinkets. 


A  Hungarian  "Wedding. 
Like  most  peasants  in  Europe,  the  Hungarians 
have  n  picturesque  dress,  simple  habits,  love  of 
music,  and  innocent  enjoyments.  Their  mirth 
and  hilarity  are  not  bridled  down  or  hedged  in 
by  codes  of  etiquette,  and  of  all  joyous  gath- 
erinsrs  a  wedding  i;  the  most  merry.  Our  illus- 
tration depicts  it  well,  but  instead  of  describing 
it,  which  is  scarcely  necessary,  we  give  a  lovc- 
lecrend  of  Trentsin  Castle,  that  is  often  heard 
at  the  fireside  on  a  wedding-day  in  Hungary: 

' '  It  was  in  the  reign  of  Mathias  Corvinus 
that  Trentsin  was  in  the  possession  of  Stephen 
Zapolya,  a  powerful  chief,  who  added  much  to 
the  strength  and  magnificence  of  the  noble  pile. 
Like  many  other  castles,   however,   placed  on 


the  summit  of  rocks,  Trentsin  paid  dearly  for 
the  advantages  of  its  situation,  by  having  no- 
supply  of  water  but  what  was  afforded  by  cis- 
terns, evidently  insufficient  to  enable  a  largo 
garrison  to  support  a  long  siege.  To  Zopolya 
this  deficiency  in  his  favorite  castle  was  a  source 
of  deep  disappointment,  nor  had  any  one  been 
able  to  propose  an  effectual  remedy  for  it. 

"Musing  one  day  on  this  mortification,  as  he 
saw  his  new  works  nearly  completed,  he  was. 
roused  by  the  announcement  of  his  attendant* 
that  a  Turkish  merchant  had  arrived,  who 
wished  to  treat  with  him  for  the  ransbm  cf 
some  prisoners  whom  he  had  captured,  and 
brought  home  with  him  in  slavery.  As  a  sol- 
dier alive  to  the  courtesies  of  war,  Zapolya  at- 
once  expressed  his  willingness  to  take  ransom, 
for  all  such  as  remained  in  his  hands;  'as  for 
those  I  have  given  to  my  followers,  they  are  not 
in  my  power,  any  more  than  the  young  girl  whom, 
my  wife  has  cliosen  for  her  handmaid  ;  for  the 
former,  you  must  treat  with  their  present  mas- 
ters ;  for  the  latter,  she  is  become  such  a  favor- 
ite w  ith  her  mistress,  that  I  am  sure  no  sum 
would  ransom  her.'  '  But  might  I  not  see  tins-, 
maiden  .''  anxiously  demanded  the  Turk.  Tho 
girl  was  sent  for;  'Omar!'  'Fatime!'  burst  at 
the  same  moment  frcm  their  lips  as  they  rushed 
into  each  otlicr'3  anno. 

"  Fatime,  it  appeared,  was  the  daughter  of  a 
Pasha,  and  the  affianced  bride  cf  Omar,  who 
lost  licr  in  tho  night  when  Zapolya  had  attacked 
the  Turkish  camp,  and  her  lover,  disguised  as- 
a  merchant,  had  undertaken  this  journey  in 
search  of  her. 

"  Enraged  at  the  Turk's  presumption,  Za- 
polya ordered  Fatime  back  to  the  countess'^ 
apartments,  and,  deaf  alike  to  the  entreaties 
and  higli  offers  of  tho  lover,  positively  refuFed 
to  deprive  his  wife  cf  an  attendant  she  liked. 
In  vain  Omar  supplicated,  in  vain  he  threw 
himself  passionately  at  the  feet  of  Zapolya,  and' 
begged  of  him  his  mistress.  At  last,  angered 
at  his  perseverance,  the  haughty  lord  swore  be 
might  more  easily  obtain  water  from  the  reck 
they  stood  on,  than  compliance  from  him. 

"'Try,'  said  he,  in  seem,  'and  when  tl:e- 
rock  yields  water  to  your  prayers,  I  give  up- 
Fatime,  but  not  till  then.  'On  your  honor !' 
exclaimed  Omar,  springing  to  his  feet,  '  voir 
give  up  Fatime,  if  I  obtain  water  from  this 
rock?'  'If  you  do,'  said  the  knight,  aston- 
ished that  the  Turk  should  have  understood 
him  literally,  '  I  pledge  my  knightly  word  to 
release  your  mistress,  and  ell  my  prisoners,  ran- 
som free.' 

"■^^hat  is  impossible  to  youth  and  love? 
Omar,  aide  1  by  the  captive  Turks,  set  to  work, 
and  long  and  patiently  did  they  labor  at  the 
unyielding  stone.  Three  wearisome  years  were 
passed,  and  they  saw  themselves  apparently  as 
far  from  success  as  at  the  commencement,  when, 
almost  exhausted  with  fatigue  and  despair,  the^ 
joyful  cry  of  'Water!  water!'  burst  on  their 
ears.  The  spring'  was  found— Fatime  was  free  '. 


TURKEY. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL  SUMMARY. 

GALiTA — InTEBIOB  OF  A  HaREM-A  MoaAMHEDAU    ToMB— ENTRANCE   TO   ORIENTAI,   BAZAR— TBBKISH  UNDIES  AT  TAKDOTTB— TOWEB  OF  GALATA 

—Guests  in  a  Harem  Entertained  with  Music  — Tdbkish  Dinner  Party— Visit  of  Cebehony — Turkish  Life  — Gardens  of  the 
Seraglio— Turkish  Women  in  a  Garden— Turk  and  his  Three  Wives— Summer  Saloon  of  the  Sultan's  Harem— Gulbeyah  hamum: 

—Outdoor  Costume  of  a  Turkish  Lady- Kara  Fatima,  the  Princess  op  Kurd- Floooinq  in  a  Turkish  School— a  Bashi  Bazouk 

Casting  Dead  Bodies  into  the  Bosphorus— Calling  to  Prayer- A  Rural  Mosque— Cemetery  at  Scutari— A  Street  Scene— BAzar— 
Gipsy  Showman—The  Mosque  Achmed-Eunning  to  a  Fire— Barber's  Shop— courier  — bath- Ewer  and  Basin— Turkish  Mansion 
—A  Syriak.  Turk's  Divan— Koom  in  a  Khan— The  Sick-room— A  Turkish  Banknote— Scrie-,  or  Usn'ER-WRiTEB — Pobteu- SAPBua. 
POMPIER— Subterranean  Lake  at  Constantinople. 


THIS  barbarous  empire,  'which  for  more 
than  four  centuries  has  presented  the 
anomaly  of  an  Asiatic  people  possessing 
some  of  the  fairest  portions  of  Europe,  has 
been  chiefly  upheld,  for  the  last  century,  by 
the  selfish  policy  of  England,  -which  regards  it 
as  a  bulwark  between  Russian  ambition  and 
British  India. 

The  Turks  were  originally  a  tribe  of  Tartars, 
but  by  inoorjwration  with  the  peoples  they  have 
conquered  must  be  regarded  as  a  mixed  race. 
About  760  A.  D.  they  obtained  possession  of 
part  of  Armenia,  called  by  them  Turcomania. 
In  the  thirteenth  century,  Othman  assumed  the 
title  of  Sultan,  and  made  iJrusa,  in  Bithynia, 
his  capital.  The  Turkish  Empire  included  Mol- 
davia, Wallachia,  Servia,  Bosnia,  Montenegro, 
and  Egypt;  but  these  were  only  nominally 
Tinder  the  rule  of  the  Sultan,  being,  in  most 
respects,  independent  States.  From  their  first 
Sultan,  Othman,  the  Turks  derived  their  title 
of  Ottoman.  In  1453  they,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Mohammed  II. ,  besieged  and  took  Con- 
stantinople, which  ended  the  Eastern  Roman 
Empire.  Five  years  later  they  subjugated 
Greece,  and  in  1480  invaded  Italy,  from  which, 
however,  they  soon  retired.  In  1516,  Selim  I. 
added  Syria,  Egypt,  and  the  islands  in  the 
Archipelago,  to  his  empire.  From  that  time  to 
the  present  their  jiower  has  slowly  declined, 
and  they  would  long  ago  have  been  driven  into 
their  native  Asia,  and  Constantinople  have 
fallen  into  the  possession  of  Russia,  but  for 
the  determined  support  always  afforded  by 
England,  and  occasionally  by  France. 

Tue  Crimean  War  of  1854  was  undertaken 
by  France  and  England  expressly  to  save 
Turkey  from  becoming  the  prey  of  Russia  ;  but 
sooner  or  later  so  gross  an  outrage  on  civiliza- 
tion as  the  "  Turkish  Ecampment "  in  Europe, 
as  Gibbon  happily  phrased  it,  must  expire ; 
but  whether  the  beautiful  countries  now 
enslaved  by  the  hideous  creed  of  Mohammed 
-will  fall  into  the  hands  of  Austria,  Russia  or 
Prussia,  is,  of  course,  matter  for  conjecture. 
The  climate  of  Turkey  in  Europe  is  very  salu- 
brious, and  its  soil  one  of  the  most  fertile  on 


the  face  of  the  earth.  Every  description  of 
fruit  and  grain  grows  in  abundance,  and  de- 
spite the  paralyzing  influence  of  its  government, 
its  natural  riches  are  so  great,  that  its  trade 
with  European  countries  is  very  considerable. 

Its  chief  city  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
famous  in  the  world.  Its  ancient  name  was 
Byzantium,  and  it  was  founded,  607  B.C.,  by  a 
colony  of  Megarians  under  Byzas,  their  chief. 
It  was  taken  successively  by  the  Medes, 
Athenians,  and  Spartans. 

In  340  B.C.,  in  alliance  with  the  Athenians, 
the  Byzantines  defeated  the  fleet  of  Philip  of 
Maeedou.  In  73  A.  d.,  it  was  taken  by  the 
Romans,  in  whose  hands  it  remained  till  194 
A.D.,  when  it  threw  off  the  yoke  of  those  mas- 
ters of  the  world,  who,  however,  took  it  after 
two  years'  siege,  when  it  was,  by  the  command 
of  the  Emperor  Severus,  razed  to  the  ground. 
Byzantium  was  refounded  by  Constantine  in 
324,  and  received  the  name  of  Constantinople. 
Six  years  afterward  it  became  the  seat  of  the 
Roman  Eastern  Empire. 

It  has  thus  been,  at  three  different  epochs, 
a  great  city  under  the  Pagan,  the  Christian 
and  the  Mohammedan  religions. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  natural  beauty  of  its 
situation.  It  has  been  the  admiration  of  every 
poet  and  traveler  that  has  ever  visited  it. 

Miss  Pardee  says  that  "a  sunrise  and  sun- 
set looks  more  like  a  dream  of  beauty  than 
a  thing  of  earth ;"  but  the  illusion  is  dispelled 
when  you  enter  the  city ;  then  you  see  how 
man  has  defaced  this  lovely  spot.  The  streets 
are  narrow  and  filled  with  garbage,  the  only 
scavengers  being  the  dogs,  which  look  more 
like  famished  wolves  than  the  noble  animals 
we  see  every  day  around  us.  It  is  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  amazing  variety  of  nation- 
alities it  presents.  Here,  in  one  bazar,  you 
meet  with  almost  every  costume — the  indolent 
and  lordly  Turk,  seated  in'  tailor-fashion,  smok- 
ing his  hookah;  the  picturesque  Greek,  the 
rugged  Russian,  the  stolid  German,  the  viva- 
cious Frenchman,  and  the  serious  Englishman. 
Situated  between  Asia  and  Europe,  of  which  it 
may  be  said  to  be  the  connecting-link,  it  seems 


I'ormed  to  be  the  capital  of  a  mighty  empire, 
not  only  for  trade,  but  for  dominion. 


Oalata. 

■What  Oxford  is  to  England,  Nuremberg  to 
Germany,  or  Assisi  to  Italy,  Galata  ij  to  the 
East — viz.,  an  almost  perfect  city  of  the  Middle 
Ages. 

Again,  like  all  medifieval  communities,  the 
inhabitants  had  a  more  than  doubtful  story  of 
their  descent.  As  the  Britons  and  the  Paduans 
were  the  descendants  of  the  Trojans,  so  the 
inhabitants  of  Galata  claimed  descent  from  tho 
companions  of  the  renowned  Brennus  who 
destroyed  Rome.  They  were  Galatians,  hence 
Galata.  Seme  went  even  so  far  as  to  assert  that 
they  alone  were  the  Galatians  to  whom  the 
Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  wrote  his  Epistle. 
More  sober  authors,  however,  tell  us  that  the 
name  signifies  a  place  where  milk  is  sold. 

Although  a  suburb  in  the  time  of  Justinian,  it 
owes  its  importance  to  the  Genoese,  who  settled 
here  during  the  Latin  occupation.  When  tho 
Greek  dynasty  was  restored,  they  held  it  as  a 
fief  from  the  emperors.  Then  they  alternately 
assisted  and  bullied  their  benefactors,  but 
being  without  fortifications,  were  obliged  to 
knock  under,  until,  happening  to  be  on  tho 
right  side  against  the  Venetians,  the  latter  burnt 
the  town.  The  consequence  was  that  tho 
Genoese  got  permission  to  fortify  it.  Then  they 
increased  it  with  more  fortifications.  Then 
they  got  the  whole  of  the  trade  of  the  Black 
Sea  into  their  hands.  And  when  the  emperor 
refused  them  a  further  space  to  be  fortified,  tho 
entire  population  turned  out  and  worked  at  the 
walls,  and  inclosed  the  space  without  his  per- 
mission ;  in  fact,  they  went  on  very  much  as 
the  East  India  Company  did  in  India  during 
the  last  century. 

We  fear  their  conduct  during  the  siege  by 
the  Turks  will  not  bear  examination.  History 
accuses  them  of  trying  to  make  a  separate  treaty 
with  Mohammed,  and  with  neglecting  to  inter- 
cept his  ships  when  they  were  hauled  over  dry 
land  from  the  Bosphorus  to  the  Golden  Hcrik 


296 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIOKS. 


However,  Mohammed  dismantled  their  fortifica- 
tions ;  and  of  the  three  parts  into  which  the 
waJls  divide  GalatJ,  one  is  now  entirely  inhabited 
by  the  Turks. 

The  wallo  are  erea  at  the  present  day  exceed- 
ingly perfect ;  they  are  about  eight  feet  thick 
at  bottom,  and  six  feet  at  top,  where  a  broad 
space  is  got  by  means  of  arches  supported  on 
corbels.  Many  of  thise  corbels  are  fragments  of 
ancient  columns,  showing  the  haste  of  their 
erection.  All  parts  of  the  walls  contain  inscrip- 
tions, with  coats  of  arms,  telling  us  the  date  of 
the  building,  so  that  their  whole  history  might 
thus  b3  collected.  The  walls  are  flanked  at 
short  distances  by  square  and  round  towers. 
The  most  conspicuous  of  all  was  the  large  tower 


workmanship ;  the  church  itself  has  been  en- 
tirely rebuilt.  The  modern  churches  do  not 
show  at  all ;  a  passenger  mi:j;ht  pass  them 
fifty  times,  and  never  know  that  they  were 
churches. 

Tlie  great  Armenian  church,  built  only  a  few 
years  ago,  is  surrounded  by  an  immensely  high 
stone  wall,  secured  by  iron  doors. 


Interior  of  a  Harem. 

A  RBX3ENT  lecturer  has  made  our  citizens  more 
familiar  with  Turkish  institutions  than  many 
who  have  traveled  in  that  country.  Our  illus- 
tration represents  the  interior  of  one  &f  their 


ace  and  has  the  title  of  Sultana- Valide.  She  ia 
tlie  only  woman  who  is  allowed  to  appear  with- 
out a  vail  ;  none  of  the  others,  even  when  sick, 
are  permitted  to  lay  aside  the  vail  in  the  pres- 
ence of  any  one,  except  the  sultan. 

When  visited  by  the  physician,  their  bed  is 
covered  by  a  thick  counterpane,  and  the  pulse 
felt  through  gauze. 

The  life  of  the  ladies  cf  the  imperial  l.arcm 
is  spent  in  bathing,  dressing,  walking  in  the 
garden,  witnessing  the  voluptuous  dances  ]  er- 
formed  by  their  slaves,  etc. 

The  women  of  other  Turks  enjoy  tlie  society 
of  their  friends  at  the  baths  or  at  each  other's 
houses,  appear  in  public,  accompunied  by  slaves 
and  eunuch.-;,  and  enjoy  a  degree  of  li'jeriy 


placed  on  the  highest  point,  and  forming  the 
citadel. 

Within  the  walls  the  most  observable  thing 
is  the  immense  number  of  old  stone  houses. 
As  to  the  churches,  they  have  entirely  disap- 
peared ;  the  only  exceptions  are,  first,  St. 
Peter's,  which  preserves  its  entrance  gateway, 
probably  of  the  time  of  the  Latin  occupation. 
The  central  tower  is  also  original ;  all  the  rest 
of  the  church  having  suffered  by  fire  was  re- 
paired by  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  The  other 
church  has  also  a  square  tower,  with  a  stunted 
spire  covered  with  lead. 

Upon  close  inspection  it  appears  that  it  is 
now  a  mosque,  the  only  ancient  remains  being 
a  few  carved  strings,  evidently  of  Byzantine 


INTERIOR   OF  A   nAKESI. 

harems.  A  harem,  as  everybody  knows,  is  the 
apartment,  or  apartments,  in  which  the  Turks 
confine  their  women,  who  are  prohibited  from 
the  society  of  otners.  Tliey  are  waited  on  by 
female  slaves  and  guarded  by  black  eunuchs. 
The  head  of  the  latter  is  called  Kizlar-Aara. 
Tliere  are  two  kizlar-agas.  one  of  the  old,  the 
other  of  the  new  palace,  each  of  v/hich  has  its 
harem. 

The  one  is  occupied  by  the  women  of  former 
sultans  and  those  who  h.ave  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  reigning  prince ;  the  other  by 
such  as  still  enjoy  his  favor.  The  lady  who 
first  presents  him  with  a  male  heir  is  styled  the 
sultana,  by  way  of  eminence.  She  must  then 
retire  into  the  old  palace ;  but  if  her  son 
ascjnds  the  throne,  she  returns  to  the  new  pal- 


which  increases  as  they  descend  in  rank.  But 
those  of  file  sultan  have  none  of  the;e  privi- 
leges. It  is.  of  course,  only  the  richer  Moslems 
who  can  maintain  harem", ;  the  poorer  classes 
have  generally  but  one  wife. 


A  Mohammedan  Tomb. 

The  Mohammedans  show  great  care  in  the 
entombment  of  their  dead.  The  grave  is  s 
sacred  place,  and  death  does  not  end  all  asso- 
ciation. They  meet  beside  it  to  renew  in  soc'd 
entertainment  their  once  happy  intercourse. 

Their  cemeteries  are,  consequently,  often  very 
attractive.  Each  tomb,  in  some  places,  is 
arched  over  in  stone  or  stucco,  and  stands  lil-.e 
a  little  mosque  in  its  own  plantation  of  accacia 


TURKEY. 


297 


trees ;  and  not  nnfreqiiently  a 
fountain,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
wearv  pilgrim,  is  added  to  the 
Utile  building. 

The  illustration  in  our  article 
shows  one  of  the  finer  tombs, 
an  1  will  be  a^hnitted  to  Le  grace- 
ful anl  tasteful.  No  absurd  or 
fals  >:iie  epitaphs  adorn  the  tombe. 
Tex  s  from  the  Koran  are  the  usual 
inscriptions,  and,  in  the  beautiful 
Arabic  letters,  these  become  orna- 
ments. 


Entrance  to  an  Oriental  Bazar. 

A  TRAVELER  thus  describes  an 
Oriental  bazar: 

'•  The  lodges  occupied  by  tho 
Persian  shopkeepers  seemed  rather 
more  roomy  than  usual.  The  goods 
on  sale  weia  displayed  to  as  much 
alvantx;;e,  and  with  as  much  taste, 
as  perhaps  could  anywhere  be 
exhibited  with  the  same  materials, 
an  1  certainly  with  more  than  1 
had  ever  -witnessed  in  Turkey. 
There  was  an  obvious  intention  to 
renler    the    display  of    wares    as 

attractive  as  nossibls  to  these  who  

passed  bj'.  — ;; 

"This  pleased  me,  as  every 
t'ling  pleises  a  stranger  in  a 
foreign  land  which  helps  to  remind 
Lim,  however  remotely,  of  any 
iisaie  or  feeling  which  exists  also 
in  his  own  coun'.ry.  It  seems  per- 
fectly natural  that  a  tradesman  should,  in 
every  proper  way,  endeavor  to  draw  custom  to 
his  shop  ;  but  this  is  by  no  means  a  general 


A   MOHAMMEDAN   TOMB. 

rule.     A  shopkeeper  in  a  Turkish  bazar,  for 

instance,  seems  not  to  care  whetlier  you  come 

to  his  shop  or  go  to  another,  and  he  hands  you 

for  examination  the  articles 

you  requir.e  in  a  manner  so 

listless   and   indiflferent   as 


to  convey  the  impreasion  .that  he 
considers  he  does  you  a  high  favor 
in  so  far  attending  to  your 
wishes.  I  was,  therefore,  much 
rjeased  to  find  the  behavior  of 
ihe  shopkeepers  in  Persian  bazaig 
quite  in  accordance  with  the  im- 
pression which  the  studiously  at' 
tractive  display  of  their  wares 
conveyed. 

"  Some  of  the  men  who  noticed 
that  I  was  observing  their  shcps, 
invited  me  to  sit  down  on  thj 
bench,  and,  with  great  alacrity, 
bestirred  themselves  in  producing 
for  my  inspection,  or  in  directing 
my  attention  to  such  articles  rs 
they  imagined  best  calculated  to 
attract  my  liking  ;  nor  am  I  aware 
that,  in  any  instance,  the  least  dis- 
s  itisfaction  was  exhibited  if  I  made 
no  purchase  after  all  the 'trouble 
they  Ind  taken.  Kven  such  men 
as  were  engaged  in  operative  labors 
at  the  same  time  that  they 
attended  to  their  shops,  and  who 
seemed  very  busily  occupied,  diJ 
not  appear  in  any  degree  reluctant 
to  suspend  their  labors  for  the 
purpose  of  attending  to  me." 


Turkish  Ladies  Seated  at  a 

Tandour. 

TirE  inner  life  of  seraglios  has 

had  much  light  thrown   upon  it 

by    European      ladies,    who,      as 

governesses  or  artists,  have  resided  for  a  time 

among   the  Turkish   ladies  of  royal  families. 

.The  glamour  of  Eastern  wealth  and  splendor 

fades  before  the  stern  reality  of  actual  disccm- 

fort,    untidiness    and    indolence, .  mental    and 

physical. 


KNTRAKOE  TO   A.N   0RIT;\TA1  C.VZATl. 


TOWER   OF  GALATA. 


298 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  tandour,  or  table,  is  an  illustration.  To 
secure  warmth,  a  brazier,  filled  with  coals,  but 
having  these  so  covered  with  ashes  as  to  pre- 
vent danger  of  fire,  is  placed  under  the  table-lid, 
and  this  heat,  kept  in  by 
their  dresses,  gives  the  neces- 
sary warmth  to  those  seated 
around. 

How  little  does  such  a 
poor  contrivance  answer  our 
ideas  of  the  luxury,  ease  and 
voluptuous  enjoyment  of  the 
East"! 

Turkish  Life. 

The  houses  which  line  the 
shore.s  of  the  Bosphorus  are 
generally  overhanging,  as  it 
were,  the  very  stream  itself, 
and  only  approachable  on 
the  front  by  cayiks,  wliich 
are  the  most  popular  con- 
veyances. Thus  the  Imstle 
of  the  busy  world  seems  to 
subside  into  the  more  mu- 
sical splash  of  the  rippling 
waters,  the  ru.sh  and  turmoil 
of  human  affairs  are  sub- 
merged in  the  gliding  mo- 
tions of  the  delicate  crafts 
which   noiselessly  speed   on 


QUESTS  IN  A  EABEM  ENTBBTAINED   WITH  MISIC. 

their  varied  missions.  Merchandise  and  provi- 
sions are  afloat  under  your  windows,  visitors 
step  from  their  cayiks  upon  your  very  door- 
stone,  and  the  blue  wave  tenders  its  buoyant 


TURKISH  DINNEE   PARTY. 


bosom  to  the  lover  who  dares  to  whisper  l.i9 

hopes  under  the  lattice. 

But  the  dwelling  cf  Zeid  Pasha,  to  which  v.e- 

were  conducted  on  tlie  day  of  the  royal  visit  to 
the  Medical  College,  w  s 
not,  as  usual,  built  on  the- 
water's  edge. 

It  stood  upon  a  high  banic 
which  overlooked  the  stream, 
and  upon  disembarking  tlie- 
access  was  by  a  long  flight 
of  marble  steps  to  the  portul 
cf  the  mansion. 

Tliis  palatial  residence  was. 
most  conspicuous  from  th : 
symmetry  of  its  crchitectun-t 
beauty  and  the  exquisite- 
loveliness  cf  its  site.  7h3 
extci-nal  surroundings  wero 
the  blue  and  rippling  waters, 
the  gently  sloping  hills  of 
eld  Asia,  and  a  pure  atmc- 
sphere,  laden  with  the  ]  cr- 
fumes  of  rare  and  cdori- 
ferous  plants,  and  vibratirg 
with  the  notes  of  the  song- 
sters of  the  neighborinij 
groves,  the  far-famed  bu!- 
buls  who,  free  in  their 
native  air,  were  warbling  all 
the  long  nights  their  sweet 
and    plaintive    trills    cf 


TURKEY. 


209 


H 

w 
o 

!25 


O 


H 
k! 


CO 


O 

*^ 

o 
o 

K! 

H 
O 


a 

>■ 


SOO 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


melody.  Ihe  declivities  of  the  adjacent  hill- 
sides were  adorned  by  a  succession  of  terraces 
covered  witli  rare  exotics,  interspersed  -with 
marble  vases,  playing  fountains,  cool  grottoes 
and  sliady  groves. 

The  beautiful  saloon  of  the  harem,  notwith- 
.  ■standing  its  peculiar  Oriental  style   and  ap- 
pearance, presented  a  most  happy  combination 
of  European  and  Eastern  luxury. 

In  old-fashioned  Turkish  houses  the  rooms 
are  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  low 
sedirs  or  wide  sofas, 
the  windows  ex- 
tending only  half 
way  to  the  ceiling, 
and  having  over 
them  a  species  of 
deadlights,  made  of 
stained  glass. 

The  floors  are 
covered  with  native 
matting  or  carpets, 
and  the  walls  de- 
corated with  tho 
most  elaborate 
landscapes  and 
arabesques ;  other- 
wise they  are  des-  _  _  ^ 
titute  of  furniture.                         ^     —  ^" 

But  the  apart- 
ment in  question 
contained  one 
single  sedir,  ex- 
tended below  the 
w-  i  n  d  o  w  9  and 
■covered  with  heavy 
blue  satin,  embroi- 
dered in  variegated 
silks  and  gold,  with 
a  massive  fringe 
of  the  same  pre- 
cious metal.  The 
cushions  which 
leaned  against. the 
wall  were  of  uncut 
velvet  from  the 
looms  of  Brusa, 
the  ancient  capital. 
This  sedir,  of  ample 
■width,  softly  yield- 
ing buoyancy,  and 
surrounding  cush- 
ions for  comfort 
and  support, 
seemed  to  invito 
to  a  voluptuous 
repose.  Besides 
the  external  lat- 
tices, the  windows 
were  shaded  with 
draperies  of  yello'W 

silk  and  white  muslin,  bordered  with  fringes 
of  silver. 

The  other  sides  of  the  room  were  adorned 
with  European  couches  and  chairs  of  the  most 
•elegant  workmanship,  mirrors  and  pier-tables, 
on  which  were  displayed  various  articles  of 
virtu,  collected  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  A 
beautiful  mosaic  table  of  Carrara  occupied  the 
centre  of  the  room,  upon  which  were  placed  a 
variety  of  lamps  and  candelabra.     The  various 


chairs  and  couches  were  most  decorously  ar- 
ranged along  the  walls,  for  no  attempts  are  ever 
made  at  elegant  confusion  liy  the  Osmanlis  ;  the 
ceiling  and  walls  were  painted  in  fresco  and  gold, 
and  the  floor  covered  with  the  finest  matting. 

Toilet-tables,  with  their  mirrors  conveniently 
suspended,  were  there ;  neglected,  however,  by 
the  fair  beauties,  who  preferred  to  sit  upon  their 
sofas  with  a  little  glass  upon  the  cushions  before 
them,  where  they  might  leisurely  braid  their 


GARDENS  OP  THE  SERAGLIO,  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

tresses,  tinge  their  eyebrows,  and  languidly 
consider  the  pose  of  the  glittering  jewels  upon 
their  gossamer  turbans.  VVashstands,  with  their 
gilded  and  snowy  porceliiin,  can  never  tempt 
these  naiads  of  the  fountain  from  the  running 
stream  which  carries  away  all  impurities  in  its 
crystal  flowing ;  and  great  beds  of  state,  with 
gilded  cornices  and  silken  draperies,  are  re- 
tained in  all  their  grandeuv  '.inteuanted ;  for 
they  only  create  a  sensation  of  dizziness   in 


those  who  love  to  sleep  upon  a  great  pile  of 
downy  mattresses,  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  of 
any  apartment  they  happen  to  fancy. 

Zeid  Pasha,  referred  to,  cannot  be  termed 
one  of  the  upstarts ;  for  he  is  the  son  of  a  man 
of  letters,  who  was  a  distinguished  poet,  and 
much  esteemed  by  the  people.  His  origin  is 
not,  therefore,  to  be  traced  to  obscurity,  and 
the  circumstance  of  his  being  the  son  of  a  cele- 
brated man  contributed  greatly  to  his  advance- 
ment in  life.  In 
addition,  his  own 
personal  attain- 
ments,  combined 
vdth  15  o  1  i  t  i  c  a  1 
events,  hastened 
his  rapid  promo- 
tion until,  from 
being  a  clerk  at 
the  Porte,  he  be- 
came ambassador 
to  several  foreign 
courts  in  succes- 
sion, and  subse- 
quently a  Minister. 
^  --..  ■  But       notwith- 

standing his  supe- 
rior mental  cul- 
ture, and  extended 
intercourse  with 
foreign  courts,  this 
pasha  resembles 
his  fellow-beings, 
and  the  love  of 
display  has  become 
the  more  intense, 
apparent!}',  iu  pro- 
portion to  his  facili- 
ties of  communion 
with  society  and 
general  observa- 
tion. Considering 
the  small  portion 
of  this  world's 
goods  which  fell  to 
him  by  inheritance, 
without  any  other 
api^arent  means  for 
amassing  wealth, 
it  would  seem 
that  the  owner  of 
this  palatial  resi- 
dence and  princely 
retinue  must  be  a 
second  Aladdin  and 
his  enchanted 
lamp. 

It  is  a    common 
-^il'"-"'-  saying  that  wealth 

is  power ;  in  Turkey 
it  is  equally  true 
that  power  is 
wealth ;  for  a  man  there  in  any  public  ofiice 
whatever,  and  even  with  the  smallest  salary, 
makes  a  display  in  his  style  of  living  ten 
times  greater  than  his  income  can  sustain. 

Zeid  Pasha,  when  at  the  acme  of  his  ambi- 
tion, could  not  be  satisfied  until  he  was  at 
least  ui>on  a  par  with  his  equals,  if  not  sur- 
passing them  all,  in  luxury.  Not  to  mention 
his  mansions  in  Stamboul  and  other  places, 
this  residence  on  the  Bosphorus  seemed  to  bid 


TURKEY. 


301 


302 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


defiance  to  all  competition ; 
"while  the  bustle  of  preparation 
■within  its  walls,  and  the  gayly 
dressed  servants  loitering 
around,  betokened  a  princely 
menage. 

Like  those  of  all  other 
grandees,  the  principal  officers 
of  Zeid  Pasha's  houshold  were 
the  Mohiirdar,  the  Sir-Keatiby 
and  the  Keahya.  Every  trans- 
action in  Turkey,  financial  and 
oificial,  must  be  authenticated 
by  affixing  a  seal.  The  general 
ignorance  of  the  people,  and 
the  multiplicity  of  the  affairs 
of  the  grandees,  have  created 
•the  necessity  of  having  Mii- 
iiirdars  or  seal-bearers.  This 
«ervice  is  performed  for  tho 
Sultan  by  the  Grand  Vizier. 

The  harem  is  the  home  or 
sanctuary  of  every  Osmanli,  for 
it  is  written  in  the  Koran, 
"  The  interior  of  thy  dwelling 
is  a  sanctuary ;  speak  unto 
the  true  believers  that  they 
restrain  their  eyes  and  keep  themselves  from 
immodest  actions. 

"  This  will  be  more  pure  for  them,  for  God 
is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  they 
4o  ;  and  speak  unto  the  believing  women,  that 


A  TURK   AND   HIS  THKKE   WIVES. 

they  restrain  their  eyes,  and  discover  not  their 
ornaments  (personal  charms),  except  what  ne- 
cessarily appeareth  thereof ;  and  let  them 
throw  their  vails  over  their  bosoms  and  not 
show  their  ornaments  unless  to  their  husbands, 


or  their  fathers,  or  their  hus- 
band's fathers,  or  their  sons, 
cr  their  husband's  sons,  or 
their  brother's  sons,  or  unto 
children." 

Hence,  the  concealment  of 
the  women  from  the  public 
f-aze  being  a  religious  injunc- 
tion, (heir  seclusion  became  a 
matter  of  necessity ;  and  as 
they  were  commanded  to  be 
always  vailed  in  the  presence 
of  men,  a  place  of  retreat  was 
indispensable  for  them. 
-  Apart  from  the  hosts  of 
male  attendants,  the  innumer- 
able visitors  coming  and  going 
would  compel  them  to  wear 
their  vails  from  morning  till 
night.  The  houses  are,  conse- 
quently, so  constructed  as  to 
promote  this  separation,  and 
certain  apartments  in  them 
are  exclusively  kept  for  the 
ladies.  There  are  two  claKses 
of  Osmanlis :  those  who  have 
been  transjiorted  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  Mussulman  dominions  to  posts  of 
rank  and  power  near  the  court,  and  others 
who  have  always  resided  in  the  metropolis,  and 
in  contact  with  this  progressive  refinement  and 
civilization.  The  former  identify  the  enjoyment 


TmtEISa  LADIES  SEATKD  AT  A  TAMDOUB. 


TURKEY. 


308 


S 

S 


en 


o 

a 

in 

a 


5 


S04 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


niRKISII   LIFE — GULBEYAN   IIASCM. 


of  wealth  vnth  sensuality,  and  as  soon  as 
they  acquire  the  means,  not  only  marry  all  the 
wives  allowed  them,  but  add  innumerable 
Odaluks  and  slaves  to  their  harems.  But  more 
enlightened  views  of  life  and  superior  mental 
culture  generally  refine  the  animal  desires, 
create  new  channels  for  the  love  of  luxury  and 
display,  and  nurture  tastes  for  a  higher  order 
of  pleasure.  Of  this  latter  number  was  Zeid 
Pasha,  whose  harem  consisted  of  one  wife,  two 
sons  and  a  daughter.  Nazyr^  Hanum,  in 
the  absence  of  other  wives,  and  in  contra- 
diction to  her  daughter,  was  entitled  BSyuk 
Hanum,  or  the  lady  superior.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  a  wealthy  merchant,  and  was  mar- 
risd  to  Zeid  Effendi  ut  tlie  early  age  of  fourteen. 
Of  Georgian  descent,  she  was  tall  in  stature, 
v.ith  a  well-developed  Jonn,  her  complexion 
vr.is  fair,  her  features  regular,  her  eyes  black, 
and  her  hair,  of  the  same  dark  hue,  hung  in 
long  braids  over  her  shoulders.  There  was  in 
h  ^r  whole  air  and  demeanor  a  degree  of  refine- 
ment and  elegance  not  excelled  by  the  most 
aristocratic  European  lady,  though  she  was  not 
versed  in  polite  literature,  and  scarcely  knew 
her  own  alphabet.  Slie  is  the  mother  of  three 
children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  One  of 
the  sons,  Nessim  Bey,  eighteen  years  of  age, 
was  married  to  the  daughter  of  a  pasha.  Ho 
followed  the  same  diplomatic  career  as  his 
fatlier,  and  was  a  clerk  at  the  bureau  of  the 
Amedgee,  or  state  chancellor.  The  younger 
brotlier,  Mahmoud  Bey,  was  of  a  more  bellicose 
temperament,  and  had  entered  the  Royal  Mili- 
tary College  at  I'era.  Mahmoud  Bey  was  six- 
teen years  old,  and,  though  not  married,  had, 
us  is  customary,  a  favorite  odalisk,  the  gift  of 
his  mother,  who  thus  hoped  to  retain  him  in 
the  fiimily  circle. 


The  harem  being  the  counterpart  of  the 
selamluk,  had  also  its  complement  of  ofiScers. 
The  Hasnadar  Ousta,  or  keeper  of  the  jewels 
and  other  treasures,  the  lady  of  the  wardrobe, 
the  coffee-server  and  the  mistress  of  the  bath, 
which  is  always  attached  to  the  houses  of 
the  great ;  there  were,  besides, 
numerous  inferior  slaves  and 
servants.  There  were  in  reality 
three  or  four  establishments 
combine  1  in  one,  for  the 
Biiyuk  Hanum,  the  two  sons 
and  the  daughter,  each  had 
their  suite  of  apartments  and 
separate  retinue. 

So  that  Zeid  Pasha,  with 
his  own  selamluk  and  its 
officers,  his  own  wife  and  his 
harem,  with  its  innumerable 
members,  liis  servants  and 
slaves,  carriages  and  hor.-ics, 
and  nearly  every  other  chattel 
under  heaven,  must  have  pos- 
sessed all  his  heart  could  desire 
or  his  brightest  ambition  covet 

A    lady    traveler    thus    de 
scribes  a  dinner: 

"The  halayiks  proceeded  to 
form  a  hollow  square  in  th 
angle  of  the  sofa,  by  placing 
extra  cushions  on  the  floor 
over  the  whole  of  which  they 
spread  a  large  crumb-cloth  of 
crimson  silk  bordered  with 
gold.  In  the  middle  of  this 
square  they  placed  a  low  stand, 
and  upon  it  a  large  circular 
tray  of  highly  polished  brass. 
There  were  no  plates,  knives, 


forks,  or  glasses ;  around  the  edge  of  the  tray 
at  intervals  were  rolls. of  bread,  and  spoons 
made  of  tortoise  shell,  with  carved  and  crni> 
mented  handles  of  ivory  tipped  with  coral. 
A  second  circle  was  formed  of  little  plates 
containing  pickles,  preserves  and  fruit,  and 
other  condiments.  We  all  perlormed  our  ablu- 
tions, and  when  the  round  silver  tureen  of 
soup  was  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  tray,  we 
took  our  seats  and  spread  our  napkins  over 
our  laps. 

"  When  the  cover  was  removed  from  tne  tureen, 
the  lady  superior,  taking  her  spoon  with  an 
invitation  to  us  all  to  help  ourselves,  showed 
us  the  modus  operandi.  Her  example  was  easily 
foUowe  I,  and'the  next  disli  that  was  served  was 
not  difficult  to  man:ige  witli  the  fingers,  as  it 
consisted  of  small  bits  of  roast  meat  or  kebab ; 
but  upon  the  appearanc:;  of  an  extremet,  or  cc  m- 
position  of  meat  anl  vegetables,  my  awkwaul- 
ness  in  conveying  the  food  to  my  mouth  was  so 
apparent  that  Adile  ordered  the  attendants  to 
bring  me  a  fork— the  appearance  of  wliicli  im- 
mediately excited  the  disdain  of  Gtilbeyaz  Ha- 
num, who  insisted  that  fingers  were  made  before 
forks,  and  wondered  why  I  did  not  relinquish 
such  an  inconvenient  habit. 

"  The  fact  Ls,  that  if  a  lady  is  known  at  a  Eu- 
ropean table  by  the  manner  she  uses  her  knife 
and  fork,  or  conforms  to  other  little  matters  cf 
etiquette,  the  same  is  equally  true  of  the  stylo 
in  which  the  hanums  use  their  own  fingers,  and 
their  general  deportment  while  eating. 

"  The  two  fore-fingers  and  thumb  are  the  pin- 
cettes ;  a  small  piece  of  bread  is  used  to  give  a 
certain  stability  to  the  morsels  of  food,  and  they 
are  so  expert  that  no  particle  ever  soils  the 
polished  surface  of  the  tray.  Nor  are  they 
guilty  of  indi.-criminate  exploration  in  the  dish 
—  each    person  limiting  her  spoliations  to   a 


TCBKISH   LUE — OUI-SOOB   COSTDIU  Of   A   I>U>T. 


TURKET. 


305 


21)        ,  KAUX    I'ATIMA,    TIIE    KUEDISH    PKINCESS,    AT     THE    HEAD     OF    REE     TEOOPS. 


soe 


THE     WOELD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


particular  spot.  Each  variety  of  food  is  par- 
taken of  sparingly ;  the  succession  is  both 
numerous  and  la^iid,  and  the  food  is  transferred 
from  one  table  to  another,  according  to  the 
different  grades  of  the  members." 
•-♦-♦ 

Kara  Fatima,  the  Kurdish  Princess,  at  the 
Head  of  her  Troops, 
The  Kurds,  or  more  properly  Kermanji,  for 
the  Europem  name  is  unknown  among  them, 


feet  in  length,  and  slung  at  his  side  ready  for 
use,  with  a  supply  of  arrows  in  a  leather  quiver 
at  Ills  back. 

In  addition  to  the  javelin  and  bow,  the  sling 
mentioned  by  Xenophon,  in  his  "  Expedition  of 
Cyrus,"  is  still  used  in  many  parts  of  the 
countiy.  The  stones  selected  are  rather  large, 
and  are  thrown  to  a  considerable  distance  from  a 
leather  case  of  suitable  size,  open  at  the  sides, 
and  having  attached  to  it  two  strong  cords.  Of 
these  three  weapons,  the  javelin  continues  most 


There  are  many  different  tribes  in  Kurdistan; 
these  are  generally  divided  into  small  chieftain- 
ships, forming  separate  patriarchal  govern- 
ments, under  an  hereditary  chief,  called  Uereh 
Beg  (Lord  of  the  Valley).  The  rent  -  charges 
drawn  by  the  local  chieftains  from  the  people  are 
on  a  moderate  scale,  and  the  taxes  paid  to  the 
sultan  do  not  appear  to  be  by  any  means  exces- 
sive. Kara  Fatima  (Fatuna  the  Black),  whose 
veritable  portrait  we  give, is  a  Kurdish  prin- 
cess— that  is  to  Siiy,  slie  is  chief  of  a  clan  of 


are  a  very  remarkable  people.  Nearly  every 
male  Kurd  is  mounted,  and  is  armed  generally 
with  a  gun  and  sabre,  or  pistols  stuck  in  a 
showy  vest ;  his  dress  usually  consists  of  loose 
robes  and  stout  leggings,  while  on  his  head  ho 
wears  a  gaudily  striped  turban,  hanging  loosely 
on  one  side  in  a  fanciful  manner.  Occasionally 
he  is  to  be  seen  with  javelins  about  three  feet 
nine  inches  long,  which  weapon  he  hurls  with 
great  dexterity  ;  or  else  he  is  a-^ed  with  a  bow 
resembling  that  of  the  Turko     -ns,  nearly  six 


METIIOD  OF  rLOGGINO   IN  TURKISH   SCHOOI£. 

in  use ;  but  even  this,  like  the  bow  and  the 
sling,  is  rapidly  giving  way  to  the  firearms  of 
civilized  warfare.  The  women  are  allowed  greater 
license  than  among  most  Eastern  communities. 
They  do  not  enshroud  themselves  with  apparel 
to  the  same  extent,  nor  do  they  keep  so  much 
to  themselves  as  do  Oriental  ladies  in  general. 
Cookinc;  and  other  domestic  duties  devolve  upon 
them,  but  in  the  evenin;j  they  join  the  guests 
and  the  rest  of  the  family  round  the  large  wood 
fire  blazing  on  the  hearth. 


some  importance  in  Kurdistan.  She  and  he? 
followers  created  a  greit  sensation  in  Constanti- 
nople at  the  time  of  the  Crimean  war,  with  their 
gay  dresses  and  Damascened  arms,  and  the 
princess  herself  was  the  lion,  or  rather  lioness, 
of  the  day  at  Stamboul,  as  s'le  rode  into  the  city 
at  the  head  of  the  warriors  whom  she  led  in 
person  to  answer  the  call  which  the  Chief  of 
Islam  made  on  all  the  followers  of  Mohammed 
to  rally  in  defense  of  the  European  conquests  of 
the  Crescent. 


TURKEY. 


307 


A   BASHI-BAZOUK. 


30S 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


BALOUK-HANE — CASTING   DEAD   BODIES   1>T0   THE   BOSPHORUS. 


Street  Scene  in  Constantinople, 
This  is  a  most  excellent  picture  of  street  life 
in  Constantinople.  Close  to  where  the  curb- 
stone should  he,  if  curb-stone  there  were, 
stands  our  cobbler's  stall.  But  no  margin  for 
the  convenience  or  safety  of  foot-passengers 
runs  lotween  the  houses,  shops,'  stalls,  and 
other  iixtures,  and  the  rolling  tide  of  the  street. 
Great  cities  have  their  physiognomy  as  well  as 
individuals  ; .  and  engravings,  pictures,  and 
Eketches,  into  -which  human  action  enters  as  a 
fnain  element,'  furnish  to  the  distant  reader  a 
Eource  of  information  very  different  from  that 
derive  J  from  statistics,  but  without  whicli  sta- 
tistical knowledge  is,  after  all,  but  an  imprac- 
tical guide.  Men  of  business  never  think  that 
they  understand  a  man  because  they  may  have 
heard  his  story  up  to  that  moment,  and  may 
even  have  verified  it  by  documentary  evidence 
— thev  want  next  to  see  the  individual.  -  Yet 


THE  MCEZZIN    CAIXISQ   ME.N   TO  PllATEE. 


they  would  be  puzzled  to  specify  what  precise 
additional  facts  the  person's  general  appearance 
can  reveal.  In  fact,  more  than  one-half  of  the 
impressions  which  govern  the  proceedings  of 
life  defy  analysis,  and  almost  elude  description. 
.(\jid  so  with  countries,  races,  and  centres  of 
authority  and  resort.  Those  wlio  read  that  a 
people  called  the  Turks  had  settled  in  a  very 
fertile  land — one  of  the  spontaneous  gardens  of 
nature,  amid  a  thick  cluster  cf  commercial 
nations,  with  a  vast  and  profitable  seaboard, 
and  that  this  people — these  Turks  -  had  made  ' 
nothing  out  of  so  many  advantages — that  the 
land  was  languishing  and  the  se.^  idle  around 
them :  those  who  read  such  f.icts  have  a  sort  of 
negative  knowledge  about  tjieso  Asiatic  con- 
querors. But  if  they  then  see  the  Tuika,  or 
even  but  study  lively  representations  of  them 
as  they  act,  move,  and  look,  in  the  habits  and 
usual  current  of  their  daily  existence,  that 
which  was  hut  the  eidolon  and  skeleton  of  an 
idea  puts  on  flesh  and  blood,  and  a  species  of 
abstract  knowledge  becomes  v'vid,  realized,  and 
practical  infoiination. 

There  they  are,  without  tne  tricks  and  changes 
of  an  extraordinary  occasion  ;  there  they  are, 
as  they  appear  diurnally ;  no  exaggeration  in 
any  point,  favorable  or  adverse ;  it  is  after 
nature,  a  common,  a  characteristic  scene,  and 
a  fair  study  (to  recur  to  our  metaphor)  of  na- 
tional pliysiognomy.  In  the  distance  a  couple 
cf  lounging  men  gossiping  at  the  street  comer, 
one  wearing  the  tarljoosh,  the  other  the  turban, 
both  fine-looking,  lazy  creatures;  a  crowd  of 
white  spectres,  all  sheet  except  the  black  star- 
ing eyes,  and  a  bit  of  the  sallow  nose — women 
who  may  see,  but  must  not  be  seen— <:ounting 
for  very  little — having  no  souls,  at  least  none 
that  are  immortal,  in  the  opinion  of  their  lords 
— movable  property,  worth  wliat  it  may  fetch 
at  market,  no  more ;  a  common  man  with  a 
basket  on  his  head:  a  rather  Calmuck-faceJ 
young  Turk,  shouldering  his  way,  ho  also  wear- 
ing the  more  cnnvenient  tarboosh,  instead  of 
the  onco  universal  turban  ;  and,  finally,  the 
cobbler  and  tli"  group  aroimd  him,  with  a  spe- 
'  ciman  cf  not  the  bast  remarkable  class  in  Con- 


stantinople,  the    street-porters,   passmg    at   » 
swing-trot  under  a  heavy  load. 

Wlierever  these  stalls  are  pitched— whether 
they  be  the  workshop,=i  of  a  cobbler,  or  the  little 
repertories  of  the  scent-seller  antt  the  druggist, 
or  anything  else— they  are  centres  round  which 
all  idlers  a,ssemble  to  stare,  rather  than  to  talk. 
Staring  and  smoking  are  the  most  approved 
style  of  conversation  among  these  lounging 
street-groups  of-  Stamboul.  To  stare  and  smcko 
in  company— that  is  life,  that  is  society.  Our 
shoemaker  and  slipper-mender  by  no  mean"? 
kills  himself  with  hard  work.  He  dees  not  look 


KUllAL  3!OII.\5IMEDAN    MOSQCZ. 


TURKEY. 


809 


■*— I 

a 

■a 
a 

o 


CD 

o 


310 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIOKa 


m  iiitfiihliiiii|''l|! 


f  «r :;ii 


*-=:>-     --,-.--' 


TURKISH   BAZAR  AT   CONSTANTINOPLE:. 


like  a  man  who  would  do  so.  He  is  (jlad  to 
have  gazers  about  him,  cveu  though  there  be 
not  a  purchaser  amon,'^  thera  all.  His  nar^iUy 
is  beside  him  ;  and,  without  breaking  silence, 
he  will  put  down  his  work,  and  pay  his  sociable 
attendants  a  compliment  of  rood-f  ellowship  by 
taking  a  smoke  himself. 

There  is  a  prevalent  impression  that  the 
Turkish  ladies  are  always  imprisoned  at  home, 
tut  nothing  is  more  erroneous  ;  for,  since  the 
destruction  of  the  Janissaries,  who  molested 
everybody  in  public,  they  are  to  be  seen  every- 
where, and  on  all  occasions.  The  only  requi- 
site for  their  appearance  is  to  be  vailed,  and 
wear  the  feradje  or  cloak.  Thus  accoutred, 
they  wander  through  the  bazars  and  frequent 
all  rural  places  of  resort,  and  scarcely  a  day 
passes  when  they  stay  at  home.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
supposed  that  they  are  closely  muiHed,  and 
saunter  along  in  spectral  form,  ^'"ormerly, 
owing  to  the  barbarous  nature  of  the  people, 
tht'  :iulios  protected  themselves  from  the  ruJc 


and  impudent  gaze  of  the  rabble  by  wearing 
vails  of  the  coarsest  fabric,  and  concealing 
their  features  as  much  as  possible ;  but  the 
stride  of  civilization  having  guaranteed  to 
them  the  respect  due  to  their  sex,  the  yashmak 
or  veil  of  the  pi-esent  day  is  of  the  lightest 
India  muslin,  and  has  little  power  of  conceal- 
ing their  charms ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  seems  to 
brighten  their  beauty  by  its  transparency. 

The  arched  eyebrows,  through  this  decep- 
tive vail,  seem  more  delicately  curved ;  the 
large  and  lustrous  eyes  shine  more  darkly  from 
its  snowy  folds,  and  the  delicate  hue  of  the 
complexion  is  rendered  tenfold  more  lovely. 

The  texture  of  this  yashmak  is  now  so  exqui- 
sitely line,  that  the  two  square  yards  of  muslin 
which  compose  it  do  not  weigh  more  than  a 
single  drachm. 

'Slho  feradje,  or  cloak,  is  an  ample  outer  gar- 
ment, made  of  fine  colored  Bombazine,  or  Thi- 
bet, lined  with  silk,  and  the  edges  are  trimmed 
witu  embroidery. 


Their  feet  are  clothed  with  yellow  morocoo 
buskins,  over  which  is  worn  a  slipper  of  the 
same  color. 

Thus  equipped,  the  Osmanli  ladies  are  the 
most  independent  creatures  in  the  world. 

As  no  one  dares  to  look  them  in  the  face» 
from  a  sense  of  respect,  it  has  been  customary 
for  them  slightly  to  encourage  their  timid 
admirers  by  furtive  glances,  if  not  positive 
attacks— so  that,  on  all  public  occasions,  an 
attentive  observer  may  detect  them  in  some  of 
the  wiles  of  coquetry,  or  iinmeaiiint]  flirtation. 

The  Osmanli  ladies  are  never  attended  by 
their  husbands,  or  any  other  gentlemen,  when 
they  walk  out ;  public  sentiment  entirely  pro- 
tects them ;  for,  if  any  one  should  accost  them 
rudely,  the  commonest  citizen  would  imme- 
diately turn  avenger.  Nevertheless,  ladies  of 
distinction  are  attended  by  black  eunuchs,  who, 
besides  being  mere  appendages  of  rank,  serve 
also  to  protect  them  from  the  too  familiar 
approach  of  any  witless  knight  who  may 
iguorantly  trespass  the  limits  of  Oriental 
decorum. 


Turkish  Method  of  Hogging. 

The  rod  has  played  a  conspicuous  part  in 
history ;  it  enters  into  scholastic,  religious  and 
civil  discipline.  With  the  ax,  it  was  the  em- 
blem of  the  power  of  life  and  death  at  Eome, 
and  in  our  ornamentation  the  ax  and  rods,  the 
fasces  of  the  lictor,   still  enter. 

How  the  rod  is  used  in  Turkish  schools  ia 
shown  in  our  illustration.  It  will  be  new  to 
our  young  folks.  ■  The  unfortunate  culprit  is 
laid  on  his  back,  and  a  pole,  with  cords  fixed  iu 
it,  is  used  to  raise  up  his  feet,  so  as  to  be  within 
convenient  distance  of  the  teacher's  ferule. 


GIPSY  snOWSIAN  IN  TUUKET. 


TUKKEY.. 


311 


Tntfirior  of  the  Mosque  Aohmed. 
TnEnn  are  three  hundred  and  forty-five 
/nosqucs  in  the  city  of  Constantinople;,  forty 
Mohammedan  colleges,  and  thirty-six  Christian 
cnwclies.  The  principal  mosques  are  built  in 
the  squares  and  public  places,  and  are  generally 
Burrouadod  with  cypresses,  and  provided  with 


raTEEiOR  or  THE  mosque  acimed,  coxstastinopie. 

fountains.  The  largest  and  most  interesting  I 
is  the  Mosque  St.  Sophia,  which  was  orisinally 
Imilt  by  Constantine  the  Great,  and  used  as  a 
Christian  Church.  When  it  was  bume  1  down 
the  Emperor  Justinian  had  it  rebuilt  with  addi- 
tional ma.jcnificence. 

It    is    sttuated    ne^r    the    Hippodrome,    of 
ancient  fame,  and  is,  with  the  sole  exception 


of  the  Mosque  of  Solyman  the  Magnificent, 
the  very  finest  of  all  the  Turkish  mosques. 

ITiere  are  others,  however,  of  great  beauty 
and  elegance,  and  one,  called  the  ■•Yalido 
Mosque,"  contains  pillars  taken  from  the 
ruins  of  Troy. 

The  Mosque  of  Achmed  is  the  ciily  cao 
which  h?.s  six  steeples. 


812 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


■^■^//'■iy//v/////ff///. 


Turkish  Barber's  Shop. 

It  i3  in  Turkey,  in  the  land  of 
the  caliphs,  that  we  meet  with  the 
barber  in  his  proper  soil,  enjoying 
r.ll  the  dignity  of  his  sharp  profes- 
sion, looked  up  to  sind  honored  by 
the  multitu'le,  and  admitted  to  tho 
confide!iCe  of  the  pasha. 

He  is  the  advertiser  cf  all  tha 
baths  in  the  neighborhood,  tho 
terror  of  youn;  gentlemen  with  a 
weak  growth  of  beard  or  a  tender 
head,  and  the  aversion  of  laborers, 
who  are  compelled  to  sul-mit  an 
eight-day  beard  t )  his  rough  man- 
agement ;  yet  all  flock  to  him  and 
pay  him  lip  homage. 

Besides  other  things,  the  barber 
in  Turkey  is  generally  the  vender 
of  cunning  drugs  and  charms,  anti- 
fleabite  mixtures,  deadly  doses  for 
rats,  with  occasionally  some  favor- 
ite remedy  for  dangerous  diseases. 
Exercising  as  he  does  such  diversi- 
fied functions,  the  Turkish  barber 
has  little  spare  time  on  his  hands. 
He  is  always  an  early  riser  and 
commences  his  day's  operations  by 
experiments  upon  himself.  His 
mustache  is  a  perfect  pattern  for 
curl  and  gloss  and  enormous  length ; 
his  head  is  as  smooth  and  hairless 
as  a  monk's  at  eighty  ;  his  costume 
is  in  the  height  of  Turkish  fashion, 
and  in  the  season  he  is  sure  to  have 
a  bouquet  of  sweet-smelling  flowers 
in  his  bosom.  Thus  equipped,  and 
having  partaken  of  his  early  coffee 
and  pipe,  the  barber  sets  forth  for 
his  shoj),  which  is  usually  in  the 
heart  of  the  most  thronged  bazaar ; 
and  there,  long  before  the  busy 
world  is  astir,  he  and  his  assistant 
have  set  all  things  in  apple-pie 
order;  they  have  swept  the  floor, 
dusted  the  shelves,  spread  out 
fresh  napkins,  rinsed  the  pewter 
basins,  set  on  the  fire  huge  caldrons 
of  water  to  boil,  garnished  the 
soap  dishes  with  sweet  -  smelling 
herbs  and  flowers,  set  forth  chairs 
and  stools  in  goodly  array,  in  prep- 
aration for  the  business  of  the 
day. 

Foremost  among  the  customers  is 
an  old  gentleman  who  is  sadly  tor- 
lucinted  with  rheumatism ;  he  is 
very  jjarticular  that  not  one  item  in 
the  etiquette  of  Turkish  shaving 
operations  be  omitted ;  the  barber 
is  aware  of  this,  and  prizes  him  as 
a  regular  customer  that  may  be 
counted  upon  for  at  least  ten  paras 
(about  one  cent  a  day). 

After  a  long  string  of  compli- 
ments have  been  exchanged,  and 
the  fineness  of  the  weather  adverted 
to,  the  old  man  seats  himself  in 
the  barber's  state  chair,  and  there 
groans  involuntarily  as  he  sees  the 
mighty  preparation  going  forward 


TURKEY. 


318 


for  an  attack  upon  his 
iead  and  beard.  The 
barber  next,  drawing 
near,  respectfully  relieves 
liim  of  his  weighty  turban, 
which  is  carefully  laid  upon 
a  shelf  and  covered  over 
■with  a  white  napkin. 
Then  he  is  enveloped  from 
his  neck  to  his  heels  in  a 
huge  apron  that  tics  be- 
hind, pinning  his  arms  to 
his  side.  In  this  defense- 
less condition  he  immedi- 
ately becomes  the  victim  of 
half  a  dozen  flies,  which 
tickle  his  nose  and  flap 
<!gainst  his  eyes  till  he  is 
Toiuced  to  the  necessity  of 
calling  the  barber  to  h;^ 
assistance.  On  hearing  the 
e  u  m  m  o  n  8  ,  this  worthy, 
■who  lip.s  been  preparing 
a  huge  basin  of  hot  suds 
and  sharpening  his  nrk- 
couth  razors,  rushes  to  the 
rescue,  and  in  about  a 
minute  afterward  wo  have 
lost  sight  cf  the  old 
victim,  whose  whole  face 
and  head,  and  every  visible 
portion  of  the  necic,  prc- 
62nts  one  extensive  field  of 
soap  -  bubbles,  froth  and 
Lot  vapor. 

Now  the  barber  may  be 
eoen  scrubbing  away,  with 
a  huge  hair  bag  on  cither 
hand  ;  then  he  darts  to  one 
side  and  fetches  a  huge 
basinful  of  very  hot  water ; 
and  the  next  instant  the 
victim's  head,  soapsuds 
and  all,  arc  forcibly  im- 
mersed in  this. 

In  a  few  seconds  it 
emerge:;,  red  and  inflamed, 
■with  the  eyes  d  tar  ting 
nearly  out  of  their  sockets, 
the  victim  meanwhile  sput- 
tering and  grunting  for 
breath.  Scarcely  has  he 
had  time  to  implore  a  few 
moments'  respite  "before 
another  basin  is  produced, 
and  the  liead  again  disap- 
pears beneath  its  depths. 
This  time  the  wat^r  is  cold 
almost  to  freezing,  and  the 
-whole  frame  quivers  again, 
as  though  quite  electrified 
hy  the  sudden  shock.  On 
heing  withdrawn  a  death- 
like pallor  has  taken  the 
place  of  the  rubicund  com- 
plexion so  lately  exposed 
tj  view.  Soon,  however, 
the  friction  of  a  dry  towel 
restores  the  circulation, 
succeeded  by  tlie  applica- 
tion of  lukewarm  soap  and 
•water ;  after  v.-hich  tlio 
lazor  almost  imperceptibly, 
certainly     ur.felt     l:y    the 


314 


THE    WORLD'S    GREaTx  NATIONS. 


TUEKISH  BARBER-SnOR 


The  Zingarri  of  Turkey. 

In  Turkey  the  gipsy  rendezvous  is  n  certain 
quarter  of  Constautiuople,  called  Ayvassar. 

Wherever  they  go  they  maintain  the  same 
lawless  life  and  depredatory  habits,  and, 
though  tolerated,  are  everywhere  detested.  In 
cities  they  dwell  in  the  very  meanest  hovels, 
and  camp  out  under  mere  rags  stretched  over 
a  few  poles.  Their  wardrobe  is  as  scanty  as 
their  household  furniture,  and  their  progeny 
more  resemble  a  troop  of  imps  than  naked 
cherubs. 

When  first  introduced  into  Egypt,  being  of 
the  Circassian  race,  they  were  white,  but  by 
intermarriage  with  the  Arabs  they  have  ac- 
quired the  tawny  hue  which  characterizes  the 
gipsy  race.  This  similarity  to  the  Hindoo  race 
has  led  many  to  suppose  that  they  were  from 
the  banks  of  the  Indus. 

Although  originally  educated  in  the  Moham- 
medan faith,  they  have  no  religion  at  all. 
But,  to  avoid  persecution,  they  made  it  a 
policy,  like  the  Druzes  of  Lebanon,  to  adopt, 
for  the  time  being,  the  religion  of  the  country 
where  they  happen  to  be  sojourning — Chris- 
tians in  Summer,  Mohammedans  in  Winter — 
in  reality.  Atheists  at  all  seasons. 

Destitute  alike  of  principle  and  of  humanity, 
like  brutes  they  live,  like  brutes  they  die,  and 
are  buried  in  a  hole  within  their  tents,  with- 
out priest,  coffin  or  shroud. 

When  they  move,  a  miserable  donkey  or  a 
jaded  horse  suffices  to  carry  the  tent  or  kettle. 
The  mother's  back  transports  her  offspring,  and 
the  whole  gang  travel  on  foot.  They  saunter 
along  in  a  nonchalant  style,  indifferent  to 
progress,  halting  at  sunset  on  the  confines  of 
some  town  or  village,  with  the  hope  of  exer- 
cising the  various  professions  to  which  they 
arc  addicted,  such  as  the  anvil,  basket-making, 
tinkering,  and  larceny  in  general.  The  men 
sometimes  follow  the  trade  of  musicians  and 
showmen,  and  the  women  turn  a  penny  by  for- 
tune-telling or  singing. 

As  soon  as  the  tent  is  pitched  they  establish  a. 


CTistomer  passes  from  the  crown  of  the  head 
and  rounds  the  promontory  of  the  chin  witli 
marveloiia  sp^-ed,  leaving  only  a  small  tuft  on 
the  crown  and  the  much-prized  Oriental  mus- 
tache. Turks  who  wear  beards  seldom,  we  may 
observe,  resort  to  a  barber's  shop,  as  their  heads 
only  require  to  be  manipulated,  and  to  dress 
these  is  a  departmsnt  in  the  barber's  art  which 
is  generally  left  to  youn;,'  practitio.:ers. 

The  ordeal  just  described  having  been  passed 
through,  the  napkin  is  removed,  and  the  custo- 
mer is  at  liberty  to  rinse  his  handd  and  face  ; 
but  before  the  turban  is  restored  to  his  head  he 
again  submits  himself  to  the  barber's  care,  for 
the  purpose  of  having  all  his  minor  joints 
cracked. 

First,  the  head  is  seized,  and  wrenched 
with  such  violent  jerks  from  side  to  side,  that 
one  unaccustomed  to  the  spectacle  would  think 
the  barber  intent  on  violence.  After  this, 
every  tender  bone  of  the  ear  undergoes  a  simil- 
lar  process,  and  the  joints  of  the  fingers  go  off 
like  a  small  battery  of  Chinese  crackers.  This 
completes  the  cracking  process,  which  is  any- 
thing but  agreeable  to  those  who  have  not  been 
for  years  inured  to  it.  The  Turks,  however, 
like  it  , 


A  XATAK,  OK  ICKKISU   COUXUiiB. 


TURKEY. 


315 


temporary  forge.  A  charcoal  flro  is  kindled  on 
the  ground  by  the  aid  of  bellows  made  of  a 
couple  of  bags,  which  the  -nomen,  squatting 
down,  work  with  their  hands.  The  dusky  forms 
of  the  half-naked  men,  illuminated  by  the  red 
forge-light,  as  they  strike  the  sciutilliiting 
iron,  seem  to  reproduce  the  famous  jjicture  of 
The  Blacksmiths  of  Vulcan,  by  Velasquez. 

The  children  wander  about,  attacking  every 
passer-by  for  alms,  and  the  pretty  youug  girls, 
seated  on  the  ground  in  front  of  the  houses, 
begin  to  sing  and  clap  their  hands  in  unison. 
Their  voices  are  wild  and  sweet,  and  the  burden 
of  their  song  is  plaintive  and  sentimental,  and 
they  seldom  fail  to  attract  every  one  to  the 
windows,   and  to  reap  a  plentiful  harvest. 

Notwithstanding  their  constant  exposure  to 
the  sun,  the  women  are  often  very  fino-looking. 
Their  features  are  regular  ;  their  teeth  white  as 
ivory ;  their  hair  is  long  and  black  ;  their  eyes 
possess  a  brilliancy  and  roguishness  peculiar  to 
their  race  ;  and  the  scantiness  of  their  drapery 
renders  their  jiersons  charmingly  statuesque. 
These  gipsy  girls,  with  an  air  of  mock-modesty, 
conform  to  the  prevailing  usage,  and  veil  their 
attractive  charms  with  one  piece  of  rag  over 
their  heads,  and  another  over  their  backs  and 
shoulders. 

The  wiser  and  older  women  follow  iu  train, 
pretending  to  read  the  destiny  of  unborn  hours, 
which  all  human  beings  love  to  jn-y  into,  thus 
taking  the  gloss  from  happiness  which  may  bo 
realized,  and  suffering  the  jjoignanoy  of  misery 
which  may  never   be  endured. 

As  necromancy  was  cradled  in  Egypt,  the 
gipsies  were  there  initiated  into  its  mysteries. 
Hence  they  are  all  great  adepts  in  palmistry, 
and  road  as  well  in  the  lines  of  the  baud  as 
certain  otlier  necromancers  do  in  the  inequali- 
ties of  the  cranium.  The  professors  of  both 
these  arts  iu  reality  only  read  human  nature  ; 
the  result  of  their  penetration,  being  always 
highly  flattering,  with  a  mere  spice  of  original 
Bin  to  make  it  natural,  does  not  fail  to  render 
the  practice  of  their  skill  verj'  acceptable.  By 
telling  you  what  you  are,  an  agreeable  condi- 
tion of  self-complacency  is  created,  and  the 
prognostications  of  what  you  are  to  be  induce 
you  to  shape  your  ends  to  that  intent.  The  one 
counsels  a  sjiecies  of  moral  engineering  by  which 


INTEBIOB  OF  A  TtJBKISH   BATH. 


TDREISB  EWEB  AND  BASIN. 


hills  and  valleys  are  to  change  places,  and 
human  ambition  to  be  at  last  perched  on  its 
coveted  summit ;  and  the  other  points  to  a  lino 
iu  your  palm  which  is  a  sure 
indication  of  success,  even 
though  "it  should  take  the 
whole  Summer"  of  one's  life. 
For  all  this  information  a 
trifling  ])ittauce  is  an  equiva- 
lent. The  phrenologist  and 
the  gipsy  alike  say  ' '  Presto  ! " 
to  your  money.  ' '  Now  you 
see  it;  now  you  don't !"  The 
one  befools  j'ou  with  a  piece 
of  parchment,  the  other  with 
a  piece  of  bread. 

These  gipsy  women  ask  for 
a  piece  of  bread  and  a  gold 
coin.  The  coin  is  molded  into 
the  bread,  a  solemn  incanta- 
tion is  pronounced  over  it ;  it 
is  thou  thrown  to  the  mnds, 
and  the  Evil  Ono  gets  it,  of 
-  course !     All  ill  omens  being 


thus  averted,  the  book  of  fato  is  laid  open  for 
inspection.  The  beautiftil  JIanums  surrender 
their  hands  to  these  dirty  gipsies,  who  assume  a. 
very  patronizing  air  as  they  trace  the  fortunato- 
lines  in  the  delicate  palm  which  thej'  hold  in 
their  bony  fingers.  To  lookers-on,  from  tho 
happy  expression  of  the  features  of  the  young 
ladies,  and  the  very  blushes  which  suffuse  their 
cheeks,  it  is  evident  that  the  sorceress  is  fore- 
telling what  is  most  desired.  These  predic- 
tions are  apt  to  be  realized,  for  the  gipsies  are 
famous  go-betweens,  and  know  how  to  work 
out  the  fulfillment  of  their  own  prophecies. 


A  Tatar,  or  Tuvkish  Courier. 
''  You  meet  with  a  great  variety  of  companj'' 
on  this  important  thoroughfare,"  says  a  lady 
traveler  iu  Turkey,  making  her  way  to  Olympus. 
' '  Sometimes  you  may  encounter  a  wandering 
Arab  household,  or  a  Turkish  family  of  th& 
lower  ranks,  the  women  sitting  astride,  or  on  a 
pile  of  carpets  and  cushions,  the  children  stowed 
away  iu  panniers,  and  the  master  of  the  house- 


81' 


THE     WOBLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


hold  (liis  long  pipe  fastened  through  his  belt 
behind,  when  not  in  use),  slowly  leading  the 
procession. 

"Now  a  party  passes  you  at  a  smart  gallop ; 
they  have  a  strong  guard  of  cavasses.  From  a 
considerable  distance 
you  have  decided  that 
they  are  'Franks,' 
nltliough  the  various 
and  grotesque  head- 
dresses, adapted  to  the 
peculiar  taste  of  each 
as  a  protection  from 
the  sun,  make  it  diffi- 
cult to  determine  their 
nationality. 

"They  raise  a  great . 
cloud  of  dust  as  they 
dash  by,  and  there  is 
considerable  pi'ancing 
and  curveting  amongst 
the  horses  cf  their 
armed  guard,  whose 
bi  illiant  Albanian 
dresses  and  glittering 
belts  of  -weapons  im- 
press you  with  a  feel- 
ing cf  the  .importance 
of  the  expedition. 

"  It  must  be  some 
political  mission  int<? 
the  interior  --some 
emissary  of  France  or 
Bussia  —  connected 
with  the  troubles  in 
Jlontenegro  ond  Servia 
— some  one,  in  short, 
who  is  'somebody.' 
No!    it   is    'nobodv,' 


TDKKISH  LIFE— THE  MANSION. 

only  a  party  of  grainiers  from  France — agents 
for  the  sale  or  purchase  of  the  silkworm  seed. 
They  carry  large  sums  of  money,  and  therefore 
need  a  considerable  escort  where  the  qiuet 
tourist  can  pass  almost  without  riek. 


A  SYRIAN  Turk's  divan. 


"  Again  there  is  a  cloud  of  dust,  with  loud 
shouting.  You  turn  quickly  to  the  side  of  thtf 
road,  and  the  'Tatar'  (the  Turkish  post^  clat- 
ters by,  throwing  his  arms  into  the  air,  and 
screaming  a  salute  without  stopping,  the  sides 
of  his  poor  horse 
probably  bleeding 
from  the  merciless 
use  of  the  cruel  shovel 
stirrups." 

o 

Pire  Department. 

Just  now,  when  the 
principal  cities  of  the 
world  are  making 
great  reforms  in  their 
Fire  Departments,  it 
will  be  of  interest  to 
know  how  far  off 
places  are  progressing 
in  their  efforts  to  ex- 
tinguish conflagra- 
tions, The  City  of  Con- 
stantinople has  always 
been  affected  in  a 
chronic  way  by  fire.  A 
conflagration  of  1,000 
houses  is  not  an  un- 
common occurrence, 
and  within  one  3'ear 
four  fires  have  oc- 
curred, the  largest  of 
which  consumed  600 
houses.  Of  course, 
under  these  circum- 
stances, it  is  natural  to 
inquire  what  means 
they    have     taken 


TURKEY. 


317 


03 

« 

E 

I 
W 

o 
o 


25 
f»5 


S18 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


to  put  down  their  great  enemy.  The  question 
is  answered  by  saying  tliat,  up  to  within  a  few 
years,  tiiat  great  city  has  depended  on  the 
bncltet  system  that  went  out  with  our  grand- 
fathers, and  at  an  alarm  which,  possibly,  before 
a  dozen  budgets  could  be  brought  to  bear, 
would  have  a  hundred  houses  in  a  blaze, 
there  were  not  mjre  than  a  dozen  two-gallon 
buckets  to  quench  it. 

Now  they  have  adopted  a  mode  of  extinguish- 
ment, the  old  French  mode,  which  to  us  looks 
little  better  than  a  pocket  syringe.  The  method 
-which  they  have  taken  up  from  the  French  has 
been  discarded  by  the  City  of  P.iris  ia  favor  of 
the  English  method.  It  is  simply  a  hand- 
engine  carried  upon  the  shoulders  of  men,  and 
is  entirely  dependent  upon  Uie  promiscuous 
crowd  to  operate  it. 

At  an  alarm  of  fire  the  "  vielleur,"  or  police- 
man, announces  it  by  crying,  as  with  us  in  the 
()lden  time.  At  this  the  engines  are  seized  by 
<he  first  able-bodied  men  who  appear,  and  are 
liurried  to  the  fire.     They  have  certain  regular 


per  thousand.  The  work  was  executed,  Mr. 
Harrison  supposing  them  to  be  labels  for  some 
Chinese  invention,  and  four  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  of  them  were  taken  by  the  lady,  who, 
paid  for  them,  and  arranged  that  the  remainder, 
with  the  plates,  should  remain  for  a  while  in 
Mr.  Harrison's  keeping. 

Tlie  "labels"  thus  openly  manufactured  were 
no  other  than  counterfeit  paper  money,  each 
piece  representing  the  value  of  twenty  piastres, 
or  about  tight  dollars.  The  total  amount 
forged,  therefore,  (twelve  million  piastres)  is 
about  five  millions  of  dollars ! 

Yet,  with  the  folly  which  so  often  goes  hand  in 
hand  with  crime,  Madame  Sevesti  took  precisely 
the  course  best  fitted  to  insure  her  detection. 
Purchasing  three  large  trunks  with  false  bot- 
toms, she  packed  her  counterfeit  treasure  in  the 
hidden  compartments,  and  secreted  a  quantity 
about  her  person.  On  arriving  at  Constantino- 
ple, the  custom-house  officers  at  once  detected 
tiie  false  bottoms  to  her  trunks,  and  their  con- 
tents, and  she  was  arrested.     When  examined 


held  sacred  in  Turkey,  which  the  Government 
alone  is  permitted  to  use.  On  the  top  and 
sides  are  the  following  words,  in  Turkish: 

"To  be  paid  to  the  bearer,  without  interest, 
twenty  piastres." 

At  the  top  of  the  note  is  the  Sultan's  toghra, 
surrounding  which  is  a  quotation  from  the 
Koran.     Underneath  are  the  words: 

"Twenty  piastres,  paper  money,  to  be  used 
in  the  place  of  gold  at  the  Bank  of  Constanti- 
nople." At  the  base  of  the  note  is  the  seal  of  the 
mint,  and  on  the  back  the  seal  of  the  Minister 
of  the  Treasury.  The  toghra  is  considered 
sacred,  and  is  guarded  by  the  three  highest 
officials  of  the  mint,  whose  sole  duty  it  is  to 
watch  it. 

Until  1857,  the  penalty  for  uttering  base 
money  in  Turkey  was  death.  It  is  now  im- 
prisonment, and  Madame  Sevesti  is  probably 
undergoing  many  years'  incarceration  as  penalty 
for  her  daring  attempt.  The  crime  of  counter- 
feiting is  more  destructive  to  morality  than  ia 
generally  conceived. 


attaches,  but  tJiese  arc  seldom  on  laud  when 
"wanted  ;  the  only  ones  that  seem  of  real  use 
being  the  "  sapeurs-pompier.s,"  who  act  as 
handlers  of  axes,  or  superintendents  of  ladders. 
We  suppose  that  the  day  is  rapidly  coming 
■when  American  engines  will  find  their  way  to 
•Constantinople,  as  they  have  already  to  London 
and  Paris,  and  show  the  Turks  that  fires  are  an 
Tjuneccssary  luxury. 

■««■  I 

A  Turkish  Bank-Note  Oounterfeited. 

O.vE  of  the  most  extensive  and  audacious 
counterfeiting  operations  ever  ven'ured  on  was 
perpetrated  in  New  York  some  years  since. 

A  Moldavian  lady,  named  Sevesti,  who  was 
staying  at  the  St,  Nicholas  Hotel,  under  the 
assumed  name  of  Madame  Garfiner,  called 
■on  W.  L.  S.  Harrison,  proprietor  of  a  printing 
establishment  at  No.  82  Duane  Street,  and  con- 
tracted with  him  for  the  execution  of  a  large 
quantity  of  "  labels,"  of  which  he  agreed  to 
j>rint  six  hundred  thousand  copies,  at  one  dollar 


TURKISH   LIFE — THE   SICK   ROOM. 

before  the  Pacha  of  Police,  she  confessed  the 
manner  in  whicli  she  had  procured  the  manu- 
facture of  the  bills,  and  the  Ottoman  Consul  of 
tills  city  was,  therefore,  directed  to  olitain  the 
airest  of  Mr.  Harrison.  Tlie  printer  was  ac- 
cordingly arrested  ;  but  it  was  so  evident  that 
he  executed  the  work  in  entire  ignorance  of  its 
nature,  that  a  certificate  of  his  entire  exculpa- 
tion was  voluntarily  given  him  by  Mayor  Tie- 
mann,  and  he  w.is  discharged.  ITio  bills  slill 
remaining  in  hi.s  possession,  together  with  the 
plates,  etc.,  were  taken  possession  of  by  the 
Turkish  Consul,  to  await  the  orders  of  the 
Porte.  The  property  consisted  of  thirty-eisht 
copper  plates,  twenty  s:als  of  the  Minister  of 
Finance,  and  thirty  stamps  for  impressing  the 
Sultan's  toghra,  or  si,'nature. 

The  counterfeit  was  pronounced  perfect  by 
Turks  who  have  seen  it.  It  is  only  paper  cur- 
rency in  Turkey,  and  being  without  date  or 
number,  would  undoubtedly  have  passed  with- 
out question. 

The  bill  is  on  imperial-green  paper,  a  color 


The  Muezzin  Galling  Men  to  Prayer. 

The  Mohammedan  uses  no  boll  to  call  men 
from  the  thou.;hts  of  tliis  world  to  raise  theif 
minds  to  God,  and  when  the  Pilgrim  Fathers, 
renouncing  the  bells  around  wliich  clustered  so 
many  Catliolic  memories,  substitute'd  tlicdrum, 
they  were  very  far  from  making  as  impressive  a 
change  as  the  followers  of  Mohammed. 

There  the  Muezzin,  high  in  air,  from  the  min- 
aret of  the  mosque  overlooking  the  city,  five 
times  eacli  day,  at  dawn,  noon,  four  o'clock, 
sunset,  and  nightfall,  calls  men  to  prayer, 
chanting  in  a  loud  voice  the  following  formula: 
"God  is  great!  Tliere  is  no  God  but  Allah, 
and  .Mohammed  is  the  prophet  of  God.  Prayer 
is  bettor  than  sleep.     Come  to  prayer ! " 

The  fidelity  of  the  Mohammedans  to  this  call 
is  patent  to  every  one  that  travels  in  the  East. 
Prayer  is  offered  in  every  place — not  in  the 
mosque  only,  but  in  the  field,  on  the  ship's 
deck,  in  the  shop,  and  amidst  the  confusion  and 
bustle  of  the  railway  station.     The  worshipei 


TURKEY. 


319 


goes  about  it  in  the  most  methodical  manner. 
While  the  Catholic,  at  the  sound  of  the  Angelus 
bell,  merely  pauses  and  murmurs  his  prayer,  the 
Turk  spreads  his  carpet  on  the  ground,  if  he 
fcas  one,  and  turns  toward  Mecca  ;  then,  after 
meditating  a  moment,  puts  a  thumb  close  to 
«ach  ear,  erects  his  fingers  fan-like,  and  prays  in 
nilence.  Then  he  bends  down,  touches  his  fore- 
head to  the  ground,  and,  after  some  other  cere- 
'nonies,  rises. 


A  Rural  Mohammedan  Mosque. 

Tnz  wayside  chapel  is  not  peculiar  to  me- 
<iieval  Christianity.  Mohammedanism,  in  its 
origia  the  creed  of  a  barbarous,  roving,  desert 
-tribe,  became  soon  the  religion  of  polished 
races,  to  whom  Europe  owes  much  of  her 
modern  science.  In  the  architecture  which  it 
created,  the  dome,  minaret  and  round  arch 
bDcame  characteristic,  combined  witii  an  elabo- 
rate orna;nentation,  from  which  all  figures  of 
men  cr  animals  were  banished. 

Spain  still  teems  with  beautiful  spscimons  of 
Jlohammcdan  art,  and  as  an  illustration,  we 
give  a  little  forest  mosque,  a  graceful  little 
structure,  an  admirable  model  in  itself  for  a 
vault  in  one  of  our  cemeteries.  The  graceful 
■dome  and  ornamented  door  would,  amid  over- 
shadowing trees,  make  a  home  fjr  the  dead 
neither  too  sombre  "sor  too  full  of  unseemly 
ornament  for  such  a  tsp^*t. 


Tho  Summer  Saioon  of  the  Sultan's  Earem. 

If  anything  could  cure  the  frivolous  portion 
cf  our  beautiful  sex  from  pining  after  splendor, 
it  would  be  the  monotonous  magnificence  of  a 
harem  life. 

Our  engraving  will  enable  our  readers  to  form 
■some  idea  of  the  grandeur  of  the  gilded  cages  of 
these  hapless  birds  of  beauty. 


A  recent  l.^dy  trav- 
eler gives  the  follow- 
ing account  of  her 
visit  to  one  of  the 
sultan's  harems  : 

"A  great  variety 
of  small  colored  illu- 
mination lamps  were 
hung  in  festoons 
suspended  from  the 
gilded  pillars.  Large 
mirrors  hung  down 
the  sides,  in  which 
the  exotics  were 
reflected.  At  the 
bottom,  on  each  side, 
were  two  pure  white 
marble  fountains, 
whose  waters,  as  they 
played,  formed  repre- 
sentations of  pea- 
cocks, with  their 
superb  tails.  Around 
them  were  placed 
variegated  evergreens 
and  prettily  -  con- 
structed rockeries. 
Over  the  door  of  the 
entrance  to  the  palace 
hung  a  very  handsome 
crimson  cloth  cur- 
tain, embroidered 
with  gold  crescents, 
and  fringed  with  a 
deep  gold  border.  At 
the  top  of  the  door 
>wcre  placed  the  sul- 
tan's arms,  and  two 
standards  with  gilt 
spears. 

"  We  then  descended 
two      marble     steps. 


8TEEET  SCENE  IN  CONSTANTINOPLE. 


which  led  us  into  a  small  marble- 
paved  hall,  which,  owing  to  the 
large  orange-trees  andslirubs  and 
exotics  it  contained,  presented 
a  very  sombre  appearance,  but 
which,  when  lighted  by  means 
of  the  superb  lustre  that  hung 
suspended  from  the  ceiling,  which 
was  dome-shaped  and  most  beau- 
tifully painted  and  gilded,  gave 
it  a  truly  fiiry-like  coup  d'ceil. 

"It  was  such  an  entrance  into 
n,  palace  as  tlie  polishing  of  A' ad- 
din's  wonderful  lamp  might 
really  have  produced,  but  not 
outvied ;  in  short,  an  Arabian 
Ni'jht-lilce  creation.  It  was 
enriched  with  mirrors  which 
reached  from  the  ceiling  down 
to  the  floor,  between  all  of 
which  hung  white  lace  and  crim- 
son silk  curtains,  which  gave 
them  the  appearance  of  window^. 

"  ITpon  numerous  gilt  brackets 
stood  white  marble  vases,  filled 
with  moss  and  artificial  flowers. 
Between  the  evergreens  stood 
several  marble  statues,  some 
bearing  colored  globes  in  their 
hands,  and  others  holding  bou- 
quets of  flowers.    Here  and  there 


THE  TURKISH   BANK-KOTE  COUNTERFEITBD  IN  NEW   YORK. 

were  placed  gilded  chairs,  the  cushions  being 
covered  with  crimson  velvet. 

"The  effect,  as  the  spectator  entered,  was 
extremely  pleasing,  and  the  gentle  trickling  of 
the  water  from  the  fountains  in  it  produced  a 
most  delightful  sensation. 

' '  Then  we  passed  into  an  immense  marble- 
paved  hall,  having  raised  banks  all  around  it, 
covered  with  beautiful,  velvet-looking  green 
moss,  interspersed  with  natural  and  artificial 
flowers  most  tastefully  blended  together.  The 
walls  were  hung  with  large  mirrors  which 
reached  half-way  down  them  and  rested  on  the 
raised  banks,  and  a  hanging  terrace  of  flowers 
ran  round  the  apartment  on  the  top  of  the 
mirrors. 

"  On  the  banks  were  placed  vases  of  the 
rarest  exotics,  interspersed  with  statues,  on 
whose  heads  were  placed  rustic  carved  baskets 
of  blooming  flowers,  each  holding  in  the  hand 
colored  globular  lamps.  Down  the  entire 
centre  of  the  room  ran  a  huge  bank  covered 
with  moss  interspersed  with  flowers,  creepers 
and  orange-trees,  amidst  which,  dotted  about, 
stood  numerous  statues,  and  which  divided  the 
apartment  into  a  double  promenade,  at  each 
end  of  which  was  a  pure  white  marble  fount- 
ain, bordered  with  flowei's. 

'•  The  ceiling  was  magnificently  painted,  sur- 
mounted with  a  gilt  beading.  The  room  was 
lighted  with  twelve  huge   silver  candelabras 


320 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


fixed  in  the  sides  of  the  walls.  Here  and  there 
rout-seats  were.scattered  about,  alt  covered  with 
crimson  Tel  vet,  to  match  the  hangings,  which 
were bf; crimson  silk." 

The  Mosque  of  the  Sultan  Aclimet, 

\  ,  '     j      at  Oonstantiiople. 

Tub  whole  circuit  of  Constantinople,  which  is 
calculated  !\.t  somewhat  more  than  twelve  mile?, 
ofiers,  even  to  diligent  reseai-ch,  veiy-'fewre- 
maihs  of  antiquity.  The  truth  is,  the'^Turks 
have  availed  themselves  of  the  marbles  "and 


some  of  the  imperial  mosques  Virhich  have  risea 
in  their  places,  are  distmguished  by  grandeur 
and  beauty.  Of  these  imperial  mosques  there 
are  fourteen,  each  lofty  tad  magnificeat  in  its 
general  dimensions,  and  built,  from  base  to 
dome,  with  excellent  and  enduring  materials — ■ 
chiefly  cf^wliite  marble,  slightly  tinged  with 
gray.,  Be.ades  these,  there  are  siity  ordin.iry 
mosques,  v.iryirig  in  size  and  beauty,  but  all 
considerable  edifices ;  abd  then,  two  hundred 
and  more  inferior  mosques  and  messdgids. 
which  latter  are  only  distinguished  as  being 
places  of  worship  by  having  little  minarets  or 


twenty  hours,  the  Muezzin  calls  the  Mohamme- 
dans to  prayer.  Tlie  grand  mosques  have  some 
two,  some  four,  and  one  has  even  six  minarets. 
The  mosque  which  has  been  most  talked  of — 
because  it  was  anciently  a  Christian  temple, 
and  was  supposed  to  have  suggastod  .to  the 
Turks  the  grand  dome,  or  cupola,  which  pre- 
dominates in  all  the  rest  of  their  religious  edi- 
fices— is  that  of  Santa  Sophia.  Several  of  the 
imperial  mosques,  however,  far  excel  Santa 
Sophia  in  situation,  boldness,  and  beauty.  If 
the  Turks  borrowed  the  dome  from  it,  they 
have  immefisely   improved    on    the    original. 


fragments  of  the  Qreeks  in  the  construction  of 
their  own  public  edifices ;  and  the  antiquities 
of  Constantinople  are  reproduced  to  the  eye 
under  entirely  different  forms  and  combinations 
in  the  mosques  and  minarets,  the  cemeteries, 
and  the  fountains  of  the  Csmanlis. 

Many  a  beautiful  work  of  the  ancient  Greek 
chisel  has  thus  been  embedded  in  a  wall,  or  cut 
down  and  defaced  to  make  a  Turkish  tomb- 
stone; and  many  an  edifice,  constructed  in 
(ujcordance  with  the  pure  styles  of  architecture, 
has  been  leveled,  and  u.scd  as  a  quarry. 

But  still  it  must  be  confe&sed  that  some  of 
the  Turkish  buildings,  and  more  particularly 


MOSQnE  OF  SULTAN  ACnMET,  AT   COX'STANTINOPLB. 

towers  contiguous  to  them.  Tne  Turks  may 
have  borrowed  these  beautifiii,  light,  arrowy 
towers  from  some  Kastem  nations,  but  they 
certainly  did  not  copy  them  from  the  Greeks. 

The  minarets  form  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
most  striking  and  pleasing  features  in  the 
architecture  and  scenery  of  Constantinople. 
Nothing,  indeed,  can  surpass  the  effect  produced 
on  the  nights  of  the  illumination  at  the  Turk- 
ish capital,  when  long  strings  of  lamps  are  hung 
in  festoons  from  one  to  tlie  other  of  these  slen- 
der lofty  towers.  Near  the  summit  of  these 
minarets  there  is  a  little  gallery,  from  which, 
at  the  five  appointed  seasons  in  the  four-and- 


which  is  comp^ratiTely  low  ana  heavy,  whil« 
their  cupolas  are  lofty,  light,  and  graceful. 
This  is  particularly  the  case  with  the  mosque 
of  Sultan  Achmet,  which  may  be  deemed,  alto- 
gether, the  grandest  edifice  in  Constantinople. 
It  stands  on  one  side  of  the  ancieri  square  of 
the  Hippodrome,  from  which  it  is  separated  by 
a  low  wall  or  screen,  with  three  gates  and  sev- 
enty-two grated  windows.  Within  this  wall  is 
a  large  court  paved  with  marble,  and  orna- 
mented in  the  midst  by  a  beautiful  fountaitt 
of  the  same  material,  and  of  hexagonal  form, 
Tlie  basis  of  tUe  mosque  occupies  a  stately 
square. 


TUEKEY. 


321 


to 
K 


K 

O 


21 


322 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    iSATIOT^a 


A  HAMMAL,  OR  TURKISH   PORTER. 

The  Bashi-Bazouk. 
Among  the  tribes  of  semi-savage  men  which 
inhabit  the  confines  of  the  Turkish  Empire, 
none  are  more  remarkable  for  their  love  of  free- 
dom than  the  Bashi-Bazouk.  Since  the  war  in 
the  Crimea  commenced,  efforts  have  been  made 
at  various  times  to  reduce  them  as  soldiers 
into  discipline,  but  every  effort  has  failed. 
Fight  they  will,  but  come  under  the  restrictions 
of  military  rule,  they  will  not.  The  conse- 
quence is,  that  every  organization  of  BashiBar 
zouk  has,  sooner  or  later,  been  broken  up  by 
desertion,  the  guilty  pxrties  fleeing  into  the 
desert  for  sufety.  Our  illustration,  from  a  draw- 
ing by  Jamas  Uobertson,  Esq.,  of  Constantino- 
ple, represents  one  of  these  men  enjoying  the 
happiness  of  being  gazed  at  by  the  admi.ing 
inhabitants  of  that  city.  His  attitude,  his 
arms,  the  whole  man,  in  fact,  are  calculated 
to  inspire  respect,  and  confirm  the  idea  that,  as 
with  our  Indians,  the  restraints  of  high  civili- 
Eatioa  would  be  death. 


A  Syrian  Turk's  Divan. 
The  lower  rooms  of  the  rich  are,  like  the 
courtyard,  paved  with  marble,  and  have  each  a 
fountain,  and  the  walls  are  adorne  I,  breast- 
high,  with  marble  or  beautiful  woodworlv  of 
yellow  cedar ;  tliey  are  furnished  with  cup- 
boards for  the  stowage  of  bedding,  and  open 
uiches  or  ornamental  slabs  for  vases  with  water, 
sherbet  or  flowers.  The  floor  is  divided  into 
two  parts — a  lower  and  a  smaller  one  next  the 
court,  where   the  servants   stand   with   folded 


arms,  watching  their  master's 
looks  ;  and  a  raised  platform, 
like  the  dais  in  an  old  baronial 
hall,  separated  from  tlie  lower 
p.xrt  by  a  handsome  balustrade. 
The  higher  portion  is  called 
the  "leewan,"  and  the  lower 
portion  the  "doorckaah."  The 
former  is  reserved  for  the 
master  of  the  house  and  his 
friends.  AVhen  the  attendance 
of  the  servants  is  required,  if 
they  be  not  in  the  "door- 
ckaah" they  are  summoned  by 
clapping  the  hands,  for  house- 
bells  are  unknown  ia  the 
East. 

The  "leewan"  may  be  ren- 
dered delightfully  cool  by  lay- 
ing the  ' '  doorckaah' '  under 
water.  No  one  steps  on  the 
"leewan"  without  taking  off 
his  outer  shoes,  under  which 
it  is  usual  to  wear  a  pair  of 
thin  leather  slippers,  without 
soles.  The  ladies  themselves 
recline  on  the  divans,  with 
bare  feet,  or  shod  with  em- 
broidered velvet  slippers. 

The  "leewan"  is  covered 
with  a  mat  in  Summer,  and  a 
carpet  over  this  in  Winter  ; 
and  a  sofa,  raised  from  si.x 
inches  to  a  foot,  runs  round 
its  three  sides,  forming  what 
is  called  the  "deewan"  or 
divan.  The  sofa  is  a  little 
higher  before  than  behind,  and 
is  about  four  feet  wide ;  cushions  four  feet 
long  and  two  feet  high  lean  against  the  wall. 
The  angles  are  the  saats  of  honor,  as  among 
the  ancient  Greeks  ;  the  right  corner  is  the 
chief  place  ;  then  the  sofa  along  the  top,  and 
general  proximity  to  the  right  corner.  But 
even  here  the  Eastern's  respect  for  man  above 
circumstances  is  shown. 

The  relative  valufi  of  the  positions  all  round 


the  room  i.>  changed,  should  the  person  cf  tho 
highest  rank  accident:illy  occupy  another  place. 
The  ceiling  is  highly  piiinted  and  adorned , 
the  part  over  the  "leewan"  is  sometimes 
vaulted,  and  decorate  J  with  pendent  ornaments, 
particularly  in  the  liouses  of  the  Turks  ;  more 
commonly  the  beams  are  left  uncovered,  and 
are  carved,  partially  painted,  and  sometimes 
gilded.  But  the  ceiling  over  the  "doorckaah," 
which  is  higher  than  that  over  the  "leewan,"' 
is  usually  more  richly  decorated,  with  small 
strips  of  gilding,  and  in  various  gay  colors, 
arranged  in  enviously  complicated  patterns,  ye'; 
perfectly  regular,  and  having  a  highly  orna- 
mental effect.  The  ceiling  of  a  projecting  wir.- 
dow  is  often  adorned  in  the  same  manner. 
Good  taste  is  evidenced  by  thus  decorating  only 
such  parts  as  are  not  always  before  the  eyes  ; 
for  to  look  long  at  so  many  lines  intersecting 
each  other  in  all  directions  would  be  painful. 


The  Scutari  Turkish  Burial-Ground. 

From  the  outskirts  of  Scutari,  tho  great 
cemetery  stretches  over  the  plain  where  repose 
half  of  the  generations  of  Stamboul.  Some  of 
the  tombs  and  monuments  are  very  beautiful ; 
they  are  generally  of  white  marble,  covered 
with  verses  of  the  Koran,  durably  and  massively 
gilded,  on  a  light-blue  ground,  or  according  to 
taste.  Tha  name  of  the  deceased  only  is  in- 
scribed, without  the  many  virtues  which  occa- 
sionally shine  over  the  Christian  grave.  Tho 
nature  of  the  head-carved  stone,  whether  it  be 
a  turban  or  a  fez,  denotes  the  rank  and  occupa- 
tion of  the  deceased. 

The  tombs  of  women  are  distinguished  by  a 
lotus  leaf,  painted  green  ;  at  other  times  by 
roses,  forming  a  circlet  round  the  headstone, 
beautifully  gilt,  with  some  bright  color  to  give 
etfect.  Some  graves  'are  covered  with  marble 
troughs,  filled  with  earth  to  grow  flowers  in ; 
while  others  have  an  orifice  in  the  centre  of  the 
marble  slab,  through  which  may  be  seen  grow- 
ing the  budding  rose  and  the  evergreen.  The 
effect  created  by  this  contrast  is  very  pretty. 

It  is  touching  to  observe  the  tender  solicitude 


COSSTANTINOPtE    FIRE   DEPARTMENT. —  SAPEUR-POMPIEB. 


TURKEY. 


323 


of  some  Turkish  females  in  connection  witli 
these  loiiely  spots,  where  they  generally  pass 
Bome  part  of  the  day. 

The  impressive  silence  of  this  vast  forest  of 
cypresses  and  tombs  ad'ls  to  the  beauty  of  the 
scene,  and  teaches  a  sublime  lesson  of  human 
nolhing  icss. 

*<^ 

The  Seraglio  at  Oonstantinople. 
Wf.  are  now  under  the  walls  of  the  far-f:imed 
mysterious  Seraglio,  where  so  many  sultans 
have  lived  and  died,  so  many  viziers  and 
nlema  have  whispered  their  intriguing  plots, 
and  80  many  ladies  with  all  their  exquisite 


monarch  no  lon:;er  loves  the  halls  of  his  ances- 
tors, and  builds  for  himself  palaces  and  homes 
unstained  by  the  blood  of  his  fathers,  and  pure 
from  the  memories  of  deeds  of  horror  and 
human  massacre. 

The  Marmora  flows  on  one  side  of  the  apex  of 
the  triang'.e  where  the  Seraglio  stands,  and  the 
swift  current  of  the  Bosphorus  sweeps  round  the 
other.  Its  precincts  cover  the  ground  upon 
v/hich  stood  the  ancient  Byzantium,  inclosing 
an  area  of  four  miles  in  circumference.  Three 
distinct  walls  divide  this  area  into  as  many 
separate  compartments. 

The  first  is  entered  by  a  lofty  gate  called 
Baabu  -  Iluntayoun,  or  Imperial  Gate,  in  contra- 


Close  by  is  the  royal  mint,  an  immense  es- 
tablishment built  of  stone,  where  not  only  the 
current  money  is  coined,  but  the  private 
treasure  of  the  sultan  is  deposited.  A  large 
apartment  of  this  edifieo  is  devoted  to  the 
jewelry  of  the  sultan,  where  the  royal  insignia 
are  manufactured,  as  well  as  the  tiishans,  or 
badges  of  honor. 

Kext  to  the  mint  stands  the  department  of 
the  evkvf,  or  the  bureau  of  the  takvfs.  All  the 
mosques  are  largely  endowed,  and  this  property 
is  termed  vakvf.  This  bureau  not  only  controls 
the  vakufs,  but  is  the  principal  court  of  chan- 
cery, where  all  suits  of  real  estate  are  disposed 
of.    In  the  mi<ldle  of  tl:e  square  of  this  first  in- 


toveliness  have  disappeared  lilce  brilliant  stars 
from  the  firmament,  or  were  extinguished  like 
the  bright  lights  of  the  palace  halls.  But  the 
days  of  the  glory  of  t!ie  Seraglio  are  departed. 
Sultans  no  longer  sit  upon  its  desolated  thrones, 
ministers  and  favorites  no  longer  stroll  through 
its  winding  passages,  nor  do  lawless  janissaries 
any  more  rush  along  the  halls  with  savage  reck- 
lessness, seizing  even  sultans  themselves  from 
the  sacred  retreat  of  the  harem. 

The  vast  gardens  of  delight  which  exhaled 
the  perfumes  of  attar  gul,  and  re-eehced  the 
notes  of  the  bulbuls,  where  the  royal  lovers  ware 
wont  to  toy  with  the  fairest  of  earth's  daughters, 
by  the  side  of  playing  fountains  and  rippling 
brooks,  are   desolate   and   deserted,   for   the 


SDBTERR.\NEAN   LAKE  AT   CONSTAKTINOPLE. 

distinction  to  the  Baabu-Aali,  or  Sublime  Porte. 
In  the  wall  on  each  side  of  this  gateway  are 
deep  niches,  where,  in  former  times,  the  heids 
of  political  offenders  of  inferior  grade  were  dis- 
played, startling  the  passers  by  with  the  idea  of 
awful  and  summary  punishment.  Witliin  this 
gate,  on  the  right  hand,  is  the  treasury  depart- 
ment, an  immense  pile  of  frame  buildings.  On 
the  left  is  the  ancient  church  of  St.  Irene,  now 
converted  into  an  armory  containing  curious 
specimens  of  the  armors  and  weipons  of  the 
crusaders,  arranged  in  the  most  elegant  style. 

In  front  of  this  edifice  are  placed  several 
beautiful  sarcophagi  of  red  stone,  lately  exca- 
vated and  transported  from  the  site  of  the 
ancient  Troy. 


closure,  when  the  Seraglio  was  the  seat  of  arbi- 
trary power,  a  hoslangy,  or  lifeguard,  might  Le 
seen  standing  on  an  elevated  platform,  with  a 
rod  in  his  hand  portentously  pointing  to  the 
heads  of  pashas  and  other  dignitaries  of  distant 
provinces  there  displayed  in  trenchers,  at  the 
same  time  proclaiming  the  crimes  of  each  un- 
fortunate victim.  A  yaftah  or  placard  was  also 
upon  the  wall,  on  whicli  were  inscribed  the 
titles,  crimes^etc,  of  the  decapitated.  But  this 
platform  now  constitutes  a  halting-stone  for  the 
heavily  laden  hamah. 

Such  human  butchery  and  scenes  of  blood 
were,  indeed,  once  the  delight  of  the  Turks- 
Death  in  its  most  horrid  forms,  without  a  warn- 
ing to  its   victim,  cfttime.^  with  no   tcll-talf 


S&4 


THE    "WOELD'S    GREAT    NATlOXa 


teads  or  prostrate  bodies  as  signs  where  the 
arrows  had  hit,  was  to  this  semi-barbarous 
people  a  mere  accident  of  a  day,  only  a.  token  of 
the  absolute  power  of  the  sultan.'',  Tlie  deposed 
dignitary  used  to  sit  in  a  certain  keostc  close  by 
ine  Seraglio  walls  awaiting  his  destiny,  uncer- 
tain, when"  the'do6r"of  the' apartment  opened, 
whether  his  eye  should  rest  upon  his  exe- 
cutioner, or  the  harbinger  of  new  honors  and 
promotion  from  his 'royal  master.  So  many 
were  tfie  occasions  when  the  services  of  these 
public  executioners  were  needed,  that  their  sUill 
became  most  excellent. ' 

As  the  doomed  man,  with  his  hands  tied  be- 
hind him,  was  ordered  to  kneel  down,  the  ex- 
tended neck  in  that  act  received  the  keen  edge 
of  the  yataghan,  and  the  unerring  hand  with  one 
fell  blow  severed  the  heiid  from  the  shoulders, 
ere  the  knees  touched  the  ground. 

Less  than  half  a  century  ago  such  scenes 
were  enacted,  but  now  they  are  unknown.  The 
last  execution  took  place  some  twenty-five 
years  since.  An  Armenian  fireman  seeing  his 
comrade,  a  Mussulman,  molested  by  another 
Mussulman,  interfered,  and  was  so  unfortunate 
as  to  kill  his  aggressor  during  the  affray. 

The  Armenian  was  arrested,  tried,  and  found 
guilty.  The  penalty  of  the  law  was  death,  but 
as  the  penal  code  had  been  reformed,  the  Gov- 
ernment wished  to  send  him  to  the  Ba]^io,  or 
state  prison,  for  life. 

In  Turkey,  the  criminal  code  is  derived  from 
the  Koran,  which  sanctions  the  ancient  and 
Jewish  practice  of  blood  for  blood,  eye  for  eye, 
and  tooth  for  tooth.  Hence,  in  cases  of  murder 
the  relatives  of  the  victim  are  consulted,  and 
they  thus  become  the  real  prosecutors,  and  not 
•he  Government. 

In  this  case  it  was  the  mother  of  the  deceased 
Mussulman,  who  cried  kissass,  blood  for  blood. 
But  as  the  sultan  was  entirely  averse  to  capital 
punishment,  the  Government  tried  to  dissuade 
her  from  the  exercise  of  her  right  of  sanguinary 
vengeance,  by  citing  to  her  the  alternative 
which  the  Koran  itself  proposes — that  is,  a  ran- 
som for  the  crime.  She  was  offered  the  sum  of 
thirty  thousand  piastres,  or  about  twelve  hun- 
dred dollars,  which  she  steadily  refused.  Find- 
ing t'aat  there  was  no  reasoning  with  this  woman 
of  h'vih  temper  and  desperate  purpose,  it  was 
docidei  to  sentence  the  "young  man  to  be  ex- 
ecuted. 

His  yafta,  or  sentence  of  death,  was  accord- 
ingly written,  and,  as  is  always  customary  on 


such  occasions,  the  reed  that  traced  its  charac- 
ters was  broken  and  cast  away,  as  polluted  for 
any  further  use. 

The'youn'g  man  was  led  forth  accompanied  by 
the  trembling  old  vixen,  his  prosecutrix^  whtt' 
tottered  along  leaning  upon  a  staff".  'When  they 
arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,'"she  seemed  to 
have  attained  the  acme"  of  her  ambition.  Her 
breath  came  short' and  heavy  from  tTie  tumult 
of  Iier  emotions,  and' her  eyes  flashed  with 
demoniacal  delight.  '_  The  longed-fcr  hour  of 
vengeance  was  hers",  and  she  cried  out  for  tiie 
sacrifice.  But  no  knife  was  raised,  no  hand 
appeared.  ,  . 

"  'Where  is  the  Jdlad?"  or  public  executioner, 
she  exclaimed. 

' '  There  is  no  jettad  now, "  they  tell  her. 

"'Who,  then,  is  to  behead  the  wretch  ?" 

A  shrug  of  the  shoulders  by  the  officers  in 
attend-ince  informs  her  that  it  is  none  of  their 
business. 

In  dismay  she  tries  to  persuade  one  of  the 
kavasses,  police  officers,  to  do  the  deed.  She 
offers  money,  but  all  in  vain.  The  men, 
shuddering,  draw  back,  exclaiming,  "  Islah-f Ur- 
iah!  Istah-fur-lah .'"  (God  forbid  !   God  forbid  !) 

In  agony  of  despair  she  beats  the  eartli  with 
her  staff  and  wildly  she  rushes  to  and  fro,  curs- 
ing all  about  her,  and  even  bestowing  merciless 
blows  with  her  slippers  on  the  affrighted  and 
helpless  kavasses. 

The  crowd  recoiled  from  her  witli  horror,  nnd 
in  audible  whispers  mutter  to  each  other, 
"  Ilafiz- Allah  !  chilirmush  !  "  (God  preserve  us  ! 
She  raves,  she  is  mad  !) 

With  the  hope  of  convincing  her  that  no 
other  executioner  could  bo  found,  a  sword  i3 
placed  ill  her  own  hand,  ami  she  is  ordered  to 
use  her  risht  to  revenge,  to  kill. 

Startled  at  the  novel  idea  of  becoming  a 
public  executioner,  and  yet  impelled  by  disap- 
pointment, she,  trembling  with  rage,  seizes  the 
weapon,  and  brandishing  it,  threatens  to  pro- 
duce an  indiscriminate  destruction  upon  all 
around,  until,  overwhelmed  with  rage,  shame, 
and  decrepitude,  she  flings  down  the  sword  in 
disgust  and  disappears  from  the  scene. 

The  poor  young  man  is  reconducted  to  prison, 
and  hopes  are  entertained  of  his  ultimate  com- 
mutation. 

Time  passes — the  horrid  affair  is  the  theme  of 
all  tongues,  and  the  old  crone  sits  brooding  in 
despair,  when  lo !  her  reveries  were  one  day  in- 
terrupted.    Oue  of  those  outcasts  from  society. 


who  rove  from  the  affinities  of  the  human  race^ 
who  fear  hot,  shrink  not  from  the  shadow  of 
crime,  a  wandering  gipsy,  knocks  at  her  door. 

"Give  me  but  five  hundred  piastres,"  he 
cries,  ' '  and  lead  ^him  forth  —  his  blood  is 
yours  !" 

To  the  cismay  of  all,  the  fated  man  is,  at  the 
instance  of  his  unrelenting  persecutrix,  again 
led  forth  into  the  public  square,  to  be  beheaded, 
but  not  now  as  formerly,  the  executioner  was 
there  also.      •     ■ 

Tlio  victim  knelt,  the  yataghan  was  raised  and 
fell,  but  the  h'ead  wa^  not  severed— six  several 
strokes  successively  were  hurled  by  that  unskill- 
ful fiend,  until-the  horror-stricken  multitilde  cry 
out,  "For  mercy  sake,  butcher  him,  butcher 
him  !"  and  he  was  lite'fally  hacked  to  pieces ! 

This,  we  believe,  was  the  last  public  executioD 
in  Turkey.  '> 

>-»-o-»-« 


The  Turkish  Scribe, 


The  desire  to  communicate  with  friend? 
at  a  distance  is  not  cruslie:!  out,  although  the 
possibility  of  doing  so  is  difficiiH  in  the 
extreme.  '   , 

With  Americans,  correspondence  is  a  part  of 
every-day  lifei  and  few  are  so  poor  tliat  they 
cannot  pay  the  postage,  or  so  ignorant  that 
they  cannot  indite  their  own  epistles.  In  Eu- 
rope, however,  this  is  not  the  case.  In  Spain, 
in  Italy,  even  in  the  enlightened  City  of  Paris, 
are  still  to  be  found  the  letter-stalls  occupied 
by  professed  scribes,  who  put  upon  paper  offer- 
ings of  affection,  or  the  claims  of  business,  for 
the  many  who  would  otherwise  be  altogether 
unable  to  correspond  with  di  t;nt  persons. 
Tliess  "scribes"  are  important  personages; 
they  know  the  secrets  of  the  young  people, 
and  the  cares  of  the  old.  To  gain  a  reputation, 
they  are  oliliged  to  be  faithfid,  and  never 
betray  confidence. 

The  scribe  has  a  religious  character,  for  so 
ignorant  are  the  people  that  they  c.annc.t 
look  upon  one  who  can  put  words  on  pajer 
otherwise  than  inspired.  To  such  an  extent  is 
this  carried,  that  if  an  unlettered  Turk  pick 
up  a  piece  of  written  paper,  he  carefully  puts  it 
away,  fearing  lest  it  may  have  tlie  name  of  Ali 
upon  it.  His  writing  implements  are  displayed 
with  creat  care  on  the  table  before  him.  The 
narghille'  and  chibouque  are  freely  plied  by 
himself  and  his  customers,  who  always  form  s 
picturesque  group. 


TPRKISU   LETTER, 


DANUBIAN    PRINCIPALITIES. 

ROUMANIA    (MOLDAVIA    AND    WALLACHIA),  SERVIA    AND    BOSNIA. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

rnr:  Convent  or  OKEzr— A  Wallaceiak  Cemetekv— Corn  Gbanakies— Sekvian  Flax-beateks— Bosnian  Dancino-giel— The  Devil  Dance 
— Hay-mow— Gk  AVE  — Peasants  House  — A  Slavonian  Eayah  — 'Wallachian  Xun— A.  CaoATE  — Wallachian  Peasant  Giei,— Youko 

\703IAN  OF  BrCHAEEST— WOMAN  OV  THE  MiLITAEY  FEONTIEE— A  GIPSY'S  GEAVE— HCTS  ON  THE  DANUBE— HOUSE  IN  BUCHAEEST— MiLITAET 
ESCOET    IN    EOSNIi--BrLI,OCK  CAKAVAN— Vi'ALLACHIAN    SHEEP— TTALLACHIAN  VILLAGE— OVEN    IN    THE  'WOODS- ■WALL.'.CHIAN  MAEEIAGE— 

Village  Chcech— Caui'.CH  festivals— Bosnian  rEASA>-i:  Oiel— Vvallachiak  VoiiA:-:- Inteeioe  of  Wallachia:;  Peasant's  HoaiE. 


fT'\HESE  provinces,  though  formerly  a 
I  part  of  the  Turkish  Empire,  have  now 
a  separate  existence  and  government, 
and  from  the  fact  that  their  possession  is  a 
matter  of  jealousy  among  the  great  Poweri  of 
Europe,  enter  frequently  into  the  negotiations 
and  wars  between  them.  The  navigation  of 
the  Danube,  and.  in  a  manner,  the  supremacy 
■of  the  East,   depend  on  them. 

Roumania  consists  ct  the  united  principalities 
■of  Wallachia  and  Moldava,  the  former  occupy- 
ing the  rich  plain  between  the  Carpathians 
and  the  Lower  Danube,  the  latter  stretching 
northward  along  the  course  of  the  Sereth, 
whose  affluent,  the  Mold.ava,  gives  name  to  the 
country  between  the  eastern  Carpathians  and 
-the  Pruth.  The  area  of  Roumania  is  49.2G2 
square  miles,  and  its  population  .5,370.000.  The 
"Wallachian  plain  possesses  a  remarkably  rich 
j-.oil,  'and  under  good  management  would  be- 
•come  the  granary  of  Eurojie.  Minerals  abound 
in  the  Carpathians,  but,  with  the  exception  of 
«.ilt  and  petroleum,  which  exudes  in  the  valleys, 
■they  are  turned  to  no  account.  The  inhabit- 
iiuts  of  Roumania  are  styled  Roumans,  and  are 
varmly  attached  to  the  Greek  Church.  In 
point  of  race  their  afHnities  would  lead  them 
lo  a  union  with  the  Hungarian  portion  of  the 
Austrian  Emi^ire ;  but,  in  point  of  religion, 
Itussia,  jis  v-the  patron  of  the  Greek  Church, 
claims  their  sympathy.  The  towns  of  Rouma- 
nia are  poor. 

Bucharest,  or  the  ".City  of  Enjoyment,"  for 
that  is  tlie  meaning  of  its  appellation,  is  in,' the 
cistern  part  of  Wallachia,  is  the  capital  of  Rou- 
mania, and  contains  221,805  population.  It  is 
agreeably  situated  in  a  rich  and  spacious  plain 
diversified  by  hills,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
river  Dumbovitza.  which  flows  into  the  Danube. 
S3en  from  one  of  the  neighboring  eminences, 
Bucharest  appears  to  extend  itself  to  the  very 
verge  of  the  horizon  ;  and  standing  as  it  does 


in  the  midst  of  countless  gardens,  it  really 
does  cover  an  immense  extent  of  ground.  Its 
general  aspect  is  very  picturesque,  from  the 
mixture  of  its  roofs  of  all  colors,  from  the 
appearance  of  the  towers  rising  from  above 
sixty  churches,  and  from  the  verdure  ■which 
every  here  and  there  appears  through  the  mass 
of  buildings.  The  interior  of  the  city  presents 
a  very  different  appearance.  The  greater  part 
of  the  houses  are  only  little  barracks  of  rotten 
wood,  from  among  which  rise  the  chief  archi- 
tectural edifices ;  the  streets  are  of  unequal  size, 
badly  laid  out,  and  either  altogether  unpaved, 
or  merely  faced  with  trunks  of  oaks ;  and 
many  even  of  the  better  houses  of  the  boyards, 
or  nobles  of  the  country,  owing  to  the  unfitness 
of  the  materials  to  resist  the  climate,  present  a 
very  dilapidated  aspect,  which  not  all  their  pro- 
fusion of  roses  and  other  flowers  can  conceal. 
The  shops  are  numerous  and  tolerably  -n-ell 
furnished  ;  and  one  entire  quarter  is  filled  with 
the  'warchou.scs  of  the  furriers  and  the  work- 
shops of  the  tailors.  The  place  is  also  full  of 
coffee-houses,  having  generally  a  billiard  or 
g.ambling  table  attached,  and  of  shops  for  the 
sale  of  sherbet  and  m  inc.  Among  the  principal 
edifices,  wo  maj'  mention  the  King's  Palace,  a 
vast  old  pile,  and  the  Metrojiolitan  Church, 
both  situated  in  a  large  square,  on  a  hill  in 
the  centre  of  the  town. 

The  Roumans  claim  descent  from  the  Ro- 
man colonies,  but  are  doubtless  of  .a  mixed 
racCvaud  occupy  a  middle  ground  between  the 
Greeks  and  Slavonians. 

^.-Servia.is  aless  interesting  region  to  Europe 
generally  than  Roumania,  but  has  a  special 
interest  for  the  Slavonians  as  the  scene  of  a 
contest  between  two  great  sections  of  that 
nationality,  one  of  which  aims  at  a  union  of 
the  whole  SLavouian  family  under  Russia  (Pan- 
Slavism),  the  other  at  the  establishment  of  a 
separate   South  Slavonian  State,  which  shall 


include  the  members  of  that  branch  now  living 
under  Austrian  rule.  Servia  (with  an  area  of 
18,787  square  miles  and  having  a  population  of 
1,720,270)  comprises  the  mountainous  region 
surrounding  the  basin  of  the  Morava  froin  tho 
Drin  in  the  west  to  the  Timok  in  the  east.  It 
opens  out  northward  to  the  Danube,  with 
which  and  with  the  Save  it  has  its  communica- 
tions. Much  of  the  surface  is  covered  with 
forests,  sustaining  vast  herds  of  swine,  and 
yielding  the  very  valuable  valonea  acorn.  Tho 
resources  of  the  country,  which  include  miner- 
als, are  undeveloped  ;  the  state  of  morality  is 
very  low,  and  the  interior  of  tho  country  i3  ia 
■a  disorderly  state.  Belgrade  is  the  capital, 
with  a  population  of  27,605.  As  long  as  ihi 
Turks  held  the  fortress,  the  Servian  Government 
used  Kruschovatz  (3,904),  centrally  situated  on. 
the  Morava,  as  its  cai^ital.  Servia  is  governed, 
by  Milan  IV. ,  of  the  House  of  Ob  renovich,  which 
has  been   the  ruling  dynasty  since  1815. 

Belgrade  is  a  jilace  of  great  historical 
interest  from  the  frequent  sieges  it  has  sus- 
tained, particularly  in  1455,  when  it  resisted 
the  Turks,  and  in  1522,  when  it  was  tahea 
by  them. 

Bosnia,  the,.gxtreine  northwestern  Danubiaa 
province,  joins  Servia  on  the  east,  and  Alba- 
nia and  Montenegro  on  the  south,  while  much 
of  its  frontier  faces  Austria.  It  has  a  popula- 
tion of  .about  a  million  and  a  "half,  .the  Bos- 
nian^ proper  comprisiui^  only  one-fourth. 

Like  the  Servians,  the  Bosnians  are  Slavonic, 
and  belong  to  the  Greek  or  Latin  Church, 
though  some  few  have  adojited  the  creed  of 
Mohammed,  .The  Bosnians  are  industrious, 
temperate,  and  domestic,  good  horsemen,  and 
much  given  to  hunting  and  fishing,  as  the  for- 
ests and  rivers  afford  them  ample  sport. 

After  the  Russo-Turkish  War,  Bosnia  was 
taken  under  the  protection  of  Austria,  being 
practically  absorbed  by  that  empire;  - 


32G 


THE    "U'OELD'S    QEEAT    NATIONS. 


Porcli  of  the  Convent  of  Orezu, 
Like  most  Cliriistian  lands,  in  time.-)  past, 
:Wallachia  has  been  covered  with  stately  monas- 
teries, of  which  some,  even  now,  have  escaped 
the  destructive  hands  of  time  and  government. 
In  wild  times  of  invasion  and  feuds,  they 
served  as  a  refuse  for  the  poorer  classes,  and 
were  the  churches  and  schools  of  the  country. 
1  hese  monasteries  are  of  three  kinds— the  first, 
subject  to  convents  in  tlie  Holy  Land ;  the 
second,  national,  such  as  are  found  in  other 
countries ;   while  the   third   belong  to  special 


rORCH    OF    THE    C0NV«NT    OV    OREZTI,  WALLACHIA. 

families.  A  family  in  olden  time,  when  rich 
and  powerful,  established  a  convent,  the  in- 
mates of  which  were  to  be  directed  by  the  heads 
of  the  family,  an  1  were  to  devote  their  time 
and  means  to  works  of  charity. 

The  monastery  of  Orezu,  one  of  the  richest 
and  most  I'OiratifulIy  situated  religious  houses 
of  Wallachia,  belongs  to  this  class,  having  been 
founded  by  the  Broncovano  family.  It  stands 
on  the  slope  of  the  Orezu  Moimtain,  overlook- 
ing the  valley  of  Bistritza.  A  fine  avenue  of 
fir-trees  leads  up  to  the  porch,  the  monastery 
running  around  the  second  story,  inclosing  a 


court  on  which  open  the  various  offices.  TI  e 
church  is  in  tlrj  secjnd  court.  The  porch  shown 
in  our  illustration  is  rich  in  fine  and  I'.elicato 
sculpture,  and  gives  a  favorable  impression  of 
the  Wallachian  architecture  of  the  time. 


A  Wallachian  Cemetery. 
Like  the  Turks,  the  Wallachs  ornament  their 
burial-places  with  trees,  often  iilanting  one  at 
the  head  and  another  at  the  foot  of  every  grave  '. 
but  instead  of  tlie  funereal  cypress,  they  plant 
the  plum-tree,  a  f.ivorite  with  them,  its  fruit 


DANUI3IAN    PRINCIPALITIES. 


S£7 


wimmm 


BOSNIAK    DANCING    GIEL. 


82S 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Berving  not  only  for  a  dessert,  either  ripe  or 
dried,  or  preserved,  but  also  fumishitif;,  by  dis- 
tillation, a  kind  of  brandy.  The  apple-tree  and 
the  pine-apple  are  also  sometimes  planted. 

The  crosses  erected  at  the  head  are,  as  our 
readers  see,  curious  in 
form. 

The  upright  piece  is 
surmounted  by  a  cross-  ^ 
piece,  from  which  one,  iS; 
and  more  frequently 
three  crosses  rise ;  and 
this  is  capped  by  two 
slanting  pieces  meet- 
ing in  an  ornamental 
top. 

They  are  decorated,  in 
brilliant  colors,  with 
paintings  of  Christ,  the 
Virgin  or  some  of  the 
saints,  sometimes  oa 
a  background  of  gold, 
with  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture interspersed ;  and 
in  this  and  their 
general  style  they 
recall  the  Byzantine 
and  otlier  medieval 
manuscripts.  A  fence 
of  stout  posts,  with 
branches  interwoven, 
protects  the  homo  of 
the  dead  from  the  ia- 


A  GRANARY   FOR  CORN,"  IN  SERVIA. 

vasion  of  the  cattle.     Here  you  will  often  see 
young  women  leaning  against  tlie  trees,  calm 
and  haughty  as  Greek  caryatides,  spinning,  or 
watching  their  children. 
The  grave  in  the  front  was  opened  and  filled 


HAT  BEAtEM,  IN  SiaiVIA. 


np  in  the  artist's  presence.  Four  weather- 
beaten  gipsies  lowered  an  open  bier,  showing 
the  emaciated ,  bony  face  of  an  old  woman.  A 
poor,  ragged,  tattered  girl  of  ten  was  the  only 
mourner,  rending  her  hair  amid  her  sobs  and 
cries.  'Wlien  the  grave 
-  '  was  filled  up,  the  men 

-r    =-rt      placed  a  stone  at  tho 
-  -     head  ;   they  planted  a 
r     willow  branch  at  tb« 
-     foot,  and  placed  over 
her  breast  an  earthen 
:      dish  containing  some 
S    live  coals.    This  duty 
_f    done,     they    moved 
_^      silently     off,     leaving 
the    child    seated    on 
the  socred  grave. 

Wallacliian  Devil 
Dance. 

Daxcing  is  one  of  the 
!il  lest  and  most  uni- 
■\erfal  of  the  fine  arts. 
It  seems  a  natural  act, 
the  poetry  of  motion.  - 
It  has  been  in  vogue 
from  the  earliest  times 
equally  among  savage 
and  civilized  nations. 
Like  music,  it  entered 
into  worship   no   less 


DANUBIAN    PKINCIPALITIES. 


A    WALLACHIAN     CEMETEEY. 


330 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


than  the  amusements  of 
the  ancients.  Our  readers 
will  at  once  recall  the 
dance  of  Miriam,  of  Jep- 
tha's  daiigliter,  and  of 
David,  in  Hebrew  annals. 
The  Wallachian  dance 
is  a  dance  of  men,  and  is 
thus  described  by  Paget : 
"A  party  of  idle  young 
fellows  sell  themselves,  as 
they  say,  to  the  devil,  for 
a  term  of  three,  five  or 
seven  years — the  number 
must  be  unequal,  or  the 
devil  will  not  hold  the 
bargain  —  engaging  to 
dance  without  ceasing 
during  the  whole  of  that 
period,  except  when  they 
sleep  ;  in  consideration  of 
which  they  expect  their 
infernal  purchaser  will 
supply  them  with  food  and 
wine  liberally,  and  render 
them  irresistible  among  the  rustic  belles.  Ac- 
cordingly, dressed  in  their  gayest  attire,  these 
merry  vagabonds  start  out  from  their  native 
village,  and  literally  dance  through  the  country. 


WALLACHIAN  DEVIL  DANCE. 

Seen  from  the  summit  of  the  Metropolitan 
Church  of  Bucharest,  the  city,  with  its  many- 
colored  roofs,  its  lofty  towers  rising  from  more 
than  sixty  churches,  and  its  verd.ant  trees  and 


of  Bucharest,  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  spacious  clois- 
ters, the  entrance  to 
which  is  by  two  soliit 
gateways,  surmounted  by 
towers,  which  formerly 
enabled  them  to  carry  on 
a  protracted  defense. 

In  a  building  forming 
part  of  the  cloisters  at 
the  Metropolitan  Church 
stands  the  Hall  of  Assem- 
bly, in  which  the  delibe- 
rations of  the  B  o  y  a  r  d  9 
were  held  up  to  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Russian  army 
of  occupation.  The  Metro- 
politan is  the  constitu. 
tional  President  of  the- 
Assembly,  which  consists 
of  forty-three  members. 
A  few  of  the  older  Bo- 
yards  take  their  seats  in 
the  ample  and  majestic 
costume  worn  by  them 
under   the  Turkish   rule ; 

they  still  retain  their  beards  and  voluminous 

kalpaks. 

The  military  chiefs  of  Walliichia  take  part 

in  the  deliberations,  dressed  in  their  uniforms^ 


"■'.-*'♦?& 


A  HAT-MOW  IN   OltEZB. 

Every  where  they  are  received  with  open  arms ; 
the  men  glad  of  excuse  for  jollity,  the  women 
anxious,  perhaps,  to  prove  their  power,  all  unite 
to  feed  and  fete  the  devil's  dancers  ;  bo  that  it 
is  scarcely  wonderful  there  should  be 
willing  slaves  to  so  merry  a  servitude. 
When  their  time  is  up,  they  return 
home  and  become  quiet  peasants  for 
the  remainder  of  their  lives." 


glades  mingling  with  the  mass  of  buildings, 
presents  a  most  picturesque  appearance.  The 
Metropolitan  Church  stands  upon  a  hill  com- 
manding the  city.     Like  all  the  other  churches 


A  Young  Woman  of  Bucharest. 
Since  the  war  in  the  Crimea  com- 
menced, attention  has  been  turned 
to  the  Danubian  Principalities,  and 
among  them,  Wallachia  more  par- 
ticularly, from  the  faot  that  the  Rus- 
sians made  their  headquarters  while 
they  occupied  them  at  the  City  of 
Bucharest.  This  city  contains  over 
seventy  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
covers  an  immense  area,  owins  to 
the  number  of  gardens  with  which 
It  is  interspersed. 


ENTBANCE  TO   A   WALLACHIAN   PEASANT  S   HOUSE, 


A   GRAVE  IN  OREZU. 

and  wearing  their  swords.  Bucharest  no  longer 
possesses  a  princely  palace  for  the  Wallachian 
princes.  A  splendid  building,  formerly  occu- 
pied by  the  Hospodars,  was  burnt  down  in  1812. 
The  city  contains  luxurious  baths, 
upon  the  Turkish  model ;  a  theatre, 
in  which  opera  and  comedy  are  per- 
formed ;  a  museum  devoted  to 
natural  history,  r.nd  a  public  li- 
brary. The  streets,  tortuous  and  of 
unequal  width,  are  irregularly  built 
and  ill  paved. 

The  bouses  are,  many  of  them, 
little  better  than  lams  of  rottea 
timber.  Edifices  of  a  more  pretend- 
ing character  are  to  be  found  ;  but 
the  finest  houses  in  Bucharest  are 
woefully  dilapidated  in  their  exterior, 
notwithstanding  their  luxurious  dis- 
play of  flowery  ornament.  The  Hos- 
podars of  Wallachia  used  to  be  elected 
for  life:  they  were  chosen  among  thb 
Boyards  of  the  first  class.  By  the 
convention    concluded   between    iha 


DANUBIAN    PRINCIPALITIES. 


iSh 


Porte  and  Eussia,  May  1,  1849,  the  Hospodnra 
were  only  elected  for  seven  years.  The  popu- 
lation of  Wallachla  is  about  two  millions  and 
a  quarter.  The  religion  of  the  Greek  Church 
is  professed  by  the  inhabitants  of  both  prin- 
cipalities. 


A  SLAVONIAN    KAYAH. 


A  Hay-Mow. 


A  RECENT  French  traveler  in  Tartary  gives 
an  account,  with  a  sketch,  of  what  is  called 
with  us  a  hay-stack,  but  which  is  termed  by 
the  Tartars  a  hay-mow.   They  are  much  smaller 


than  our  farmyard  stores  of  provender,  but 
have  a  much  more  graceful  appearance.  We 
have  seen  in  the  New  England  States  hay  made 
up  in  the  same  shape,  but  larger  than  the  Tar- 
tar hay-mows,  and,  consequently,  lose  much 
of  their  picturesque  appearance. 


332 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


DANUBIAN    PKINCIPALITIE3. 


333 


su 


THE    WORLD'S     GKEAT    NATIONS. 


•  A  Gipsy's  Grave  at  Orezu,  in  Wallacliia. 
A  LADy  traveler  ia  that  little-visited  land,  writing  to  a 
sister  in  New  York,  says:  "I  send  you  a  sketch  of  a  poor 
gipsy-woman's  grave.  Two  men  carried  the  bier  carefully 
enough,  and  after  filling  up  the  grave,  as  it  is  clone  with  us, 
rolled  a  large  round  stone  to  the  head,  and  set  before  it  an 
earthen  dish,  in  which  they  placed  some  lighted  coals.  They 
then  stuck  a  pole  just  behind  the  stone,  and  tied  a  handful 
of  grass  to  it.  Thej'  then  went  off,  leaving  the  only  mourners, 
two  little  girls  of  eight  and  ten,  who  threw  themselves  on  the 
grave,  and  chanted,  amid  sobs  and  tears,  a  kind  of  funeral 
song,  ending  in  loud  cries.  The  meaning  of  the  curious  ad- 
ditions to  the  grave  I  could  not  discover,  as  those  I  asked 
seemed  to  be  unwilling  to  give  any  explanation." 


A  WallacWan  Peasant  Girl, 


The  dress  of  the  Wallachian  peasant  women  recalls  the 
classic  days  of  Grcec3  and  Italy,  and  affords  fine  studies  for 
painting  and  sculpture,  showing  the  proportions  of  the  body 
and  graceful  outlines.  Although  it  varies  according  to  district, 
especially  differing  in  the  plains  and  mountains,  it  is  always 
a  full  linen  chemise,  gathered  at  the  neck,  with  wide  flowing 
sleeves,  devoid  of  wristbands.  This  is  confined  at  the  waist 
by  a  sash,  generally  red.  From  this  hangs,  before  and  behind,  a 
woolen  apron,  woven  by  the  women  themselves— ornaments, 
richly  shaded  and  sometimes  gracefully  designed,  being  skill- 
fully introduced  into  the  tissue  ;  a  sleeveless  jacket  or  vest, 
richly  embroidered,  completes  the  attire. 

Married  women  cover  tlieir  heads  with  a  light  white  linen, 
gracefully  framing  tha  face  and  falling  on  the  shoulders  in. 
points.  Young  girls  go  bareheaded,  with  garlands  of  flowers 
falling  in  clusters  behind  the  oars. 

Their  countenances  usually  express  a  stronger  will  and  more 
intelligence  than  those  of  the  other  sex.  On  Sundays  they 
may  be  seen  in  groups  dancing  under  the  trees,  their  attire 
brilliant  and  neat. 

M   »   >   I 

Fishermen's  Huts  on  the  Danube. 

The  fisheries  of  Apathin,  on  the  Danube,  are  a  curious  sight. 
A  village,  like  those  whose  relics  are  now  the  object  of  study 
at  the  Swiss  lakes — a  village  built  in  the  water,  and  contrast- 
ing strangely  with  the  monotonous  landscape.  Temporary 
sheds  on  the  shore  and  island,  such  as  seen  in  our  illustra- 
tion, appear  here  and  there,  as  you  approach  a  village.  The 
river  is  alive  with  boats  flashing  on  all  sides,  the  boatmen 
standing ;  and,  as  the  language  is  peculiar,  the  traveler  thinks 
himself  for  an  instant  in  Polynesia. 

Steamers  going  up  and  down  have  time  to  study  these 
primitive  structures,  as  they  almost  always  stop  to  lay  in  a 
pro\-ision  of  the  magnificent  fresh  fish  which  these  hardy 
water-folk  draw  from  the  great  river. 


A  Military  Escort  in  Bosnia. 

The  bazars  of  Eagusa  always  contain  great  quantities  of 
goods  of  all  kinds,  the  value  of  which  is  very  considerable. 
It  is  the  same  in  almost  all  the  towns  on  the  coast  of  Dalmatia. 

It  is  no  unusual  thing  for  a  traveler  to  meet,  in  the  winding 
mountain-paths,  long  lines  of  pack-horses  loaded  with  bales 
for  these  bazars.  The  caravans  always  contain  two  or  three 
hundred  horses,  and  sometimes  far  more.  If  they  come  from 
a  distance,  they  have  to  travel  by  night,  so  as  to  arrive  in 
season  for  the  opening  of  the  great  fairs.  In  that  case,  the 
merchants  cross  through  Bosnia ;  and,  aware  of  the  danger  of 
attack  from  brigands,  they  obtain  from  the  authorities,  at  a 
heavy  expense,  escorts  of  Pandours,  armed  to  the  teeth. 

Besides  these  escorts,  squads  of  soldiers  are  stationed  on 
the  roads,  dangerous  defiles,  and  even  in  the  open  field. 


DANUBIAN    PRINCIPALITIES. 


A  Slavonian  Eayali. 

Eatah,  though  it  means  simply 
a  subject,  and  was  originally 
applied  to  all  those  under  the 
rule  of  the  Turkish  Sultan,  came 
finally  to  its  present   signification 

that    of    a     non-Mohamtnedan 

Bubj33t.     It  is  a  term  of  contempt 
for  Jew  and  Christian. 

The  Slavonian  rayahs,  in  the 
-northern  parts  of  Turkey  ara  no 
very  contented  subjects.  With 
many  faults  of  the  other  Slavo- 
nian branches,  thsy  show  more 
than  others  the  eSfects  of  the  en- 
'  slaved  state  which  has  so  long 
been  the  fate  of  their  race ;  but 
they  have  noble  instincts,  a  fine 
and  manly  physiqus,  and,  under 
a  generous  rule  fostering  their 
better  qualities,  would  be  one  of 
the  most  happy  and  contented 
of  people. 

They  are  industrious,  and  easily 
ruled,  content  with  simple  fare, 
fl,ttached  to  religion,  and  easily 
influenced  by  itij  appeals.  But 
under  the  rule  of  the  Turkish 
governors,  they  are  fearfully  op- 
pressed, not  in  the  open  way  that 
Tvould  draw  down  the  indignation 
n'  Europe  at  large,  but  when  a 
murder  is  committed,  if  the  victim 
to  a  rayah,  justice  is  slack  in  pursuing  the 
murderer,  and  often  too  indifferent  to  make 
an  effort.  While,  should  a  Turk  fall,  the  slight- 
tsi  suspicion  suffices  to  hurl  a  rayah  into  prison 
And  to  hurry  him  to  the  scaffold. 

No  wonder  that  these  rayahs,  men  who  would 


MOLDAVIAN   BULLOCK  CARAVAN. 


form  a  splendid  army,  pant  for  the  time  when, 
under  a  national  banner,  they  may  aid  in  driv- 
ing the  Crescent  out  of  Europe. 

This  is  not  so  unlikely  as  it  was  ten  years 
ago,  since  France  has  lost  much  of  her  aggress- 
ive force,  and  in  addition  has  not  the  same 


desire  to  support  England,  and  the  latter  powei 
would  not  be  supported  by  public  opinion  in 
going  to  war  with  a  Christian  nation,  to  sup- 
port a  Mohammedan  rule. 


WALLACnLlN  SHEEP. 


A  Nun  of  the  Convent  of  Surpatela, 
Wallachia. 

"The  little  Convent  of  Surpatela  "  (says  the 
artist),  "looks  without  like  a  French  farm.  A 
large  gateway  opens  into  a  court,  surrounded  bp 
buildings  with  Moorish  arches ;  the  church 
being  in  the  centre,  and  beside  it  the  tombs  of 
the  Calongaritzes,  or  nuns,  with  a  lamp  kept 
perpetually  burning. 

"  Facing  the  church  are  the  reception-rooms 
and  around,  the  apartments  of  the  choir-sisters 
— the  lay-sisters  living  in  another  court. 

"The  prioress,  a  cheerful,  elderly  nun,  received 
us  with  a  hearty  welcome,  and  invited  us  to  a 
breakfast,  in  which  she  tempted  us  with  a  series 
of  preserves  for  which  these  nuns  are  famous — 
duchidzi  pelli  and  kerbetes. ' ' 

But  his  object  was  to  make  our  sketch  ;  and, 
in  spite  of  the  allurements  of  these  delicacies, 
he  wished  to  sketch  his  hostess.  She  would  not 
consent.  It  was  not  worth  while  to  draw  an  old 
woman  like  her.  So  she  summoned  one  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  sisterhood. 

Her  costume  consists  of  a  very  full,  wide- 
sleeved  habit,  bound  at  the  waist  with  a  woolen 
cord,  from  which  depend  the  beads.  The  head- 
dress is  a  round,  hard  cap,  like  a  smoking-cap, 
but  with  a  flat  top.  Over  this  is  a  black  shawl, 
with  long  fringe,  tied  under  the  chin,  and  fall- 
ing over  the  left  shoulder. 

Tlie  whole  habit  has  a  sombre  look,  the  bl.nck 
not  being  relieve'!,  as  is  often  the  case,  by  white 
linen  at  the  neck. 


836 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


An  Oven  in  tKe  "Woods, 
TnE  abolition  of  serfdom  has  given  an  impulse 
to  the  lower  classes,  whose  great  desire  is  to 
possess  land,  and  every  Government  which 
wis'ics  permanence  must  use  its  influenca  to 
make  as  many  landed  proprietors  as  possible. 
Those  who  own  the  soil  are  always  conserva- 
tive, and  were  the  soil  of  Ireland  in  the  hands 
of  the  population,  the  most  rovolutionsry  would 
become  the  most  CDns3rvative. 

The  forests  nenr  the  Danube  now  feci  the 
woodman's  as  clearing  a  place;  for  a  farm' and 
Lome.    *As  thes3  cleiringj  are  ofton  far  from 


A  WALLACHIAN   VILL.\GE. 

villages,  the  traveler  will  meet  in  the  woods 
a  rude  oven,  where  several  will  bake.  They  are 
curious  structures,  of  wood  below,  on  which  a 
heavy  bed  of  clay  is  spread,  and  the  clay  dome 
reared. 


"Wallachian  Marriage. 

The  wedding  ceremonies  are  a  little  drama. 
On  the  day  fixed,  a  party  of  friends  of  the  bride- 
groom are  sent  to  ask,  in  figurative  Eastern 
style,  for  the  bride,  describing,  but  not  naming, 
her.  The  family  do  not  understand.  They 
bring  out  the  oldest  woman,  some  great-great- 


gran'mother,  bending  beneath  the  weight  cf 
years.  "Is  this  the  one  you  wish?"  Of  course 
not.  Then  follows  a  glowing  account  of  tha 
beauties  of  the  one  desired.  Another  is  pro- 
duced, sometimes  an  old  servant,  all  in  rags. 
She  is  refused  ;  and,  at  last,  after  many  trial-, 
the  girl,  beautifully  arrayed,  appears.  The 
bridegroom  then  enters,  and  a  solemn  betrothal 
takes  place  in  the  room,  which  the  bride-elect 
retains  till  her  marriage. 

On  the  day  of  the  marriage,  messengers  are 
sent  by  the  bridegroom,  who  are  waylaid  and 
captured  by  the  bride's  friends.  Both  parties 
then  meet,  and  a  sort  of  tournament  takes 


nauEBjiAN's  HCi  on  the  sanube. 


DANUBIAN    PRINCIPALITIES. 


33T 


place,  the  bride  rewarding  the  victors.  Then 
they  proceed  to  the  church,  where  the  bride  and 
groom  stand  on  a  carpet  on  which  money  is 
thrown,  to  show  that  it  is  as  naught  compared 
to  domestic  happiness. 
The  priest  then  crowns 
them,  while  nuts  are 
thrown  around  to 
show  that  the  amuse- 
ments of  childhood 
are  now  laid  aside  for 
the  realities  of  life. 

Festivities  close  the 
day,  with  suitable 
speeches  and  addresses. 

Flax  Beaters,         sig 

The  Servian  women 
in  their  rural  labors 
wear  simply  a  long 
chemise,  embroidered 
with  openwork  or 
colored  designs. 

This  garment,  loose 
at  the  neck,  would 
reach  the  ground,  but 
to  run  around  briskly, 
they  tuck  it  up  by 
ineans  of  a  colored 
girdle  wound  two  or 
three  times  around 
the  waist,  giving  the 
13 


AN  OVEN  IN  THE   WOODS   OF  SERVIA. 

drapery  elegant  and  symmetrical  forms,  reach- 
ing to  the  ankles  in  front  and  to  the  middle  of 
the  calf  behind. 
The  head  is  covered  with  a  white  kerchief, 


which,  on  Sundays  and  holidays,  is  embroi- 
dered with  silver  and  gold.  This  is  worn  to 
suit  the  fancy.  To  complete  their  dress  they 
add  a  cloth  apron  reaching  to  the  knees,  and 
a  sleeveless  jacket, 
also  embroidered  with 
gold  thread. 

In  Winter  a  sheep- 
skin coat  is  worn 
over  this.  All  the 
articles  of  attire  are 
jjj  I  spun  and  woven  by 
the  women.  By  the 
road-side  you  often  see 
women  beating  flax  by 
the  simple  machine 
shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion, a  sort  of  walk- 
ing-beam which  rises 
and  falls  as  she  ad- 
vances or  steps  back, 
while  a  child  at  their 
feet  passes  the  fiax 
through.  A  pole  on 
^  two  supports  gives  the 
woman  a  rest  during 
the  operation. 


TILLAGE  CUUBCU   Ui   BOSNIA. 


Com  Granary, 

The  grain  most  nsed 
is  Indian  com,  bo  that 
a   clearius   resemblei 


338 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


one  on  our  frontiers  in  many  respects.  The 
granaries  are  well  made,  and  are  raised  from 
the  ground,  with  a  good  plank  floor,  and  sides 
of  wattles,  covered  by  a  good  roof,  protecting 
their  supplies  from  vermin  and  the  elements. 


Oliurcli  Pestivals  in  Eoumania, 
The  Uoumanian  Church  celebrates  a  great 
many  festivals.  The  chief  are  Christmas  (Creci- 
ime,  or  the  Crib),  Easter  (Pashtelor),  and  the 
Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  (Adormire— 
the  Sleep).  Each  of  these  holidays  is  marked 
by  certain  traditional  usages,  scrupulously 
banded  down  trom  remote  times. 


Among  other  popular  feasts  are  St.  Basil,  Jan- 
uary 1st,  and  St.  George,  April  23d. 


Women  of  the  Danubian  Provinces, 
The  dresses  of  the  women  of  Wallachia  and 
Bosnia  resemble  those  of  the  Slavonian  prov- 
inces of  Austria  in  their  general  appearance. 
The  apron  which  is  always  worn  is,  perhaps,  less 
varied  and  striking  in  color  ;  and  they  adorn 
their  heads  with  large  bouquets  of  natural 
flowers,  hanging  over  the  temples. 

Some  make  a  perfect  helmet  of  glittering 
disks  of  metal,  which  has  a  most  singular 
effect. 


founded  in  it,  and  the  barbarous  hordes  in 
some  measure  civilized.  Hence,  to  this  day, 
the  Wallachians  call  themselves  Roumans. 
mount  the  eagle  on  their  arms,  and  exhibit  in 
their  language,  games,  customs,  etc.,  imdoubted 
traces  of  the  origin  they  claim.  On  the  decline 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  Dacia  was  successfully 
overrun  by  the  Goths,  Huns,  Tartars,  and  other 
barbarous  tribes.  From  the  seventh  to  the 
ninth  century,  its  possessors  were  the  Slavo- 
nians and  Bulgarians.  By  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury the  successive  invasions  of  the  Scythians, 
and  of  the  Tartars  under  Ginghis  Khan,  had 
driven  away  most  of  the  ancient  population  of 
Dacia,  when  the  kingdom  itself  became  divided  ; 
and  the  two  portions,  afterwards  resBectivelj 


PIASANT  WOMAN  Of  BOSNIA. 

Christmas  has  its  masquerade  to  represent  the 
birth  of  Christ,  the  crib  in  which  he  was  laid, 
the  visit  of  the  Wise  Men.  In  the  latter  a  boy 
carries  a  large  star  of  gilt  paper  ;  the  Wise  Men 
are  attended  by  an  escort  of  Roman  soldiers, 
each  armed  with  a  lance.  The  whole  party, 
bearing  lanterns,  go  from  door  to  door  reciting 
kolinde,  a  kind  of  carol. 

For  Easter  all  the  houses  are  whitewashed 
and  scrubbed.  The  double  Winter  windows  are 
replaced  by  blinds  ;  new  clothes  are  l)Ought  or 
made,  and  when  the  day  arrives  every  bell  is 
rung  with  glee,  and  it  is  like  our  New  Year's, 
a  day  of  mutual  visits  and  felicitations,  the 
salutation  being,  "A  inviat  Kritlu" — "Christ 
bas  risen." 


Much  has  been  done  of  late  for  the  moral  im- 
provement and  elevation  of  women  in  these 
provinces,  but  in  the  military  frontier  the  num- 
ber of  young  officers  maintained  there  continues 
to  exercise  an  evil  influence,  and  contributes  to 
much  misery,  which  the  Government  wink  at 
and  allow  to  pass  without  investigation. 


Wallachia  and  Moldavia. 
The  whole  of  that  immense  district  which 
lies  between  the  river  Dniester  as  the  one  lins 
of  boundary,  and  the  Lower  Danube,  Hungary, 
and  Transylvania  as  the  other,  was  originally 
called  the  Kingdom  of  Dacia.  Having  been 
conauered  b.v   Tnuan,   Roman   colonies  were 


INHABrrANT  OP  WALLACHIA. 

known  by  the  names  of  Wallachia  and  Moldavia, 
were  erected  each  into  a  principality.  They  con- 
tinued to  preserve  their  character  as  indepen- 
dent states  until  near  the  close  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  when  Bajazet  compelled  Wallachia  to 
pay  him  tribute.  For  nearly  a  century  Walla- 
chia. sometimes  alone,  sometimes  assisted  by 
the  Hung.arians,  essayed,  but  in  vain,  to  shake 
off  the  Turkish  yoke. 

The  people  of  Moldavia  are  robust,  sober, 
and  hard-working,  and  bear  well  the  variations 
of  climate  to  which  they  are  subject.  In  ap- 
pearance they  differ  materially  from  the  Walla- 
chians ;  their  look  is  less  open,  and  their  habit 
of  wearing  the  hair  of  the  head  and  the  beard 
long,  give  them  almost  a  Mvage  aspect    Tb( 


DANUBIAN     PRINCIPALITIES. 


339 


H 

W 

o 

o 


CO 


S40 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Moldavians,  preserving  apparently  better  than 
the  Wallachians  the  influenco  of  the  nomade 
condition  originally  common  to  both,  are  par- 
ticularly attached  to  the  taking  of  long  jour- 
neys on  foot.  United  in  immense  caravans, 
they  roam  over  a  vast  extent  of  territory, 
transporting,  in  the  vehicles  shown  in  our  illus- 
tration, provisions  and  a  variety  of  useful  arti- 
cles to  the  cities  scattered  about  the  vast  plains 
of  Moldavia. 

About  1520,  Mohammed  11.,  having  driven 
away  the  Voyvode,  or  ruler  of  Wallachia,  im- 
posed a  new  governor  oa  its  iuhabitaute,  vrith 


INTEEIOR  or  A   WALLACHIAU   PBABANT  S    HOME. 

the  title  of  pasha,  and  concluded  with  him  a 
treaty,  of  which  the  principal  features  still 
remain  inherent  in  the  national  Constitution. 
In  1536,  Moldavia,  to  avoid  the  greater  evil 
of  being  compelled  to  submit  through  the  con- 
quest of  the  country,  placed  itself  in  the  same 
position  as  Wallachia  with  regard  to  the  Otto- 
man rule.  From  this  period  the  influence  of 
the  latter  extended  itself  so  greatly,  that  in 
1544  some  territory  of  Wallachia  was  ceded  to 
the  Sultan,  who  then  raised  on  the  banks  of  the 
Danube  the  fortresses  of  IbrniT,  niourj^vo,  and 
Toumo,  and  placed  ganisoa  in  each.     Such 


was  the  state  of  things  in  1593,  when  the  Voy- 
vode  Michel  drove  the  Turks  from  the  fortresses 
of  the  Danube,  and  held  them  completely  in 
check.  But  the  death  of  Michel  soon  restored 
matters  to  their  former  state  :  confusion  and 
dissensions  prevailed  in  the  councils  of  the 
clergy  and  of  the  boyards,  and  thus  the  Sultan 
was  enabled,  whilst  reasserting  his  authority, 
to  punish  the  inhabitants  by  no  longer  allow- 
ing them  to  elect  the  Voyvode. 

In  1710,  Peter  the  Great  of  Russia  made  a 
campaign  with  a  view  r{  possessing  himself  at 
Moldavia,  but  was  uusuccessfuL 


ISLANDS  OF  BT.  OEORaB  AND  THE  TIBOIN,  IN  TBI  BAT  OF  CATTABO. 


EMPIRE    OF   RUSSIA. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND    HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

IStPEItlAL  AEMS~.  ANCIENT  CnOVTH —  P\I^\CS  OF  PAUL,  ST.  PETERSBUBO  — CHURCH  OP  OUR  LADY  OF  GEORGIA  — CITIZEI?  OF  MOSCOW  ANI>  HiB 
FAMILY  — ACADEMY  OF  FINE  ARTS,  ST  PETERSBURG— HOTEL  DE  L'ETAT  MAJOR,  AND  ALEXANDRIAN  COLUMN,  ST.  PETERSBUKG  —  ANCIENT 
CAKBIAGE-CONVENT— DROSKY— THE  MAKKET-PLACE— WOMEN  OF  KOURICK  AND  ORIL,  SOUTHERN  RUSSIA— VILLAGE  DANCE— THE  GREAT 
BELL  OF  MOSCOW— BISHOI'  AND  CLEUGY  OF  THE  ORTHODOX  CHURCH— A  BRIDE'S  KECEPTIOK  BY  HER  FATHER-IN-LAW -A  CHBISTENINO— A 
LAPLAND  HUT— DRIVING  BEARS  TO  MARKET- CARNIVAL— A  COURT  RECEPTION— WINTER  AMUSEMENT— STREET  VENDORS— PEDDLEB—EMAN- 
CIPATION  OF  THE  SERFS- FAMILY  AT  HOME— IMPERIAL  THEATRE  OF  MOSCOW— OMNIBUS  AND  SLEIGH— BUSSIAN  VILLAGE— TOMB  OF  QUEEN 
ANN  JAGELLON  IN  THE  CATHEDRAL  OF  WARSAW,  POLAND— NAVY  CADETS— THE  KREMLIN— WOMEN    OP  VIATKA  AND  OF  PERM— POST-HOUSE 

—Cossacks"  Wedding  Dance— Bazab  at  St.  Petersbueo— A  Russian  Marriage— The  Romance  op  a  Letter— The  Imperial  Family 

SLEIGHING   ON    THE    NEV.\— A  NUN— CIRCASSIAN    OUTPOST— WOLFHUNTINO—THE  WINTER    PALACE— PETTY    TRADERS   OF  ST.  PETERSBURG— 

The  Chanvans,  a  Siberian  Tribe— Stag-hunt  in  Siberia— A  Legend  of  Siberia- Traveling  in  the  Russian  Steppes— The  Tchuktchi, 
HEAR  the  Cossack  Jouudes— Perilous  adventure— Traveling  down  Siberian  Rivers-A  Finland  Farm-house— Gloves  and  Wooden 
Bpoons— Cossacks  guarding  Siberian  Convicts— tartar  Women  op  Kazan— Encampment  op  Gold  Wagoners  in  the  Ukal  Mouns. 

AINS— ViLL.tGE  ON  the    BANKS  OF  THE  VOLOA— A  LAPLAND  FAMILY- LAPLAND  COSTUMES  AND  CUSTOMS-A  FISHERMAN'S  HUT  IN  LAPIAND 

-Interior  of  a  Church  in  Laplasu  —  Skating  in  Lapland  — The  Auboba  Boeealis  in  Finland-AN  ACVENiufiii-WAiEiiiALi.  o» 

KVABN  ABABJ!  OOS. 


/USSIA,  as  a  civilized  country,  undei 
sovereigns  keeping  pace  with  the 
civilization,  science,  and  progress 
of  the  age,  is  the  mightiest  empire 
'Ivins'  in  one  compact  whole,  and  exercising  its 
influence  on  the  aflfairs  of  the  world.  Euro- 
pean Russia  alone  comprises  over  two  millions 
of  square  miles,  and  strotching  beyond  this  is 
the  northern  half  of  Asia,  nearly  six  milUons 
more,  including  together  a  population  of  over 
seventy  millions.  To  realize  the  vastness  of 
tliis  empire,  we  need  only  reflect  that  it  repre- 
sents in  its  inhabitants  nearjy  one-eighth  of  Ihe 
whole  population  of  the  earth  ;  so  that  one 
man  iu  every  eight  on  the  surface  of  our  planet 
recognizes  as  sovereign  the  Czar  whose  son  has 
lately  been  among  us. 

Russia  is  divided  into  Great  and  Little  Rus- 
sa.  South  and  West  Russia,  the  Baltic  Pro- 
\rince8,  and  the  Kingdoms  of  Kasan,  Astrak- 
han and  Poland. 

Traversed  by  navigable  rivers,  with  a  sea- 
coast  on  the  Baltij,  Black,  and  Caspian  Seas, 
the  Pacific  and  the  Arctic,  it  has  every  element 
for  successful  commercial  progress  ;  while  its 
mouQtain-ranges  are  rich  beyond  all  descrip- 
tion in  precious  metals  and  stones. 

The  ancient  history  of  Russia  before  the  time 
of  Rurik  is  little  known.  That  prince,  in  861, 
founded  the  Russian  Empire,  which  grew  and 
augmented  till  the  days  of  Alexander  Newskoi, 
who  died  in  1263,  revered  by  his  people  as  a 
saint  and  a  hero. 

Ivan  III.,  who  reigned  from  the  middle  of 
the  fifteenth  to  the  commencement  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  added  many  provinces,  and 
delivered  his  country  from  a  hateful  tribute  to 
the  Tartars. 

Again  vicissitudes  came.  The  Poles  con- 
iquered  Moscow,  and  a  Polish  Czar  ruled.  But 
ilu,?sia  rallied,  the  Poles  were  expelled,  and 
.Michael  Federovitch  Romanoff,  the  founder  of 
ithe  present  dynasty,  was  raised  to  the  throne 
,in  IC'2.  He  was  a  descendant  of  Rurik,  and 
his  a^  le  rule,  conquering  a  favorable  peace  from 
.the  Poles,  and  extending  the  Russian  power  to 
the  Pacific,  cemented  his  new  throne. 

Peter,  who  came  to  the  throne  in  1682,  won, 
by  his  able  generalship  in  the  field,  his  sagacity 
fls  a  ruler,  his  love  of  progress,  and  the  impulse 
bs  gave  to  industry  of  every  kind,  the  title  of 


Great — a  title  which  the  world  has  ratified ; 
for,  if  he  was  not  free  from  faults,  his  eminent 
qualities  as  a  ruler  mark  him  as  one  of  the  great 
m'jn  who  have  helped  to  better  the  condition 
of  mankind. 

Since  his  day,  Russian  history  is  well-known, 
and  we  need  not  refer  to  the  struggle  of  Alex- 
ander against  the  first  Napoleon,  or  of  Nicholas 
with  the  third  of  that  name. 

Under  the  present  Emperor  and  his  prede- 
cessor, every  effort  has  been  made  to  render 
Russia  a  great  country,  and  American  energy 
has  found  no  more  congenial  field  than  Russia, 
or  patrons  who  showed  greater  appreciation 
than  the  Czars. 

The  inhabitants  of  this  vast  empire  are  of 
different  races ;  but  the  Russian  is  gradually 
becoming  dominant,  all  others  conforming  to 
its  language,  customs  and  habits — this  uni- 
formity being  one  of  the  objects  most  persist- 
ently followed  up  by  the  different  rulers,  the 
immense  importance  of  having  all  one  homo- 
geneous people  having  been  recognized  at  a 
very  early  day. 

A  stranger  accustomed  to  the  crowds  and 
bustle  of  London,  Paris,  or  New  York,  is  struck 
on  his  arrival  at  St.  Petersburg  by  the  empti- 
ness of  the  streets.  He  finds  vast  open  spaces 
in  which  at  times  he  beholds  nothing  but  a 
solitary  "'drosky,"  that  wends  its  way  along 
like  a  boat  drifting  on  the  open  sea.  He  sees 
spacious  streets  bordered  by  rows  of  mute 
palaces,  with  only  here  and  there  a  human  fieure 
hovering  about,  like  a  lurking  freebooter  among 
a  waste  of  rocks.  The  vastness  of  the  plan  on 
which  the  city  has  been  laid  out  shows  that  its 
founders  speculated  on  a  distant  future.  Rap- 
idly as  the  population  has  been  increasing,  it  is 
still  insufficient  to  fill  the  frame  allotted  to  it, 
or  to  give  to  the  streets  that  life  and  movement 
which  we  look  for  in  the  capital  of  a  j,ieat 
empire.  On  the  occasion,  indeed,  of  great 
public  festivals  and  rejoicings,  and  at  all  times 
in  the  Nevskoi  ProspeH  and  about  the  Ad- 
miralty, the  movement  is  very  considerable, 
but  this  only  tends  to  leave  the  throng  and 
bustle  of  the  other  quarters  of  the  town  far 
below  the  average. 

The  population  of  St.  Petersburg  is  the  most 
varied  and  motley  the  mind  can  imagine.  To 
begm  with  the  military.    We  have  the  CftUCS' 


Bian  guards,  the  Tartai  guards,  the  Finland 
guards,  besides  a  fourth  and  fifth  division  of 
the  guards  for  the  various  tribes  of  Cossacks. 
Of  these  nations  the  Slite  are  thus  always 
retained  as  hostages  iu  the  capital,  and  tlieii 
several  uniforms  are  alone  sufficient  to  pr  6ent 
an  ever-changing  picture  to  the  eye  of  an 
observer.  Here  may  be  seen  a  Cossack  trotting 
over  one  of  the  PlaU  Farads  with  his  lance  in 
rest,  !vs  though  in  imagination  he  were  pursu- 
ing a  flying  enemy.  Yurther  on,  perchance,  a 
Circassian  cavalier,  in  his  shirt-of-raail,  and 
harnessed  from  head  to  foot,  is  going  through 
his  warlike  exercises.  The  Moslem  from  the 
Taurus  may  be  seen  gravely  moving  through  the 
throng  ;  while  the  well-drilled  Russian  soldiers 
defile  in  long  columns  through  the  streets.  01 
all  the  endless  variety  of  uniforms  that  belong 
to  the  great  Russian  array,  a  few  specimens  are 
always  to  be  seen  in  the  capital.  There  are 
guards,  and  hussars,  and  cuirassiers,  and  grena- 
diers, and  pioneers,  and  engineers  ;  horse-artil- 
lery and  foot-  artillery  ;  to  say  nothing  of  dra- 
goons, lancers,  and  those  military  plebeians,  tha 
troops  of  the  line.  All  these,  in  their  various 
uniforms,  marching  to  parade,  returning  to 
their  barracks,  mounting  guard,  and  passing 
through  the  other  multifarious  duties  of  a  gar*- 
rison-life,  are  in  themselves  enough  to  give  Ufa 
and  diversity  to  the  streets. 

If,  then,  we  turn  to  the  more  pacific  part  of 
the  population,  devoted  to  the  less  brilliant  but 
certainly  not  less  useful  pursuit  of  commerce, 
we  find  every  nation  of  Europe,  and  almost 
every  nation  of  Asia,  represented  in  the  streets 
of  St.  Petersburg.  Spaniards  and  Italians, 
Engli^  and  French,  Greeks  and  Americans, 
may  be  seen  mingling  together  ;  nor  will  the 
silken  garments  of  the  Persian  and  the  Bokha- 
rian  be  wanting  to  the  picture,  nor  the  dangling 
tail  of  the  Chinese,  nor  the  pearly  teeth  of  the 
Arabian. 

The  infima  plebs  bears  an  outside  as  motley 
as  the  more  aristocratic  portion  of  the  com- 
munity. The  German  batter  (peasant)  may 
be  often  seen  lounging  among  the  noisy, 
bearded  Russians  :  the  slim  Pole  elbows  the 
diminutive  Finlander  ;  and  Esthonians,  Lettes 
and  Jews  are  running  up  against  each  other, 
while  the  Mussulman  studiously  avoids  all  con- 
tact >rith  the  Jew,   Yankee  sailors  and  dwarfish 


U2 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


Kamtschatdales,  Caucasians,  Moors  and  Mon- 
golians— all  sects,  iHces  an  i  colors  contribute  to 
make  up  the  populace  of  the  Russian  capital. 

Nowhere  does  the  street-life  of  St.  Peters- 
burg display  itself  to  better  effect  than  in 
the  Nevfkoi  Proyiekt.  Tliis  magnificent  Bt'e::t 
intersects  all  the  rings  of  the  city — the  suburbs 
of  (he  poor,  the  showy  regions  of  commerce, 
and  the  sumptuous  quarters  of  the  aristocracy. 
A  walk  along  the  whole  length  of  this  street  is 
one  perhaps  as  iutertsting  as  any  that  can  be 
made  in  St.  Petersburg.  Starting  from  the 
extreme  end,  where  a  monastery  and  a  cemetery 
remind  you  of  death  and  solitude,  you  arrive  at 
little  low  wooden  houses,  which  lead  you  to  a 
cattle  market,  where  around  the  spirit-shops 
may  be  seen  swarms  of  noisy,  singing  Russian 
peasants,  presenting  a  picture  not  unlike  what 
may  daily  be  seen  in  the  villages  of  the  inte- 
rior. A  little  further  on,  the  houses  improve 
in  appearance:  some  are  even  of  stone,  and 
boast  of  an  additional  floor;  the  houses  of 
public  entertainment  are  of  a  better  description, 
and  shops  and  warehouset  are  seen,  similar  to 


IMPERIAL    AUMS   OF   RUSSIA. 

those  cf  the  small  provincial  towns.  Next 
follow  some  markets  and  magazines  for  the  sale 
of  invalided  furniture  and  superannuated  appa- 
rel, which,  having  spent  their  youth  in  the 
service  of  the  central  quarters,  are  consigned  in 
old  age  to  the  mercy  of  the  suburbs.  The  houses, 
in  the  old  Russian  fashion,  are  painted  yellow 
and  re  1,  and  every  man  you  meet  displays  a 
beard  of  venerable  length,  and  a  yet  longer 
caflan  (jacket  or  roundabout).  A  little  further 
on,  and  you  see  a  few  ivoshlshiks  (drosky- 
drivcrs)  who  have  strayed  by  chance  so  far 
from  thoir  more  central  haunts ;  a  shaven 
chin  anl  a  swallow-tailed  coat  may  be  seen  at 
intervals,  and  here  and  there  a  house  assumes 
somethiLig  like  an  air  of  stateliness  and  splen- 
dor. On  arriving  at  a  bend  in  the  street,  the 
huge  gilt  spire  of  the  Admiralty  is  descried  at 
a  distance,  floating  apparently  over  the  inter- 
vening mist.  You  cross  a  bridge,  and  begin  to 
feel  that  you  are  in  a  mighty  city.  The  man- 
sions rise  to  three  and  four  stories  in  height,  the 
inscriptions  on  the  houses  become  lirger  and 
more  numerous,  carriages-and-four  become  more 


frequent,  and  every  now  and  th^n  the  wavw^ 
plume  of  a  staflf-officer  dashes  by.  At  length 
you  arrive  at  the  Fontanka  Canal,  cross  the 
Anitshkof  Bridge,  and  enter  the  aristocratic 
quarter  of  the  capital.  From  this  bridge  to 
the  Admiralty  is  what  may  be  called  the 
fashionable  part  of  the  Prospekt ;  and  as  you 
advance,  the  bustle  and  the  throng  become 
'jreater  and  greater.  There  are  carriages-and- 
four  at  every  step  ;  generals  and  princes  elbow- 
ing through  the  crowd ;  sumptuous  shops, 
imperial  palaces,  and  cathedrals  and  churches 
of  all  the  various  religions  and  sects  of  St. 
Petersburg. 

The  scene  in  this  portion  of  the  street,  at 
about  midday,  may  challenge  comparison  with 
any  street  in  the  world,  and  the  splendor  of  the 
spectacle  is  enhanced  by  the  magnificence  of 
the  decorations.  This  part  of  the  thoroughfare, 
though  about  a  mile  in  length,  does  not  contain 
more  than  fifty  houses,  each  of  which,  it  may 
easibly  be  inferred,  must  be  of  colossal  magni- 
tude. Most  of  these  buildings  are  the  property 
of  the  several  churches  thvt  border  the  street— 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSTA. 


MH 


the  Dutch,  the  Catholic,  the  Anne, 
nian  and  others — that  received  from 
Peter  the  Great  large  grants  of  land, 
of  little  value,  probably,  when  first 
bestowed,  but  from  which,  as  they  are 
now  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  splen- 
did revenues  are  derived. 

The  street  from  the  Anitshkof 
Bridge  to  the  Admiralty  is  the  fa- 
vorite promenade  with  the  beau  monde 
of  St.  Petersburg.  The  buildings  are 
magnificent,  the  equipages  roll  noise- 
lessly over  the  wooden  pavement  of 
I  the  centre,  and  the  trottoirs  (foot- 
pavements)  on  each  side  are  broad  and 
commodious.  The  northern,  being 
the  sunn)',  is  the  favorite  side  of  the 
street  for  the  promenaders,  and  on 
that  side,  accordingly,  are  the  most 
magnificent  shops.  The  people  are 
civil,  and  quarrels  and  disputes  are 
seldom  heard.  The  Slavonians  are,  by 
nature,  ductile  and  tractable,  and 
from  their  childhood  are  taught  to 
behave  respectfully  toward  their  more 
fortunate  fellow-men. 

It  would  not  be  saying  too  much 
to  aflSrm  that  half  the  inhabitants 
of  St.  Petersburg  are  clad  in  a  uni- 
form of  one  sort  or  another ;  for,  in 
addition  to  the  sixty  thou.sand  soldiers, 
there  are  civil  uniforms  for  the  public 


r  ii-ti-i-'Hs;:' 


ANCIENT  RUSSIAN  CROWN. 


oflScers  of  every  grade — for  the  police, 
for  the  professors  of  the  university, 
and  not  only  for  the  teachers,  but 
likewise  for  the  pupils,  of  the  public- 
schools.  Nor  must  the  private  uni- 
forms be  forgotten  that  are  worn  by 
the  numerous  servants  of  the  noble 
and  wealthy  families.  Still  there  re- 
main enough  of  plain  coats  to  keep  up 
the  respectability  of  the  fraternity. 

The  whole  body  of  merchants,  the 
English  factory,  the  German  barons 
from  the  Baltic  Provinces,  Russian 
princes,  landowners,  foreigners,  pri- 
vate teachers  and  others,  are  pleased 
to  be  exempt  from  the  constraint  of 
buttons  and  epaulettes.  Indeed,  so 
much  that  is  really  respectable  walks 
about  in  simple  black  and  blue,  that 
a  plain  coat  is  felt  by  many  to  be 
rather  a  desirable  distinction,  although 
the  wearer  is  obliged,  on  all  public 
occasions,  to  yield  the  pas  to  the 
many-colored  coats  of  the  civil  and 
military  emplo)'es. 

The  seasons  and  the  variations  of 
the  weather  bring  about  many  and 
often  very  sudden  changes  in  the 
street  population  of  St.  Petersburg, 
where  the  temperature  is  always 
capricious  and  unstable.  In  Winter, 
every  one  is  cased  in  furs ;  in  Summer, 


FALACB   OF  FT.  PAUL,  ST.  PETERSBURG, 


841 


THE    WORLD'S    GBEAT    NATIONS. 


Ught  robes  of  gauze  and  silk  are  seen  flutter- 
ing in  the  breeze. 

lu  the  morning  the  costumes  are,  perhaps,  all 
liglit  and  airy,  and  in  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  none  will  venture  to  stir  abroad  otherwise 
than  in  cloaks  and  mantles.  The  sun  shines, 
and  Bwarms  of  dandies  and  petites^naUressea 
come  fluttering  through  the  fashionable  tho- 
roughiares:  it  rains,  and  the  streets  are  aban- 
doned to  the  undisputed  possession  of  the 
"  black  people."  One  diy  all  snow  and  sledges, 
the  next  all  mud  and  clatti^riag  wheels. 


cuuacii  or  oub  lady  cf  geoi'..gia. 

In  a  country  most  of  which  lies  in  the  very 
coldest  portion  of  the  Eastern  Continent,  where 
Winter  prevails  rather  than  Summer,  we  find 
its  influence  shown  in  architecture,  as  well  as 
in  the  mode  of  traveling  and  living. 

As  specimens  of  their  architecture,  we  give  a 
type  of  the  older  Muscovite  style,  in  the  Cathe- 
dral of  the  Kremlin  at  Moscow,  in  the  magnifi- 
cent Church  of  Our  Lady  of  Georgia — than 
which  no  better  representative  can  be  given  of 
the  more  splendid  and  elaborate  ecclesiastical 
edifices — and  in  the  Smolnoi  Convent. 


Tlie  influence  of  Western  ideas  is  shown  mon 
in  the  Winter  Palace,  Burial-place  of  the  Czara, 
the  Church  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  with  ita 
world-wonder,  the  tall,  tapering  spire,  gilded 
from  top  to  bottom,  and  in  the  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts,  while  the  Palace  of  Paul  I.  a  noble 
building,  is  still  peculiarly  Ilussian. 

A  few  words  will  suffice  as  to  these,  'ihe 
Church  of  the  Smolnoi  Convent  is  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  peninsula  on  wliich  St.  Peters- 
liurg  stands,  and  is  built  of  white  marble,  sur- 
mounted by  five  domes,  of  the  Oriental  ahnpe 


EMPIRE    OF    EUSSIA. 


345 


so  much  liked  by  Euseians.  These  are  painted 
bine,  and  spangled  with  golden  stars. 

Tlie  Winter  Palace  of  the  Czars  u  the  most 
splendid  and  largest  royal  editice  in  the  world. 
It  is  entirely  modem,  and  is  indeed  com- 
manding. The  former  Winter  Palace  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  the  reign  of  Nicholas  I., 
and  the  present  edifice  was  erected  by  the  archi- 
tect Kleinmichael,  in  two  yeirs,  for  in  Russia 
such  structures  rise  as  if  by  magic,  and  r.r  >  not 
the  growth  of  years. 

Tills  wondrous 
structure  presents  to 
the  Neva  a  front  of 
seven  hundred  feet, 
and  is  nearly  a  com- 
plete square.  Its 
halls  are  of  wonder- 
ful beauty,  filled 
ivith  the  richest  of 
statuary,  gems  and 
pictures,  with  mag- 
nificent tables,  vases, 
and  mantels  of 
malachite. 

The  Empress's 
drawing  -  room  is  a 
perfect  jewel  of 
taste,  and  the  chapel 
is  one  of  the  most 
gorgeous  and  impos- 
ing in  Europe. 

Adjoining  the 
Winter  Palace,  and 
connected  with  it, 
is  the  Hermitage, 
erected  by  the  great 
Empress   Catharine. 

The  hall  of  St. 
George  is  the  apart- 
ment on  the  splen- 
dor of  which  the 
Russians  most  pride 
themselves.  It  is 
here  the  Emperor 
gives  audience  in 
solemn  state  to 
foreign  ambassa- 
dors. Near  it  is  the 
gallery  of  the  gene- 
rals, containing  por- 
traits of  all  the 
distinguished  oiBcers 
■who  served  under 
the  Russian  colors 
during  the  war  cf 
the  French  invasion 
and  the  subsequent 
hostilities,  till  Na- 
poleon's final  over- 
throw. The  most 
striking  picture  is  a 
full-length  of  the 
]  mperor  Alexander 
on     horseback,      of 

gigantic  dimensions,  and  said  to  bj  the  best  like- 
ness of  him  now  in  existence.  At  the  entrance  to 
this  long  gallery  stand  two  sentinels  of  the  Rus- 
sian guard,  still  and  motionless,  looking  as  if 
they  also  were  creations  of  art ;  and  at  each  end 
are  suspended  French  eagles,  the  names  cf  the 
principal  battles  that  occurred  in  the  war  being 
Written  in  large  gold  characters  on  the  walls. 
Jilany  of  these  pictures  must  be  copies,  as  the 


soldiers  they  represent  found  a  warrior's  death 
on  the  field  of  honor  before  this  collection  was 
begun.  Beyond  this  gallery  is  the  field-marshal's 
saloon.  Here  the  portraits  do  not  exceed  eight 
or  ten  in  number,  for  that  rank  is  as  rarely  be- 
stowed in  Russia  as  it  is  in  England.  The 
Duke  of  Wellington  is  among  the  distinguished 
few  ;  the  portraits  teing  almost  all  connected 
with  t!ie  empire  of  wliicli  it  is  to  be  the  great 
military  gajlsry. 


MOSCOW — CmZKN  AND  TAMILT. 

Beyond  thi.i  is  the  S;ille  Blanche,  the  most 
magnificent  apartment  in  this  most  magnificent 
of  palaces,  and  so  called  from  its  decorations 
being  all  in  pure  white,  relieved  only  with  gild- 
ing. The  dimensions  are  nearly  the  same  as 
those  of  the  hall  of  the  generals.  Here  the 
court  fetes  are  held,  which  are  reputed  to  form 
the  most  brilliant  p:igeantof  in-door  palace-life 
to  ha  found  in  Christendom. 


The  diamond-room,  containing  the  crowns 
and  jewels  of  the  imperial  family,  deserves 
notice.  Diamonds,  rubies,  and  emeralds  are 
ranged  round  the  room  in  small  cases,  of  such 
dazzling  beauty,  that  it  is  almost  bewildering 
to  look  at  them. 

The  crown  of  the  Emperor  is  adorned  with  a 
chaplet  of  oak -leaves,  made  of  diamonds  of  an 
extraordinary  size ;  and  the  imperial  sceptre  con- 
tains one,  with  a  single  exception  the  largest  in 
the  world,  being  the 
celebrated  stone  pur- 
chased    by     Catha- 
rine II.  from  a  Greek 
elave,     for     four 
hundred     and    fifty 
thousand  roubles 
and  a  large  pension 
for  life. 

BrulofTs  picture 
of  the  "Raising  of 
the  Serpent  in  the 
Wilderness"  is  to 
be  seen  here.  It 
has  great  merit  and 
some  d'.;fect8 ;  tlie 
figures  are  for  the 
most  part  portraits 
of  Israelites  who 
inhabit  the  Ghetto 
at  Home,  and  the 
result  therefore  is 
really  a  Hebrew 
crowd.  There  is, 
also,  if  not  recently 
removed,  the  famous 
Chinese  cabinet  of 
Catharine,  and 
a  small  room  to 
w  hi  c  h  Peter  the 
Great  used  to  retire 
from  the  turmoil  of 
public  affairs. 

The  Palace  of 
Paul  I.,  or  Michailoff 
Palace,  is  regarded 
as  the  most  elegant 
building  in  St.  Pe- 
tersburg. It  stands 
on  the  site  of  the 
old  Summer  Palace, 
on  the  Fontanka 
Canal,  which  Paul  I. 
demolished  to  make 
way  for  this  grmite 
structure,  which  he 
dedicated  to  St. 
Michael  the  Arch- 
angel. It  was  built 
with  extraordinary 
rapidity,  and  at 
enormous  expense. 
It  was  subsequently 
restored  and  beau- 
tified, and  was  for  a 
time  the  residence  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constan- 
tine. 

The  Academy  of  Fine  Arts  is  an  imposing 
structure,  situated  on  the  VasilUstrov,  on  the 
banks  of  the  great  Neva,  opposite  the  Admi- 
ralty. Here  has  been  gathered,  in  magnificent 
and  well-lighted  apartments,  a  picture-gallery, 
comprisinz  a  perfect  history  of  art,  in  paintings 
representing;  the  different  periods.     Here  art- 


846 


THE    WOKLD'd    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


students  are  not  only  taught,  but  are  also  main- 
tained. 

The  Academy  nas  a  fagade  fronting  the  Neva, 
four  hundred  feet  long  and  seventy  feet  high, 
adorned  with  columns  and  pilasters,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a  central  cupola,  on  which  stands  a 
colossal  figure  of  Minerva. 

rhe  far-famed  Summer  Garden  of  St.  Peters- 
burg is  situated  on  the  Neva,  close  to  the 
Troitzka  Bridge,  an.d  bovinds  the  eastern  end  of 


other  divinities  belonging  to  the  same  coterie. 
On  the  northern  siJe  is  t!ie  celebrated  iron  rail- 
ing wiiich  it  is  said  an  Englishman  once  traveled 
all  the  way  from  Lon  Ion  to  see  and  make  a 
sketch  of,  r.nd  then  returned,  satisfied  with  his 
journey,  not  deigning  to  cost  an  eye  on  any  of 
the  other  marvels  of  the  northern  city !  This 
railing,  which  is  about  sixteen  feet  in  height,  is 
gr.ind  and  massive  ;  it  extends  nearly  a  quarter 
of  a  mile. 


mcr,  and  the  paths  carefully  cleaned  and 
trimmed.  And  the  g  irden  gratefully  repays  the 
pains  expended  on  it,  for,  throughout  the  fine 
season,  it  forms  a  delightful  retre;it ;  and  its 
turf  and  its  trees  in  Sprin;  are  green  an  i  smil- 
ing before  any  of  the  other  gardens  have  been 
able  to  divest  themselves  of  the  chill-hardened, 
frrain  into  which  their  features  have  beeo. 
stiffened  during  a  six-months'  Winter. 
In  one  comer  of  the  Summer  Garden  Btaui^a 


the  Champ  de  Mars.  It  is  half  a  mile  in  length, 
and  a  fourth  in  breadth,  and  is  the  oldest  in  the 
city.  It  contains  a  number  of  fine  old  trees, 
and  is,  therefore,  of  incalculable  value  in  the 
centre  of  the  stony  masses  of  the  capital.  The 
irrounds  are  laid  out  in  a  number  of  long  ave- 
nues, intersperse,!  with  flower-beds,  somewhat 
In  the  ancient  style  of  gardening,  with  an 
abundance  of  marble  statues  of  "Springs" 
ijid " Summers."  "Floras"  and  "Fauns,"  and 


ACADEMT  OF  FINS  AHTS,  ST.  rETBRSSURQ. 

The  g  rden  is  attended  to  very  carefully.  In 
iiutumn  all  the  statues  are  cased  in  wooden 
boxes,  to  protect  them  against  the  rain  and 
snow  of  Winter,  and  all  the  tender  trees  and 
shrubs  are  at  the  same  time  packed  up  in  straw 
and  matting,  in  wliich  they  remain  till  the  re- 
turn of  Spring,  when  statues,  trees,  and  men 
liy  their  Winter  garments  aside  nearly  at  one 
and  the  same  time. 

Th»  grassplots  are  regul.irly  watered  ia  Sum- 


the  palace  in  which  dwelt  Peter  the  Great.  It 
is  a  little,  low  white  house,  with  a  few  tasteless 
!>as-relte/s  painted  yellow.  On  the  roof,  betweea 
the  chimneys,  St.  George,  mounted  on  a  tin 
horse,  is  in  the  act  of  piercing  the  dragon.  In 
the  interior,  a  few  articles  of  furniture,  formerly 
used  by  Peter,  are  still  preserved  The  house 
seems  to  have  grown  ashamed  of  its  littleness, 
for  it  hides  itself  completely  among  the  tall 
linden-trees  of  the  garden,  as  though  fearful  of 


EMPIRE    OF    EUSSIA. 


347: 


HOTEL  DE  L  ETAT  MAJOR,  AND  ALEXANDRIAN   COLUMN,  ST.  rETERSBHSO. 


introiin^  into  the  company  of  the  stately 
palaces  that  have  grown  up  around.  How  dif- 
ferent it  must  have  looked  when  it  wa.s  yet  sole 
lord  of  the  wilderness  —  when  it  stood  alone 
amid  a  mob  of  fishermen's  huts  ! 

This  garden  is  the  great  lounge  of  the  popu- 
lation of  St.  Petersburg  ;  it  is  the  afternoon  re- 
sort of  crowds  of  the  most  charming  children, 
who  repair  thither,  escorted  by  their  mothers 
and  nurses,  to  peoplj  the  solitary  walks,  and 
jaake  the  sbiubbeiies  lesoimd  with  their  inno- 


cent mirth.  Fifteen  or  sixteen  years  later,  these 
children  reappear  upon  the  same  scene,  but  this 
time  with  less  artless  intentions,  and  to  play  a 
more  perilous  game. 

On  Whit-Mond.iy  a  strange  spectacle  is  to  be 
seen  here,  for  on  that  day  the  celebrated  festi- 
val of  the  wtfe-market  tnkes  place.  Here,  ac- 
cording to  ancient  custom,  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  the  tradesmen  assemble  in  all  their 
finery,  to  pick  and  choose  a  partner  for  life,  or, 
at  any  rate,  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  future 


marriage ;  for,  though  this  class  still  muster  ins 
great  force  on  Whit-Monday,  the  practice  is  not* 
so  thoroughly  carried  out  as  it  used  to  be.  In 
former  days  the  girls,  on  this  momentous  occa- 
sion, were  dressed  from  head  to  foot  in  all  their' 
best  apparel,  and  decorated  with  every  orna- 
ment they  could  borrow  from  their  family.  It" 
is  even  said  that  "  a  Russian  mamma  once  con- 
trived to  make  a  necklace  of  six  dozen  gilt  tea- 
spoons for  her  daughter,  a  girdle  of  an  equal' 
number  of  tablespoons,  and  theu  fastened,  at 


ANCIENT  BCSSIAN   CARKIAQX. 


.348 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


itoaple  of  punch-ladles  behind,  in  the  form  of  a 
•cross— Greek,  of  course." 

The  illustrations  give  glimpses  here  and  there 
■  of  the  city  dwellings  of  Russia. 

Religion  is  intimately  connected  with  the 
jBOcial  life  of  the  people.  The  established  ghurch 
of  Russia  is  the  Greek.  Tliis,  in  all  material 
•points  except  the  recognition  of  the  Pope  as 
primate  of  Christendom,  closely  resembles  the 
Latin  Church  The  Orthodox  Greek  Church  of 
Russia  recognizes  Seven  Sacraments,  and  honors 
the  Blessed  Virgin  as  zealously  as  the  Latin 
Church  does,  while  its  calendar  is  full  of  holi- 
.days  in  honor  of  the  saints. 

The  great  act  of  worship  is  the  Mass,  in 
"which,  however,  unleavened  bread  is  used,  and 
the  laity  receive  both  bread  and  wine  in  com- 
munion.    The  language  of  the  Mass  is  the  ver- 
nacular, but  the  service,  though  differing 
in  details,  both  of  vestments  and  language, 
•corresponds  in  nearly  all  parts  to  the  Latin 
rite — the   Gospel,  Epistle,    Creed,   Canon, 
and  Lord's  Prayer  entering  into  both. 

The  Russian  clergy  are  divided  into  two 

.classes,  the  "white  "  or    secular  clergy, 

:and    the    "black"    or   cloistered   clergy. 

The  appellations  are  derived   from  their 

respective  dresses,  the  one  l>eing  clothed 

.  from   head   to   foot   in  black,   the    other 

performing  divine  service  in  white  robes 

;  adorned  with    gold.      Of    the   cloistered 

.  clergy,  or  monks,  the  Eastern  Church  has 

.only  one  order,  instituted  by  St.  Basil,  and 

these  monks  are  either  novices,  monks, 

iiiietomonacbs  (chief  monks,   a   sort  of 


SMOLNOI  CONVENT,  ST.  PETERSBCKG. 

prior),  or  archimandrites  (abbots).  From  among 
the  white  clergy,  who  must  be  married,  the  paro- 
chial clergy  are  taken,  as  are  the  other  ranks  of 
the  hierarchy  below  the  rank  of  bishop.  All 
bishops  must  be  unmarried,  and  monks.  The 
membars  of  the  whits  clergy  must  be  married, 
or  at  least  engaged,  before  receiving  the  final 
consecration  ;  but  they  cannot  marry  twice,  and 
on  becoming  widowers  are  obliged  to  enter  a 
monastery.  Thus  a  priest  takes  most  devoted 
care  of  his  wife  to  the  utmost  of  his  means  and 
power. 

The  code  of  law,  the  Sivod  Zakonqf,  gives  the 
following  definitions  of  the  position  of  the 
clergy: 

The  monasteries  and  convents  are  divided 
into  three  cUxsses,  and  the  dignity  and  prece- 
dency of  their  respective  abbyts  and  abbesses 


THE  OR08KT. 


accords  with  this  arrangement.  The  higher 
clerical  hierarchy,  formed  from  the  monks,  con- 
sists of  the  metropolitan,  the  archbishop,  the 
bishop,  the  igumen  or  abbe,  etc. 

The  titles  of  the  white  hierarchy  are:  Proto- 
presbyter, superdeans,  deans,  presbyters,  proto- 
deacons,  deacons,  subdeacons,  and  common 
priest. 

Any  one  who  takes  monastic  Orders  must  re- 
ceive the  permission  of  the  synod.     The  men 
must  be  thirty  years  of  age — women,  forty.     If 
the  candidates  belong  to  the  taxed  class — that 
is  to  say,  if  they  are  burghers,  or  peasants — 
they  must    produce  a   permission   from   their 
special  superior.     Married  persons,  or  those  not 
divorced,  cannot  take  Orders  unless  both  parties 
do  it,  and  when  there  are  no  ciiildren  under 
age.     One  can  leave  the  Order  by  permission  of 
the  superiors,    and    return  to   the    social 
class  to  which  he   belonged  before.     For 
seven   years,  however,   he  cannot  live  in 
the  country  where  he  was  a  monk,  nor  in 
either  of  the  two  capitals.    Monks  are  ex- 
empted from   military  service,    from   the 
capitation  tax,  and  from  corporeal  punish- 
ment.    They  cannot  carry  on  trade. 

The  order  of  the  white  clergy  can  be 
entered  by  any  one.  The  wives  and  chil- 
dren of  the  clergy  enjoy  the  privileges  of 
this  class,  though  they  may  personally 
belong  to  a  lower  order.  Thus  the  chil- 
dren of  priests,  with  few  exceptions,  are 
not  obliged  to  look  for  another  social 
position.  They  are  also  exempted  from 
military  ssrvice. 


EMPIBE    OF    RUSSIA. 


34&- 


The  omnibus  is  generally  a  sleigh,  open,  of 
course,  and  what  used  to  be  the  scene  on  Broad 
way,  is  the  constant  spectacle  during  the  long 
Russian  Winter.  The  omnibus  sleighs,  if  not 
as  overcrowded  as  ours  used  to  be,  are  fully  as 
merry. 


cent  horses  and  splendid  trappings,  will  dash 
the  fleet-footed  reindeer,  driven  by  the  Lap- 
lander, as  much  at  home  here  as  in  his  northern 
home. 

The  hack-carrise,  or  cab,  of  St.  Petersburg, 
and  other  large  cities  in  Russia,  is  the  droaky ; 


the  odors  of  garlic,  their  favorite  seasoning. 
Moreover,  the  wooden  pavement  is,  at  the  best, 
indifferent,  and  when  out  of  repair,  which  ia- 
frequently  the  case,  most  abominable,  and  eveik 
worse  than  the  stone  pavement. 
Droskies  for  hire  stand  in  the  most  principal- 


Then,  t»  len  the  icy  surface  of  the  Neva  offers 
such  a  spiendid  drive,  all  ages  and  ranks,  and 
every  conceivable  style  of  sleigh  may  be  seen — 
We  might  almost  say,  every  possible  means  of 
locomotion. 

Betid*  th«  imperial  deif^h,  with  its  mognifl 


but  it  is  a  most  comfortless  conveyance,  consist- 
ing merely  of  a  bench  upon  four  wheels,  on 
which  the  fare  sits  astride,  as  on  a  velocipede, 
and  immediately  behind  the  driver,  who  is  not 
an  aarreeable  person  to  be  in  very  dose  contact 
with — at  any  rate,  to  those  who  are  not  fond  of 


streets.  There  is  no  fixed  price  whatever,  as  to 
distance  or  tiine ;  a  most  extraordinary  thing  iir 
a  country  where  the  police  seem  to  busy  them- 
selves about  everything.  To  do  the  ivoshishiks, 
or  drivers,  justice,  they  do  not  impose  very  ex- 
orbitantly, seldom  afiking  more  than  twice  ar- 


350 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


(much  as  they  will  willingly  take  if  a  bargain  is 
jnade  before  starting,  and  never  attempting  to 
•iemantl  more  wlien  the  ride  is  finished  than 
they  have  previously  agreed  for.  The  usual 
f.ire  in  St.  Petersburg  from  one  quarter  to 
another  is  about  twenty  cents  As  the  dis- 
tances are  great,  the  most  inveterate  pedestrian 
■Oivill  soon  find  these  bsarded  Jehus,  the  ivosht- 
.shiks,  his  best  friends,  and  he  will  seldom  have 
occasion  .to  sing  out,  "davi"  ("here")  a  second 
ttime  ;  indeed,  he  need  scarcely  look  at  tliem  ; 
and  if  he  only  pause  for  a  moment,  peeming  to 
muse  upon  the  expediency  of  hiring  one,  half  a 


bridle  and  other  parts  of  the  harness  are  orn:i- 
mentod  with  small  bits  tf  brass  and  silver. 

If  two  horses  are  driven,  the  second  is  always 
placed  on  the  near  tide,  his  head  drawn  a  little 
down  and  outward  by  a  rein  attached  to  it  for 
the  purpose  ;  he  is  trained  to  canter  and  show 
himself  off,  while  the  other  does  nearly  all  the 
work  at  a  rapid  trot.  When  tliere  are  three 
horses,  the  one  on  the  off  side  is  also  harnessed 
with  his  head  downward,  and  capers  in  the 
same  way. 

A  dros/q/  well  turned  out  in  this  manner  is  by 
far   the   prettiest  equipage  of   the  three,  and 


rain,  and  mud,  till  the  end  of  his  journey, 
where  the  dirty  rind  is  peeled  off,  and  the  siiid 
kernel  steps  forth  clean  and  unspotted  from  his 
muddy  covering. 

The  ivoshlshih  of  St.  Petersburg  appear  to  be 
a  race  of  Hamaxobites  (dwellers  in  wagons), 
leading  a  sort  of  nomadic  life  among  the 
palaces  of  the  capital.  They  encamp  by  day  in 
the  streets,  and  so  do  many  of  them  during 
the  night,  tlieir  sledge  serving  them  at  once 
ai  house  and  bed. 

Like  the  Bedouin  Arabs,  iney  carry  the  oat- 
bag  constantly  with  them,  and  fasten  it,  during 


idozen  will  luBtantly  dart  to  the  spc*  where  he 
stands  and  offer  their  services. 

In  Southern  Russia  the  drosky  lias  a  back,  and 
the  driver  sits  on  a  seat  in  front,  at  a  more 
acTceable  distance  from  his  fare.  On  a  good 
j-oad,  and  with  three  horses  attached  to  it,  which 
are  always  placed  abreast,  the  pace  is  grand,  and 
ihe  motion  very  ea~y  ;  the  wheels  are  small, 
and  the  body,  which  is  hung  on  C-springs,  is 
•very  low.  This  'vehicle  is  driven  with  one,  two, 
or  three  horses;  in  either  case  one  is  in  the 
shafts,  to  which  a  light  piece  of  wood  is  at- 
tached, forming  an  arch  over  his  head;  the 
imces  draw  from  the  naye  of  t&e  wbeel;  the 


LADIES  OP  KOUKICK   AM)  ORIL,  SODTHEEN  ECSSIA. 

when  going  at  speed,  which  is  the  usual  pace, 
the  horses  have  the  effect  of  those  in  an  ancient 
car.     Droskiea  ply  in  all  the  large  towns. 

In  Winter  the  ivoshishik  uses  the  favorite 
national  vehicle  of  a  sledire,  with  which  he 
continues  to  grind  the  pavement  as  long  as  the 
least  trace  of  snow  is  to  be  felt  under  the  Spring 
mud. 

A  covered  carriage  he  never  uses.  The  cloaks 
and  furs  of  his  passengers  must  do  the  service 
that  the  roof  of  the  coach  does  with  us  ;  and 
when  well  wrapped  up  in  a  series  of  protecting 
folds,  the  warm  nucleus  of  life  that  occupies  the 
centre,  pAtieatlj  suffers  the  pelting  of  suow, 


their  interval  of  leisJire,  to  the  noses  of  their 
steeds.  In  every  street  arrangements  have  been 
made  for  the  convenience  of  the  ivoshtshiks. 
Every  here  and  there  mangers  are  erected  for 
their  use  ;  to  water  their  horses,  tliere  are,  in 
all  parts  of  the  town,  convenient  descents  to 
the  canals  or  to  the  river  ;  and  hay  is  sold  at  a 
number  of  shops  in  small  bundles,  just  sufficient 
for  one  or  two  horses. 

To  still  the  thirst  and  hunger  of  the  chariot- 
eers themselves,  there  are  peripatetic  dealers  in 
quass,  tea,  and  bread,  who  are  constantly  wan« 
dering  about  the  streets  for  the  charitable  pur« 
pose  of  fee^g  tbe  tmng]7. 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


891 


The  animals  are  as  hardy  as  their  masters. 
Neither  care  for  cold  or  rain  ;  both  eat  as  oppor- 
tmiity  serves,  and  are  content  to  take  their 
sleep  when  it  comes.  Yet  they  are  always  cheer- 
ful, the  horses  ever  ready  to  start  off  at  a  smart 
trot,  the  drivers  are  at 
all  times  disposed  for  a 
scng,  a  joke,  or  a 
gossip.  AVlien  they  are 
neither  eating  nor  en- 
gaged in  any  other 
serious  occupation,  they 
lounge  about  their 
sledges,  singing  some 
simple  melody  that  they 
have  probably  brought 
with  them  from  their 
native  forests. 

When  several  of  them 
happen  to  be  together 
at  the  corner  of  a  street, 
they  are  sure  to  be  en- 
gaged in  some  game  or 
other,  pelting  with 
snowballs,  wrestling,  or 
bantering  each  other, 
till  the  '^Davai  ivosht- 
shxk!"  of  some  chance 
passenger  makes  them 
all  grasp  their  whips  in 
a  moment,  and  converts 
them    into    competitors 

for  the  expected  gm. 


A  RUSSIAN   VILLAGE  DANCE. 

These  men  are,  for  the  most  part,  Eussians 
from  all  the  different  Governments  of  the  em- 
pire ;  but  among  them  are  also  Finlinders, 
Esthonians,  Ijettes,  Poles,  and  Germans  They 
arrive  at  St.  Petersburg  generally  as  little  boys 


1HE  CZ&S  KOIAKAI,  OB   QBEAT  EELL  OF  SKIEOOVir, 


of  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  hire  themselves  aS 
drivers  to  owners  of  hackney-carriages,  whom 
they  continue  to  serve  till  they  have  saved 
enough  to  buy  a  horse  and  vehicle,  when  they 
set  up  in  business  on  their  own  account. 

Their  trade,  as  are  all 
trades  in  Russia,  is  un- 
controlled by  corpora- 
tion laws ;  and,  should 
fodder  grow  dear,  or 
business  slack,  the  ivosht- 
shik  packs  up  the  few 
worldly  goods  be  pos- 
sesses, drives  away  to 
the  south,  and  reappears 
in  the  streets  of  Nov- 
gorod or  Moscow  ;  thus, 
in  pursuit  of  fortune, 
they  emerge  now  in  one 
town,  now  in  another, 
till  enabled  somewhere 
to  form  a  profitable  and 
permanent  establish- 
ment. 

In  some  of  the  pro- 
vinces and  cities  remote 
from  the  capital,  the 
ladies  and  wives  of  the 
burghers  retain  their  an- 
cient dress,  quite  pictur- 
esque, as  will  be  seen 
to  the  or  turn 08  of 
Tlatka  and  Pena. 


352 


^HE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS 


Tomb  of  Queen  Ann  Jagellon. 

Few  tombs  are  grander  than  that  of  Queen 

Ann  Jagellon,  a  queen  ■whose  dynasty  not  only, 

but  whose  kingdom,  is  of  the  past.    If  is  in  the 

chapel  of  the  Kings  Sigismund.     Above  the 


BISnOP  AKD  CLEBQS  OF  lUK  ORTHODOX  CHimCU. 

chapel-door  are  three  ancient  paintings.  The 
central  one  represents  Sigismund  I.,  the  other 
two  are  portraits  of  Ann  Jagellon,  as  queen- 
regnant  and  as  a  widow.  The  tomb  has  a 
recumbent  statue  of  the  queen  in  her  royal 
attire,  exceedingly  well  cut  in  red  granite.    Be- 


hind the  tomb  is  a  marble  throne,  above  which 
two  angels  of  gilt  bronze  support  the  crown  ol 
Poland.  An  altar  stands  in  front  in  an  arch 
rich  with  baaso-relievos,  two  massive  candle- 
sticks facing  it  almost  on  a  line  with  the  head 
of  the  tomb. 


EM  PIKE    OF    KUSSIA. 


U 


A  KCSSIAS  CUBISimUiQ. 


35  i 


THK     WOHLDS    GREAT    NATlONa 


Street  Vendors  at  St.  Petersburg,  Eussia, 
Like  all  gi-eat  cities,  the  Eupsir.;i  capital  has 

its  hosts  of  stre:'t  vendors,  and  among  these  we 

group,  on  ona  of  the 

quays,  a  wator-carrier, 

with  his  fresh  supply 

from  tlie  icy  Neva  ;  a 

glazier,     equipped    as 

becomos     one    ■whose 

lesoundin.:^    call     of 

"Glasi  put  in !"    en- 
livens   our    quiet 

Btreets ;    the    third    is 

an   important  person- 

B^e — the  itinerant  fisli- 

deiler. 

Tlie   Greek  Church, 

lilce    that    of     Rome, 

uphok's    fasting    aid 

ahstinence  from   flesh 

meat.     Lent  is  strictly 

kept,  ar.d   there   aro, 

l)esides,  otlier  seasons 

and   days  devoted  to 

fastinij.      Hence     the 

fish  trade  thrives,  ,".nd 

butchers  cannot  get  as 

fat  r.s  becomes    their 

calling. 

In  some  of  our  great 

cities,   where   a   large 

Catholic  population 

has  gatliered,  a  similar 

effect    is   felt    in    tlie 

markets.    Ignorant  of 

church     calendars,     a 

New  England  butcher 


A  LAPLAND  JOnilDE  OR  UUT,  NOIITUERN  EUSSIA. 

opened  store  in  a  locality  well  stocked  with 
cl;ildren  of  the  old  Church,  and  soon  became 
popular.  He  could  net  understand  how  or 
why,  but  he  found  that  they  would  not  buy  on 


DBIVINa   BEAKS  TO   MAKKEI   AI   BEfiJiZOV. 


Friday.  After  some  little  loss,  he  modeiated 
h's  stock  on  that  day,  and  thought  lie  had 
weathered  the  difficulty  ;  but  toward  the  close 
of  cold  weatl'.er  came  a  Wednesday,  and  not  tk 
Boul  visited  his  well- 
filled  stall.  He  looked 
at  his  meat — it  waa 
piime  ;  he  Icoked  for 
bis  purchasers — tliey 
were  not  there. 

Wjtli  many  a  sigh 
lie  waited  for  Thurs- 
day, but,  as  before,  all 
was  desolate.  A  stray- 
call  made  a  poor  com- 
p(  nsation  for  his  heavy 
loss  of  traue.  Friday, 
of  course,  he  expected 
to  sell  little,  but  if 
Saturday  did  net  make 
up,  he  felt  sure  some 
rival  bad  been  ruining 
his  moral  character, 
and  that  he  must  yield 
to  the  public  judgment 
condemning  him.  Sat> 
urday  morning  was  no 
better,  and  his  dejec- 
tion grew  desperate  ; 
but  as  the  day  waned, 
one  smiling  face  and 
another  appeared,  aud 
cheerful  buying  waa 
the  order  of  the  day; 
Ihey  seemed  hungry 
for  his  best  cuts.  Now 
thoroughly  puzzled, 
hu  began  to  ask  ex- 


EMPIKE    OF    BUSSIA. 


355 


planatlons  for  their  desertions.  A'l  ho  couhl 
gt  was,  "Why,  it's  Lent."  What  Lent  was, 
l;e  did  not  know — he  folt  that  lie  was  sold,  but 
r.t  last  got  posted,  and  was  able  to  lay  his  plans 
ijsuit  liis  trade.  St.  Petersburg,  lyiiij?  between 
a  lalse  and  a  gulf,  is  well  supplied  with  excellent 
fi;h  at  reasonable  prices. 


A  Court  iieception  in  Enssia. 

The  Czar  cf  Eussia  has  a  military  household 
composed  cf  two  hundred  and  si.\ty  officers  of 
different  regiments  and  grades.  His  civil  house- 
hold is  still  more  numerous,  r.nd  the  number  of 
dignitaries  composing  it  are  infinite.   Chamber- 


lains, masters  of  ceremony,  gentlemen  of  the 
bed  -  chamber,  physicians  extraordinary  and 
ordinary,  confessors,  inspector*,  directors,  and 
masters  of  the  chapel,  ladie3  and  maids  of 
honor ;  cf  these  latter  there  are  a  hundred  and 
sixty-three,  only  eleven  of  whom  lodge  in  tha 
palace.      In    a  word,    the    household  of  tha 


i 


EjQ 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS, 


■Emperor  and 
Jimpress  is  com- 
posed of  eight 
iandred  and 
eighty  digni- 
i-'.ries 

In  addition  to 
t'-.is,  there  arc 
e^jhtcen  small 
p  -laces,  with 
their  respect^v:,- 
liousohol  's,  be- 
lonsing  to  the 
grand-dukes 
anJ  duchosres 
of  imperial 
blood. 

The  vaiets 
and  menials 
en:ployed  in 
the  various 
departments  are 
counted  by 
thousands.  The 
immense  re- 
tinue of  the 
Russian  court 
gives  to  the  re- 
ceptions in  the 
palace  a  stamp 
<,f  strange  ori- 
ginality not  to 


WIXTEE   AMUSEMENT  IN  SI-  PrTEr.SrjBG. 


oe  net  with  ia 
any  other  royel 

residence. 

The  variolj' 
of  costumoa, 
and  particularly 
of  uniforms, 
impress  tha 
stranger  very 
forcibly.  Tha 
ladies  wear  the 
most  elegant 
Parisian  toilets, 
with  hardly  leS 
grace  than  da 
the  charming 
Frenchwomen. 

The  Emperor 
and  Empress 
mingle  among 
their  jjuests  and 
speak  with  them, 
with  the  utmost 
freedom ,  seem- 
injr  like  parents 
sunounded  by 
their  children 
rather  than 
sovereigns  giv- 
ing audience. 

The  Empress 
ic  said  to  be  a 


SrUEET  VENS0B8  AT  8T.  VKneSSBOBO, 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


357 


marvel  of  tender-heartedness,  and  uses  her 
influence  over  her  husband  to  the  great  benefit 
of  even  the  very  humblest  of  his  subjects.  The 
emancipation  of  the  serfs  had  no  more  ardent 
advocate  than  in  the  Empress. 


Emancipation  of  the  Serfs  in  Eussia. 

Pkevious  to  the  sixteenth  cent>iry  the  Russian 
peasant  was  free  to  carry  his  labor  to  any 
domain  where  it  was  required,  but  on  St. 
George's  Day,  1598,  the  Czar  Borris  Goudanofi 


KUSStAX   PEDDLER. 

pronounced  the  ukase  which  from  that  time 
attached  the  serf  to  the  soil  on  which  he  lived, 
and  made  him  part  of  the  estate  of  the  proprie- 
tor, where  he  was  doomed  to  remain  irrevocably, 
since  he  could  not  be  sold  unless  the  land  itself 
was  disposed  of  with  him.  This,  however,  was 
altered  by  Peter  I.,  and  the  serf  became  subject, 
at  the  will  of  his  proprietor,  to  be  dragged  from 
his  cottage  and  from  his  family,  and  sent  every- 
where at  the  pleasure  of  his  master,  who  could 
even  send  him  to  Siberia,  or  kill  him  by  sys- 
tematic rigor. 


Some  of  the  Czars,  however,  seemed  to  apprew 
ciato  the  revolting  injustice  of  this  servitude, 
which  carried  barbarism  to  the  very  confines  of 
European  civilization.  Peter  III.  conceived  tho 
project  of  emancipating  the  serfs.  Paul  I.  bail 
thought  to  realize  the  same  idea,  proceeding  so- 
far  as  to  cause  the  peasants  to  take  the  oath  of 
fidelity,  and  both  Alexander  and  Nicholas  wera 
disposed  to  abate  the  power  of  the  nobles  and 
to  raise  the  peasant.  But  it  had  been  reserved 
for  the  present  Emperor's  father,  Alexander 
II.,  to    abolish    this    anomaly,    Which    made 


358 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


eervitnde  a  shame.  Alexander  II.  had  the 
courage,  voluntarily  to  enfranchise  the  serf. 
On  the  day  when  the  ukase  was  to  be  put  in 
force,  the  peasants  were  to  be  informed  of  the 
enfranchisement  by  the  lips  of  the  master  him- 
self, and  were  summoned  to  meet  their  lord  at 
sunset,  the  usual  hour  for  quitting  their  labor. 
There  was  little  need  to  comment  at  any  length 
on  the  subject  of  the  ukase.  The  peasants  were 
apprised  of  its  extent  in  a  few  words,  and,  in- 
stead of  a  peroration,  the  lord  produced  some 
of  that  spirit  which  the  lUissian  loves.  This  he 
poured  into  a  glass,  and,  touching  his  lips  with 
the  burning  liquor,'presented  it  to  the  peasant, 
•who  came,  perhaps  for  the  last  time,  to  kiss 
the  feet  of  his  lord.  In  many  cases  this  abase- 
jnent  had  been  the  preliminary  salutation  to  a 


ally  examined  by  a  number  of  women,  in  order 
to  discover  if  she  has  any  bodily  defect,  and,  if 
any,  to  remedj'  it  if  possible.  When  the  jiriest 
has  tied  the  nuptial  knot  at  the  altar,  the  clerk 
or  sexton  sjirinkles  on  her  head  a  handful  of 
hops,  wishing  she  may  be  as  friiitful  as  that 
plant. 

She  is  muffled  up  and  led  home  by  a  certain 
number  of  old  women,  the  priest  carrying  the 
cross  before,  while  one  of  his  subalterns,  clad  in 
a  rough  goat-skin,  prays  all  the  way  that  she 
may  have  as  many  children  as  there  are  hairs 
on  his  garment.  After  this  ceremonj',  the  hus- 
band takes  his  bride  home  to  his  parents.  She 
is  received  by  her  father-in-law  with  numerous 
wedding-gifts,  and  by  her  mother-in-law  with 
exhortations  to  be  obedient  to  her  husband. 


and  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  then  anointed  by 
the  holy  chrism,  while  being  held  by  the  god- 
father, and  finally  it  is  taken  by  the  godmother, 
in  whose  arms  it  receives  the  commanion. 

There  is  always  something  interesting  in 
tracing  the  relation  between  the  baptismal 
ceremonies  of  different  nations,  more  especiall , 
those  of  the  lloman  and  Greek  Churches. 


Market-Place  in  St.  Petersburg, 

There  is  a  market-place  in  St.  Petersburg 
called  the  Apraxiu  Dvor,  which,  during  the  in- 
cendiary fires  of  18C2,  was  burned  down,  but 
was  rebuilt  on  the  same  spot,  nrach  as  before. 
It  may  cover  fifteen  acres  of  ground,  and  is  iu 
the  very  centre  of  the  city.     The  shops  and 


master  ready  to  sympathize  with  and  ameliorate 
his  condition,  and  to  interfere,  it  might  be,  be- 
tween the  exactions  of  an  urgent  major  domo 
and  his  peasantry ;  but  now  all  servitude  of  serf- 
dom was  over,  and  master  and  slave  might 
drink  together  in  the  equality  of  freemen. 

It  was  on  the  17th  day  of  March,  18G1,  that 
the  "imperial  manifesto"  emancipating  the 
aerfs  was  promulgated. 


Eeception  of  a  Bride  by  her  Pather-in-Law. 
The  nuptial  ceremonies  of  the  Russians  are 
very  singular.  When  the  parents  have  agreed 
upon  the  match  (though  the  parties,  perhaps, 
have  never  seen  each  other),  the  Iride  is  critic- 


RfSSIAN    FAMILY    AT   HOME. 

The  Oeremony  of  Baptiim. 

A  iVEEK  after  the  birth  of  an  infant,  it  is 
taken  to  church  to  be  christened.  The  god- 
father places  himself  to  the  right  of  the  god- 
mother, who  bears  the  infant  in  her  arms. 

The  child  is  taken  by  the  priest,  who  stands 
with  it  facing  the  east.  He  blows  in  its  face, 
makes  the  .sign  of  the  cross  npon  its  forehead, 
mouth  and  breast,  and  pronounces,  in  a  loud 
voice,  the  name  it  is  to  bear.  The  priest  then 
turns  to  the  west  and  addresses  the  god- 
parents. 

Then  follow  the  blessing  of  the  water  and 
baptism  by  immersion.  The  child  is  dipped 
three  times— in  the  name  of  the  Father,  tho  Son 


stalls  contain  every  known  and  unknown  article 
under  tho  sun,  second-hand. 

Tho  merchants  here  are  all  pure  Kussians, 
from  the  old  woman  with  a  few  rabbit-skins  to 
the  merchant  with  a  large  stock  of  furs ;  but 
they  are  all  a  set  of  the  most  arrant  chaffers  and 
traffickers  in  stolen  goods.  The  old  glorj'  of 
Field  Lane,  in  London,  where  one  might  loso 
his  watch  or  handkerchief  at  one  end,  and  find 
it  ticketed  for  sale  by  the  time  he  got  to  tha 
other,  is  the  glory  of  this  Loose  Market. 

Here  come  the  household  servants  to  sell  their 
plunder  ,  and  here,  also,  come  their  masters  and 
mistresses  to  buy  it  back,  if  possible.     Endless 
old  curiosity  shops ;  old  birds  of  every  plumage 
and  young  bears,  dogs,  cats,  rabbits,  poultry. 


EMPIRE    OF    KUSSIA. 


359 


IMPERIAl  THEATRE  OP  MOSCOW. 


/Jf   OHXIBtrS   AND   StEIOH  TS   ST.  PETEHSBITRiI. 


360 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


Blfcolge&,' ctirKii^es,  furniture,  kitchen  uten;ils, 
cutlery,  Tartar  and  Circassian  caps,  belts, 
Bwords,  pistols,  every  musical  instrument  pro- 
Ouced  since  Pan  made  his  own  pipe,  and  tens  of 
thonsandj  of  unmentionable  articles  heaped  in 
glorious  confusion  in  the  stalls. 

Perhaps  nothing  more  completely  illustrates 
the  crude  condition  of  Russian  society  than  the 
corruption  which  permeates  every  departa-ent 
«£  the  State. 


A  Eussian  Village, 

TteE  ■wife  of  an  American  engineer,  who  spent 
Gotne  years  in  Bussia,  thus  describes  a  village 
near  Moscow : 

"After  passing  through  the  crowds  of  serfs, 


the  road  1  y  a  close  high  paling,  which  extends 
to  the  next  hut.  Those  allotments  being  of 
considerable  breadth,  a  village  spreals  over  a 
great  space  of  ground.  In  some  p  irts  of  Kus- 
sia  tlie  huts  have  a  low  imder-story  for  shelter- 
ing cattle  during  Winter.  It  admits  horses, 
cows,  sheep,  pigs,  goats,  and  poultry.  J  he 
flooring  is  open,  and  the  animal  heat  from  so 
many  bodies,  ascending  to  the  inmates  above, 
helps  to  Iceep  them  warm.  In  the  Summer  the 
quadrupeds  go  to  the  field,  and  the  bipeds 
above  take  possession  of  tlie  vacant  cellar  as 
the  coolest  place  for  the  hot  weather.  A  traj)- 
door  admits  from  above  to'  tliis  ground-floor, 
and  a  long  sloping  board  outside,  with  cross- 
pieces  of  wood  nailed  on  it,  like  the  temporary 
ladders  used  for  building  purposes,  is  the  way 


markahle  for  its  vast  extent  and  singular  arclA. 
tecturai  ornament  of  a  chariot  of  victory,  drawn 
liy  ei^ht  horses,  wl^ich  are  rearing  and  plimging 
in  all  idrecdons. 

Krom  the  arch  over  which  the  group  is  placed, 
one  of  the  most  pleasing  views  of  the  limperor's 
Winter  Palace,  and  likewise  of  the  adjacent 
buildin:.^s,  may  be  obtained.  In  the  open  spaco 
belween  tlie  Elat  Major  and  the  Winter  Palace 
stands  the  column  erected  to  the  memory  of  the 
late  Emperor  Alexander— a  single  shaft  of  red 
granite,  which,  exclusive  of  pedestal  and  capi- 
tal, is  upward  of  eifjhty  feet  in  height.  This 
beautiful  monument  is  the  work  of  Montferrand, 
the  architect  of  the  church  of  St.  Isaac.  The- 
shaft  originally  measured  one  htmdrcd  and  two 
feet,  but  it  was  subsequently  shortened  to  its 


we  proceeded- down  the  hill,  crossed  a  morass 
which  ciused  the  horses  some  trouble,  and  then, 
over  a  low  wooden  bridge,  spanning  a  frozen 
r.tream,  passed  to  the  outskirts  of  the  village 
cf  Evanofsky.  The  peasants  who  Mowed  list- 
lessly, sauntering  and  silent,  gradually  vanished 
into  their  wooden  huts.  These  thatched  village 
huts  are  so  low,  that  one  wonders  how  such 
well-gro\vn  men  stand  up  in  them,  e.:pecially  as 
their  walls  are  sunk  at  all  manner  of  angles  off 
the  square.  The  gables  face  the  street  or  road ; 
no  doors  are  visible,  but  there  is  a  large  wooden 
Cateway  next  the  house,  and  a  small  door  lead- 
ing to  the  dwelling  somewhere  in  the  rear.  The 
gateway  is  for  horses,  cattle,  carts,  etc.  ;  and 
the  allutmeut  of  each  peasant  is  fenced  in  from 


A  nUSSIAN   VILLAGE. 

out  into  the  open  air.  In  some  villages,  the 
cattl.e  of  the  peasants  are  housed  in  out-build- 
ings, immediately  a'ljoining  the  low  huts,  the 
communication  between  them  bcin^;  always 
open  It  follows  that  the  men  and  women  and 
the  cattle  live  very  much  on  the  social  princi- 
ple, and  have  all  things  in  common. 


Hotel  (le  I'Etat    Major,   and  Alexandrian 

Oolumn,  at  St.  Petersburg. 

The  Hold  de  l' Elat  Major,  or  head  department 
of  the  army,  immediately  fronting  tlie  Winter 
Palace,  is  one  of  the  many  striking  piles  of 
buiklings  in  the  "City  of  Palaces,"  and   re- 


present dimensions  from  a  fear  that  its  diameter 
wivs  insufficient  for  so  .;;reat  a  lengtii.  The  basa 
and  peck^stal  are  also  composed  of  one  enormous 
blocls.  of  the  same  red  granite,  of  the  height  of^ 
about  twenty- :ive  feet,  and  nearly  the  sama 
length  and  breadth;  the  capital  measures  six 
teen  feet,  the  statue  of  the  angel  on  the  sum- 
mit fourteen  feet,  and  the  cross,  seven  feet — in 
all,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

As  the  whole  of  St.  Peterslinrg  is  built  on  a 
morass,  it  was  thought  necessary  to  drive  no 
less  than  six  successive  row-"  of  piles,  in  order  to 
sustain  so  immense  a  weight  as  this  standings 
upon  so  confined  a  base ;  the  shaft  of  the. 
column  alone  is  comjiuted  as  weighing  nearly, 
four  hundred  tons,  and  the  massive  pcdesto. 


EMPIKE    OF    RUSSIA, 


mt 


TOMB    OF    QUEEN   ANN   JAGELLON   IN    THE    CATHEDRAL    OP  WAESAW,  POLAND. 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONa 


tnust  materially  increase  the  tremendous  pres- 
sure. The  statue  was  raised  in  its  rough  state, 
and  polished  after  it  was  firmly  fixed  on  its 
present  elevation.  The  capital  and  ornaments  on 
the  pedestal  were  formed  from  Turkish  cannon. 
On  the  pedestal  is  the  following  inscription : 
"  To  Alexander  the  First— Grateful  Russia." 

The  eye  rests  with  pleasure  on  this  polished 
monument ;  and  in  any  other  city  its  enormous 
size  would  make  a  greater  impression.  In  St. 
Petersburg,  however,  where  the  eye  expands 
■with  the  vast  surroiiuding  spaces,  it  is  seen 
under  a  smaller  angle  of  vision.  The  place  on 
•which  it  stands  is  so  vast  in  its  dimensions,  the 
houses  around  are  so  high  and  massive,  that 
even  this  giant  requires  its  whole  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  not  to  disappear.  But  when  the 
stranger  is  close  to  it,  and  becomes  aware  of  its 
circumference,  while  its  head  seems  to  reach 
the  heavens,  the  impressiou  is  strong  and  oyer- 
poweriag. 


RUSSIAN  NAVY   CADETS. 

Already,  however,  it  is  said  that  a  worm  is 
gnawing  at  this  beautiful  monolith,  and  it  has 
likewise  received  a  very  sad  and  offensive  rent 
from  above  toward  the  middle.  It  may  be  that 
the  stone  was  at  first  badly  chosen,  or  that  the 
cold  of  St.  Petersburg  will  not  tolerate  such 
monuments  of  human  art.  There  are  those 
among  the  inhabitants  who  think  it  a  patriotic 
duty  to  deny  the  existence  of  the  rent,  which 
has  been  artfully  filled  with  a  cement  of  granite 
fragments.  But  in  the  sunshine,  when  the 
polish  of  the  rent  shows  differently  from  that 
of  the  stone — or  in  the  Winter,  when  the  hoar 
frost  forms  in  icicles  on  the  cold  stone,  but  not 
ou  the  warmer  cement — the  marring  line  is  but 
too  apparent. 

p~»-^ 

The  Kremlin,  Moscow. 

This  celebrated  fortress  of  Moscow  is  inti- 
mately associated  with  the  history  of  the  Rus- 


sian Empire,  the  residence  of  its  ancient  czanf, 
and  the  heart  of  its  ancient  capital.  It  wa» 
first  built  of  stone,  at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  after  having  previously  existed  in  a 
temporary  form,  and  is  situated  on  an  eminence 
at  the  foot  of  which  flows  tho  Moskva  River. 
It  is  surrounded  with  walls  from  twelve  to 
sixteen  feet  thick,  and  from  twenty-eight  to 
fifty  feet  high,  with  battlements,  embrasures, 
numerous  towers,  and  five  gates ;  and  forms, 
with  its  beautiful  gardens,  nearly  a  triangle  of 
somewhat  more  than  a  mile  in  circumference. 
The  Kremlin  contains  very  many  cathedrals, 
churches,  monasteries,  and  some  of  the  finest 
public  buildings  and  monuments  of  Moscow, 
which,  together  with  its  commanding  situation, 
its  lofty  walls,  with  its  colored  towers,  steeples, 
and  domes,  present  a  peculiar  and  imposmg 
aspect.  The  paved  court  of  the  Kremlin  is  sur- 
mounted by  the  walls  of  tho  tower  of  Ivan  Ve^ 
lekoi  (the  Great),  presenting  from  its  summit 


EMPIBE    OF   RUSSIA. 


363 


« 


Q 

>■ 
■§ 

o 


CO 


xo 


S64 


THE    WORLD'S    GRE.IT    NATIONS. 


their  network  around  it,  and  the  scene, 
at  a  distance,  is  of  a  most  charming 
nature 


Vomen  of  Viatka  and  of  Perm. 

The  City  cf  Peim  is  situn.ts.l  en  the 
riglit  hack  of  the  Kama,  below  tlie  con- 
fluence of  tlie  Tchysovaia,  nine  hundred, 
and  fifty  miles  east  by  south  cf  St.  Peters- 
burg. It  is  built  with  considerable  re- 
gularity, in  straight  and  spacious  streets, 
r.nd  it  is  the  seat  of  an  aichljiphcpric. 
It  has  two  churches  and  several  other 
public  edifices,  surmounted  witli  spires,  a 
gymnasium,  theological  seminary,  a  civil 
ar.d  military  hospital,  extcneivo  copper 
and  iron  smelting  and  lefining  works, 
which  give  employment  to  the  greater 
part  of  the  population. 

Tlie  inhabitants  number  about  ten 
thousand.  'I  ho  wcmen  are  remarkabla 
for   their  grace  and   taste  in  dres:s. 

Viatka  lies  a  little  to  the  west  of  Perm, 
and  is  more  severe  in  "Winter,  but  still  is 
healthy.  Agriculture  is  the  principal  oc- 
cupation of  the  inhabitants.  They  aro 
also  extensively  cultivating  woolen  and 
linen  manufactures. 

The  inhabitants  consist  of  various  race* 
— I'lUssians,  Fins,  Tartars,  Bashkirs,  etc. 

The  population  of  Viatka  is  about; 
eight  thoiisand.  It  has  a  fine  cathedral 
and  several  handsome  churches.  It  has 
also  numerous  convents. 

We  present  the  picture  cf  a  lady  in  h'-v 
Winter  costume. 


WOMEN  OF  VIATKA  AKD  OF  PEBAf. 


EuEsian  Carriages  and  Sleigh, 

We  present  our  readers  with  engrav- 
ings cf  Russian  vehicles,  which  illustrate 
the  difference  a  few  years  have  made  in 
their  mode  of  locomotion.  The  four- 
wheeled  carriages  were  i:sed  by  the  nobles 
a  century  ago,  and  were  of  a  very  lum- 
bering build.  In  "Winter,  however,  the 
sleigh  or  dro^skj'  is  invariably  used  by 
the  richer  classes,  who  delight  in  its  rapid 
motion  ;  but  \vc  need  not,  in  America, 
dwell  upon  the  pleasant  excitement  of  a 
sleigh-ride,  it  being  familiar  to  all. 


one  of  the  most  remarkable  views  in  the 
■world.  On  a  granite  pedestal,  at  its  foot, 
stands  the  monster  bell.  In  one  of  the  lower 
stories  of  the  tower  is  another  bell  of  remark- 
able weight,  and  in  the  other  stories  are  at 
least  forty  or  fifty  smaller  bells,  all  of  which 
are  rimg  during  the  whole  of  Easter  week. 

Napoleon,  after  the  invasion  of  Russia,  took 
up  his  residence  in  the  Kremlin,  September  l-j, 
1812.  The  place  is  pointed  out  in  the  Terema 
palace  from  which  he  is  said  to  have  watched 
the  progress  of  the  fire,  which  compelled  him 
to  leave  it  on  the  evening  of  September  16th. 
He  returned  to  it  September  20th,  and  finally 
departed  October  10th. 

The  coronation  of  the  present  emperor  took 
place  in  t'.io  Kremlin,  in  1856.  Itisregardei 
■with  considerable  interest  by  all  patriotic  Rus- 
sians, who  still  look  with  reprrct  at  the  removal 
ot  the  ancient  Moscow  to  the  modern  St.  Pc- 

tersDurs. 


A  Eussian  Post-house. 

The  picturesque  build- 
ing represents  a  post- 
house  in  Russia.  It  is 
drawn  from  one  on  the- 
high  road  between  Kos- 
troma and  Yaroslav. 
These  are  two  important 
cities  on  the  Volga,  of 
considerable  antiquity 
and  wealth.  Tliey  are 
the  great  manufacturing 
towns,  and,  conse- 
quently, have  a  thriv- 
ing, active  appearance. 
The  post-house,  where 
relays  are  furnished,  is 
there  as  it  was  with  us 
in  former  days.  The 
railways  have  not  spread 


A   RUSSIAN   POST-HOCSa 


EMPIEE    0?   RUSSIA. 


3G5 


^£ii**wis^--" 


Rassian  Village  Danes. 

-  Holiday  in  the  Czar's  domains !  After  hear- 
ing Mass,  the  peasants  have  gathered  near  the 
door  of  the  drinking-shop.  Groups  of  men 
chat  and  drink.  A  musician,  seated  on  the 
ground,  or  on  a  low  stool  of  whitewood,  tor- 
tures the  strings  of 
a  long-handled  banjo, 
■which  he  holds  on 
his  knees.  The  dancer 
strikes,  "first  with 
heel  -  tap,  and  then 
■with  the  toes." 

At  this  moment 
the  lazy  instrument 
scarcely  gives  forth  a 
few  plaintive  notes , 
the  dancer  seems  to 
deliberate  where  to 
set  his  foot.  Wait! 
the  musician  rouses 
up,  the  notes  rush 
forth,  the  dancer 
raises  his  head,  and 
gambols  and  gesticu- 
lates as  he  keeps  time 
to  the  music.  If  there 
happens  to  be  a  girl 
in  the  circle  around, 
stout  enough  to  keep 
Tip  ■with  him — and  it 
■will  be  a  wonder  if 


THE   KKEMI.IN,  MOSCOW. 

there  is  not — he  rushes  to  her,  encircles  her 
waist  with  his  right  arm,  while  she  seizes  his 
belt  in  her  right,  and  they  dance  up  and  down 
a  straight  line  in  perfect  time.  Suddenly  she 
bursts  away,  and  dances  off  in  flight ;  he  pur- 
sues, nears,  grasps  her ;  she  eludes  him  and 
dances  off,  casting  him  a  flower  from  her  head- 


COS8ACK3  DANCING  ON  A   WEDDING-EVE. 


dress.  Without  losing  his  step  in  the  dance, 
he  picks  this  up,  and  renews  his  pursuit  till 
he  overtakes  her,  when  they  begin  again  to 
dance  their  best.  Other  couples  join  in  this 
festive  sport.  The  steps  are  not  varied,  and 
the  figures  are  left  to  the  imagination  of  the 
dancers,  some  of  them  resembling  the  cotillion. 
The  barrel  near  at 
hand  supports  the 
samovar,  a  copper 
urn  for  tea,  to  which 
the  dancers  resort 
for  refreshment  in 
(he  vigorous  amuse- 
ment, and  when  the 
dance  has  ended, 
the  barrel  of  whisky 
serves  for  a  long 
debauch. 

We  must  remember 
that  the  love  of 
ardent  spirits  is  not 
the  taste  of  Russia 
alone,  but  in  all  nor- 
thern countries  it  is 
the  prevailing  habit ; 
for  latitude  has  a 
great  influence  upon 
the  bibulous  inclina- 
tions of  a  people, 
the  greater  cold 
requiring  greater 
stimulant. 


S66 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIOKS. 


The  EuESian  Church  and  Clergy. 
The  Russian  Churclies  differ  from  the  ricman, 
in  making  the  Holy  Spirit  proceed  from  the 
Father  alone,  and  in  denying  Purgatory,  for 
which  it  does  not  find  authority  in  the  Bible. 
It  admits  the  same  number  of  Sacraments  r.s 
do  the  Roman,  but  holds  that  Baptism  should 
be  performed  by  immersing  the  whole  body 
t'.iree  times  in  water.  Confirmation  is  admin- 
istered after  the  ceremony  of  Baptism,  by  any 
priest,  and  not  as  with  the  Romans,  exclusively 
by  the  bishops,  Transubstantiation  is  recog- 
nized in  the  administration  of  the  Communion 
as  well  as  in  the  Sacrifice  cf  the  Mass,  without, 
however,  making  the  Host  an  object  of  special 
•worship.  The  Communion  consists  in  partak- 
ing of  both  bread  and  wine,  the  first  leavened, 


offering  of  sacrifice,  the  reading  <  f  the  Gospel, 
the  Kpistle~,  the  recital  of  the  Tx)rd's  Prayer, 
the  Miceno  Creed,  and  other  piayeis,  aloud 
wit'.i  the  congregation,  as  was  practiced  by 
Ciiiysostom,  a;id  many  other  primitivj  fathers. 
Preaching  is  considered  as  a  secondary  matter. 
No  instrumental  music  whatever,  but  only 
choral  singing,  i.i  used  in  the  churches  ;  and  no 
stools,  chairs,  or  benches  are  allowed.  P;iint- 
ings  are  admitteJ,  but  no  sculptures  of  stone, 
metal,  or  wood. 

1  I  »  I  ( 

Eussian  Carnival. 
On  the  morning  when  thr;  carnival  is  to  be 
celebrated,  St.  Petersburg  would  teem  to  have 
quadrupled  its  population   during  the  night.. 
Not  a  square  but  is  teeming  with  figures. 


Czar.  What  Russian  would  presume  to  toncli  tt 
in  an  irreverent  manner?  However,  to  prevent 
mishaps — they  sometimes  occur— three  or  four 
officials  ot  tlie  pjlice  force  each  of  them  armed, 
may  be  seen  following  the  Czar  at  a  respectful, 
but  by  no  means  too  great  a  distance.  Tha 
crowd  keeps  out  of  the  way  alto. 

The  Czar  h  is  passed.  The  stir  and  hum  of 
the  bubbling  crowd  comiEei^ces  again.  But  the 
night  is  foiling.  The  g  s  hiis  already  been  lit, 
and  countless  oil-lamps  illuminate,  one  by  one, 
the  various  stands  and  booths.  No  one  seems 
to  pause  If  one  man  sleeps,  another  fills  his 
place,  ani  so  it  continues  through  the  night 
and  the  next  day,  and  the  next  night,  until  at 
last  the  curtain  falls  upon  the  last  day  of  th» 
week,  and  the  wearied-out  thousands  that  hav» 
been  active  during  the  whole,  of  that  period. 


the  second  mixed  with  water.  Confession  is 
obligatory  j  but  it  may  be  special  or  general,  or 
auricular,  as  the  penitent  chooses.  Extreme 
TJnction  is  bestowed  not  only  on  the  dying,  but, 
•when  desired,  on  persons  who  are  ill  to  any 
extent.  Predestination  is  not  admitted,  nor 
the  transfer  of  superabundant  merits  from  one 
einner  to  another,  nor  special  indulgencies  for 
the  dead  or  living.  This  Church  raises  the 
Virgin  above  angels,  seraphim  and  cherubim, 
and  lecognizes  the  worship  of  saints,  relics, 
aud  hcly  places.  It  abounds  in  holy  days,  and 
observes  and  prescribes  more  fasts  thau  the 
Eomsn  Church. 

The  liturgy  and  ceremonies  claim  to  be 
wrictly  conformed  to  those  used  in  the  earliest 
i.mes  et  Ciixistiauity,    Xlie  Musti  consists  in  the 


BAZAR   AT  ST.  PETERSBURG. 

Our  engraving  shows  the  bustle  and  excite- 
ment necessitated  by  preparing  for  the  coming 
holiday. 

All  sorts  of  carriages  and  vehicles  are  com- 
pelled to  pass  through  the  nanow  tracks, 
which  are  the  only  ones  left  open  to  them. 

At  a  certain  hour  of  the  day,  the  rush  to  the 
ice-hills  begins.  Arrived  at  the  top  of  one, 
men  and  women  embark  themselves  upon  the 
small  sledges  piovided.  Down  they  go,  gaining 
additional  impetus  with  each  second. 

It  is  understood  that,  during  this  holiday,  no 
one  notices  or  knows  the  Czar,  if  his  imperial 
fancy  ciiooses  to  mingle  with  the  trowd.  Nev- 
ertheless, no  one  jostles  him.  They  may  run 
against  a  chamberlain,  or  overthrow  a  prince, 
but  therj  is  a  sanctity  in  the  pcrduu  yf  the 


The  Russian  carnival  is  over.  The  people 
have  spent  their  money.  They  will  retire  and 
work  for  another  year,  with  memory  of  tliis 
pleasure,  and  their  anticipation  of  the  next. 
First,  however,  they  will  attend  their  churches, 
to  thank  God  for  the  week's  happiness — coarso 
but  thorough  as  it  was— which  He  has  permit- 
ted them  to  enjoy. 

**^>^ • 

The  Great  Bell  of  Mascow. 

Close  to  the  Tower  of  Ivan  Veliki,  in  Moscow, 
and  reared  on  a  massive  pedestal  of  granite, 
stands  the  mighty  bell,  justly  named  "  The 
Monarch  "  iCzar  Ko!okal>.  for  no  other  in  th» 
world  may  dispute  its  sovereignty. 

It  nas  tust  Liy  the  comman.l  of  the  Empress 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


367 


^  Anne,  in  1730,  and  bears  her  figure,  in  flowing 
robes,  upon  its  surface,  beneath  which  is  a  deep 
border  of  flowers. 

The  Cxar  Kolokal  is  highly  venerated,  for  the 
religious  feelings  of  the  people  were  called  into 
action  when  it  was  cast,  and  every  one  who  had 
a  fraction  of  the  precious  metal  threw  into  the 
melting  mass  some  offering  of  either  silver  or 
gold.         ^  ' 

The  bell  has  ons  great  defect — its  decorative 
parts  are  in  low  relief,  and  extremely  badly 
executed. 


THE  RUSSIAN   ILVKRIAGE  CEREMONY. 


The  Eomance  of  a  Letter. 

An  English  merchmt  who  was  resident  in 
St.  Petersburg  during  the  Crimean  war,  pays  a 
high  tribute  to  the  moderation  and  forbearance 
wliich  the  Russians  displayed  toward  his  coun- 
trymen under  the  provocation  of  the  seige  of 
Sebastopol  and  the  blockade  of  Cronstadt.  He 
gives  the  following  instances  of  their  post-office 
officials: 

;     "One  letter  of  mine  to  a  friend  in  Moscow 
Inclosed  a  fifty  rouble  notf .    The  keen  Euseian- 


money-scent  was  too  much  for  my  poor  envei 
ope.  As  I  stood  at  tlie  counter  of  the  St.  Peters- 
burg post-office,  sticking  on  the  double-eagl« 
stamp — price  ten  kopecks — I  felt  that  I  tru* 
doing  a  foolish  tiling  in  sending  off  an  nnin- 
sured  letter.  I  looked  suspiciously  at  the  seeav 
official,  luxuriating  in  a  salary  of  twenty  ronblee. 
a  month,  who  had  sold  me  the  stamp,  and  I  aa 
sure  my  tell-tale  face  informed  him  that  1  wa« 
passing  a  money-letter  through  his  hands. 
When  my  friend  wrote  that  he  received  th» 
empty  note,  I  drove  to  the  poatmaster-genenU 


■308 


THE    ^OELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


THE   IMI'EBIAL   FAMILY   SLEIliUINCJ    ON    THE   NEVA,  NEAK   Br.  I'ElliKoliLKO. 


attacked  his  assistant,  whom  I  found  coolly  cut- 
ting his  nails,  vrith  the  wrath  of  an  injured 
man ;  and  was  told  by  him,  as  he  carefullj- 
nipped  off  the  corner  of  the  nail  of  the  little  fin- 
ger of  the  left  hand,  that  it  served  me  right  for 
trying  to  defraud  the  Government  of  the  insur- 
tJS.?.e,  and  that  I  was  liable  to  prosecution. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  I  once  sent  a  sum  of 
money  to  a  person  in  the  interior,  but  this  time 
I  insured  it,  and  got  a  receipt.  When  it  reache.l 
its  destination  the  man  had  removed  ;  in  trying 
to  find  him  the  packet  traveled  to  all  the  Evan- 
ofifskys  in  Russia,  to  Siberia,  to  Odessa,  to  Kief, 
to  Karkoff,  crossed  the  Ural  Mountains  into 
Asia,  and  back  through  all  the  offs  and  skys  in 
■every  government  of  the  empire.  After  having 
made  the  tour  of  the  Russian  dominions,  it  was 
returned  to  St.  Petersburg  at  the  end  of  fifteen 
months.  But  as  my  friend  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
dressed was  by  that  time  toasting  his  toes  at  an 
English  grate,  I  presented  my  receipt,  and  re- 
ceived the  letter  with  the  money  inclosed  just 
as  I  had  put  it  in.  The  large  envelope  was 
covered,  back  and  front,  with  the  seal  of  every 
government-town  through  which  it  had  passed. 
From  this  I  could  calculate  pretty  nearly  that 
my  letter  had  traveled  thirty  thousand  miles  for 
f  ourpence.  It  may  not  be  generally  known  that 
the  Russians  had  a  cheap,  uniform  postage  be- 
fore us — five  kopecks,  or  two  pence,  for  town 
letters  and  letters  in  one  government  or 
county ;  and  ten  kopecks,  or  fourpence,  for 
any  letter  all  over  the  empire ;  and  if  the 
quality  as  well  as  leogtb  of  roads  are  taken  into 


account,  and  that  all  the  mails  are  carried  on 
springless  carts  by  horses,  and  sometimes  dogs, 
deer,  and  other  quadrupeds,  when  vehicles  are 
impracticable,  the  cost  will  appear  even  less 
than  the  celebrated  penny-post  in  England. 
"I  can  say,  too,  for  the  Russian  Post-office 
officials,  that  in  civility,  activity,  and  business 
habits,  they  offer  a  very  striking  contrast  to  the 


officials  of  any  other  department  of  the  Gov- 
ernment. 

' '  Foreign  newspapers  are  obtained  through 
the  Post-office  only,  by  paying  a  year's  ad- 
vance." 


A  RCSSIAN  NTM. 


Palac3  of  Paul  I.,  St.  Petersburg. 
The  jmblic  buildings  of  St.  Petersburg,  and 
the  palaces  of  the  princes  and  nobles,  are  mostly 
in  the  Roman-Greek  style  of  architecture — that 
of  Paul  I.,  shown  in  our  illustration,  being  a 
fine  example — having  been  princij^ally  erected 
from  the  design  of  Italian  architects,  who  have 
had  the  principal  hand  in  most  of  the  improve- 
ments of  Moscow  and  St.  Petersburg,  and  have 
given  to  the  latter  more  of  the  air  of  an  Italian 
city  than  seems  well  to  befit  a  climate  the  in- 
clemency of  which  is  in  the  most  striking  con- 
trast with  that  of  the  bland  regions  where  this 
style  originated,  and  to  which  it  is  adapted. 


The  Imperial  Theatre  of  Moscow. 
This  is  a  noble  specimen  of  modern  ar- 
chitecture, and  is  situated  in  one  of  the  largest 
and  finest  squares  in  the  world.  The  fa9ade  has 
a  portico  of  the  composite  order,  surmounted 
by  a  magnificent  and  colossal  group  of  statuary, 
representing  Apollo  seated  in  a  triumphal  car, 
drawn  by  four  horses.  In  the  evening,  just  be- 
fore the  doors  of  the  theatre  are  thrown  open, 
the  portico  is  illuminated  in  the  most  brilliaat 
manner. 


EMPIRE    OF    BUSSIA. 


369 


tHircassian  Ontpost. 

CiucAssiA  contains 
about  forty  thousand 
■square  miles  of  terri- 
tory ;  it  occupies  all 
tlie  north  and  part  of 
the  south  side  of  the 
Caucasus,  and  it  is  in- 
tersected throughout 
by  branches  of  that 
mountain  chain,  sepa- 
rated from  each  other 
by  deep,  precipitous 
ravines,  which,  in 
general,  are  only  wide 
enough  to  form  the 
bods  of  foaming  tor- 
rents, but  occasionally, 
after  commencing 
■with  narrow  gorges, 
spread  out  into  valleys 
of  some  extent  and 
great  fertility.  The 
highest  summits  are 
for  nine  months  in 
the  year  covered  with 
snow,  some  of  them 
never  altogether  part- 
ing with  this  cover- 
ing. At  a  lower  level, 
■where  the  surface  is 
not  Eo  precipitous  as 
to  Lave  no  soil  for 
vegetation,  m  a  g  n  i  fi  - 
cent  forests,  chiefly 
oak,  prevail ;  and 
lower  still,  grassy 
slopes  appear,  suc- 
ceedeJ  occasionally  by 
cultivated  fields— the 
whole  uniting  to  form 
a  scenery  which,  ac- 
cording to  all  ac- 
counts, is  of  the  most 
magnificent  descrip- 
tion. The  climate  is 
temperate  and  salu- 
brious. Agriculture 
and  the  rearing  of 
cattle  are  the  only 
occupations  attended 
to  by  the  mass  of 
the  people. 

In  domestic  lifs  the 
Circassian  very  much 
resembles  the  Turk. 
His  authority  in  his 
own  house  is  absolute, 
but  there  is  the  re- 
deeming feature  that 
polygamy  is  unknown. 

The  Circassians  have 
no  annals,  and  very 
few  traditions  ;  their 
early  history  is  almost 
a  blank.  The  nation 
was  evidently  from 
the  East.  In  personal 
appearance  they  are 
the  finest  in  the  world, 
and  are  the  original 
stock  from  which  the 
races  now  dominant 
weis  derived. 

15 


S70 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


In  inodem  times  between  the  tenth  and  t'.iir- 
tdrntli  centuries,  the  ('ircassians  l>ecaine  subject 
to  the  liingdom  of  Georgia,  wiiose  Queen, 
Tamar,  is  said  to  liave  been  instructed  in  Chris- 
ti  :nity. 

In  1424  they  threw  off  the  Georgian  yoke,  as- 
serted their  indepondance,  and  not  only  main- 
drained  it,  but  extendjd  their  boundaries  so  far 
that  they  were  at  la  t  brought  into  fierce  con- 
flict witli  the  Tartars,  wlio  ultimately  prevailed, 
and  made  the  Circassians  their  tributaries.  In 
1705  they  rose  i:gain3t  their  oppressors,  an  1  by 
a  decisive  victory  gained  their  freedom.  In 
1781  Kus.sia  acquired  the  Kooban  as  a  frontier, 
and  in  1784  the  TurliS  built  the  fort  Anapa,  and 


ravening'  masses.  Tl:cy  are  the  terror  of  the 
plains,  and  their  depred2,tions  involve  every 
year  a  large  sacrifice  of  human  lite.  But  the 
hardy  Uuss  is  a  mighty  hunter  amo.jg  men,  and 
no  danger,  present  or  possible,  deters  him  from 
braving  the  hordes  of  wolves  and  attacking 
them  in  their  strength. 

There  are  many  methods  of  hunting  these 
gaunt  beasts,  but  the  one  we  are  about  to  de- 
scribe is  the  most  exciting  and  the  most 
riskful. 

Three  or  four  men  place  themselves  in  a 
sledge  drawn  by  two  swift  horses,  and,  choosing 
some  wild,  rnow-covered  steppe,  start  across  it 
at  tlie  full  speed  of  their  steeds.     One  of  the 


notwithstanding  the  thrusts  from  the  fork  of 
the  driver,  they  return  again  and  again  to  the 
charge. 

'ihe  horses,  triinol  for  the  purpose,  ne'Uier 
swerve  to  the  ri^ht  nor  left,  nor  relax  Uieir 
speed,  but  continue  a  straightforward  C(  uise. 
Soon  the  sledge  threatens  to  be  entirely  sur- 
rounded. If,  unfc.  tun  .tely,  cne  of  the  steeds 
should  stumble  and  fa'l,  nothing  on  earth  can 
save  horse  or  man.  A  f;:\v  minutes  would  suf- 
fice for  the  wolves  to  make  clean  bone.;  ol 
both. 

This  is  the  exciting  moment  of  the  chase.  The 
huntsmen  fire  right  and  left  into  the  swarming 
horde,  bringing  down  one  or  more  at  eacli  shot 


ihence  directed  their  efforts  to  stir  np  the  Cir- 
cassians against  the  Czar. 

After  mjny  fortunes,  good  and  bad,  Anapa 
finally  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Russians,  and, 
by  the  treaty  of  Adrianoplc,  they  also  acquired 
all  othsr  possessions  on  the  coast. 


Wolf-Hunting  in  Eussia. 
In  the  wild,  vast,  and  almost  endless  plains 
of  Russia,  amidst  wastes  of  snow  and  Arctic 
cold,  the  wolves  exi.st  in  countless  numbers. 
They  roam  in  packs,  an  1  in  seasons  of  unusual 
eevodty  they  congregate  ia  vast  howling  and 


A  CODRT  BECBPTION   IN  ST.  FETEESBUHO. 

party  places  himself  in  front  as  driver,  having 
witliin  reach  a  long,  two-pronged  fork.  Two 
more,  armed  with  rifles,  place  themselves  in  the 
body  of  the  vehicle,  wliile  a  fourth,  standing  in 
the  back,  hulds  aloft  a  young  pig,  the  squealing 
of  which  soon  brings  the  wolves  from  their 
lairs. 

At  first  they  follow  the  track  of  tlie  sledge  in 
scanty  numbers,  and  at  a  respectful  distance, 
but  as  they  increase  they  become  very  daring. 
From  half  a  dozen  they  speedily  multiply  to 
fifty,  tlien  to  a  hun  !red,  then  to  a  thousand, 
until  at  last  their  red  backs,  surging  on  every 
side,  totally  obscure  the  snow.  The  leading 
wolves  now  spnng  at  the  horses'  headii  and, 


Still  the  onward  course  h  as  furious  as  e^^'^T,  • 
line  of  red  marking  the  trail  of  sle  ige  and  car- 
rion across  tlie  plain  of  snow. 

When  the  huntsmen  have  glutted  their  nppe- 
tite  for  slaughter,  the  driver  of  the  s'edge 
suddenly  brings  his  horees  round,  and  with 
undiminished  speed  cuts  through  the  troop  of 
pursuers. 

Surpris  d  by  this  abrupt  movement,  the 
wolves  hesitate  a  moment,  and  lose  some  few 
minutes  before  forming  their  ranks  ;  but  these 
few  minutes  have  sufficed  ;  time  has  been  gained 
by  the  huntsmen  to  a'low  the'r  i-ledge  to  get  a 
good  advance,  and  c.  few  versts  place  them  out 
of  danger. 


EMPIKE    OF    BUSSIA. 


37t 


a 

H 

O 


t-H 


g 


372 


THE    WORLD'3    GREAT    NATIOXa 


A  Eussian  Nun. 

"MoN^vSTic  life  prevaiLi  in  HuSDia  after  the 
Greek  type,  but,  like  evorytliin  ^  else,  modified 
bj  a  government  which  ia  all  iu  all.  Who  may 
entsr,  and  who  may  leave  ;  what  t'.wy  are  t} 
recjiv'O,  an  I  how  to  dress,  is  r.ll  laia  down  by 
thf-  law  of  t'.)C  land. 

Onr  nun  in  the  engraving  is  beating  Iha  hour, 
e  r.-jbstitute  for  the  bell,  and  a  custom  long 
prcTale.it  \:\  Kome  Latia  convents,  having  been 
establishe  1  by  a  hermit  who  burie  1  himself  in  a 
forest  and  hung  up  a  board,  the  striking  of 
Tvuich  called  him  forth  to  human  converse. 

STThere  is  not  much  romance  about  the  Russian 
convents.    It  is  impossible  to  get  up  enthusias- 


gird'es,  purses,  and  ot'.ier  articles  of  clothing, 
and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  church  vestments. 


Female  Costumes  of  Orel  ejid  Eowisk, 
Bussia. 
Tie:  dress  of  the  ladies  and  the  higher  pGr.sant 
class  cf  these  Russian  provinces,  as  shov.n  in 
our  illustration,  is  striking  and  picturesque. 
The  physiologists  who  have  been  so  Ion;;  de- 
iioun.'ing  the  tight  waists  of  our  ladies'  attire, 
would  be  enraptured  at  th^  sight  cf  these 
dresses,  for  they  are  innocent  of  a  waist.  Tlic 
Winter  waJking-Jress,  and  the  birdlike,  vailed 
form,  with  the  head- tiring  that  seems  borrowed 
from  Lebanon,  are  neither  of  tliem  ungraceful, 


final  ceremony.  All  fhe  friends  of  the  brid^— 
that  is,  of  her  own  sex — assemble  at  her  house 
in  the  morning,  to  work  at  her  bridal  outfit. 
In  the  evening  the  young  men  join  them,  and 
seat  themselves  around  the  room  ;  the  girls 
stand  together  in  the  middle  space.  One  of 
them  offers  a  glass  of  wine  cr  brandy  to  one  of 
the  young  men,  and  asis  his  baptismal  name, 
and  that  of  his  father.  Thej  then  commence 
to  dance  in  a  circle,  mingling  the  names  with 
their  songs,  and  keeping  time  with  their  feet. 
This  dance,  though  it  would  seem  ridiculous  if 
performed  by  the  best  dancers  at  a  fashionable 
ball,  is,  as  executed  by  those  Cossack  girls,  at 
once  graceful  and  natural  in  its  simplicity  and 
eamestneKS.     At  noon  on  the  wedding-day,  all 


■fac  sympathy  for  the  unfortunate  fair  ones, 
TThi/TD  we  may  figure  to  ourselves  as  shut  up  by 
cmol  parents,  and  ready  to  marry  any  man  on 
sight,  or  i-un  off  without  marriage,  for  the  mat- 
ter of  that.  There  c  m  bo  no  such  romance 
about  a  Eussiiin  nun.  The  fair  recluse  must  be 
f-.rtv.  and  must  get  permission  of  the  synod  to 
«ntei,  and  then  the  government  liberally  allows 
hsr  five  dollars  a  year  to  live  on.  leaving  her 
t  J  work  out  or  beg  the  rest.  They  may  be 
eoen  sowing  and  digging  tlie  scanty  convent 
fidds,  repairing  the  walls ;  indeed,  a  church  is 
pointed  out  at  Niznei  Novgorod  built  by  the 
li.a;id8  of  nuns  from  the  ground  to  the  summit 
of  the  tower.  But  their  more  usual  labors  arc 
knitting  and  woftvinjt  stockings,  silk  and  woolen 


PETTT  TKADfiBS   Ot  ST,  FKT&BSBUUG. 

the  long  lines  falling  easily,  and  the  monotony 
of  outline  broken  by  the  overdress. 

There  is  a  lady-Uke  absence  of  ornament 
which  speaks  well  for  the  prevailing  taste.  In 
the  dress  of  the  rich  peasant-wife,  we  find,  as 
we  would  naturally  expect,  less  of  this  refined 
taste,  and  more  simple  ornament,  subdued  so  as 
not  to  mar  the  picturesque  and  descend  to  the 
tawdry, 

■^■•»»- 

A  Cossack  Wedding. 
OuK  illustration  represents  the  festival  on  the 
wedding  eve.    The  nuptial  festivities  generally 
commence  five  or  six  days  before  the  marriage- 
day,  and  continue  from  night  to  night,  till  the 


the  guests  assemble  at  the  residence  of  the 
bride,  arrayed  in  their  holiday  suits.  The 
young  girls  surround  the  bride,  arrange  her 
apparel,  dress  her  hair,  and  wipe  away  her  tears. 
None  speak  except  in  whispers.  All  are  calm 
and  serious.  There  being  such  a  bewildering 
superfluity  of  tirewomen,  the  toilet  of  the  bride 
occupies  an  hour  and  a-half.  The  bridegroom 
takes  the  hand  of  his  betrothed,  and  prostrates 
himself  three  times  before  the  chief  magistrate 
of  the  place,  who  attends  on  such  occasions. 
The  latter  holds  an  image  of  some  saint, 
which  he  presents  to  the  yonng  couple,  and  at 
the  same  time  hands  them  a  dish  containing  a 
large  loaf  of  bread ;  then  the  parents  of  the 
bride  take  the  image  mi  the  loaf,  wi  the 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


319 


young  coaple  arise  and  kis:; 
devoutly  those  consecrLited 
symbols  of  religion  and 
abundance.  The  ceremonies 
at  the  churoh  are  much 
the  same  as  in  other  Chris- 
tian lands,  and  need  not  be 
described. 


The  Ohanvans. 

Siberia  was  as  much  un- 
known as  America  to  the 
ancients,  and  it  lay  an  un- 
explored track  long  after 
Europe  had  poured  its  armies 
of  adventurers  and  colonists 
into  the  New  World.  Russia 
pushed  a  sort  of  coloniza- 
tion into  Siberia ;  and  her 
penal  colonies  have  given  it 
the  nucleus  of  a  civilized 
population,  who  may  one  day 
make  its  dreary  wastes  a 
land  of  comparative  comfort, 
wherever,  araid  the  barren 
steppes,  an  oasis  of  fertile 
land  appears. 

Now  it  io  the  roving  ground 
of  savage  tribes,  who  more 
nearly  approach  our  Indians 
than  any  other  dwellers  of 
the  continent  which  was  the 
primitive  home  of  our  race. 

Any  one  gazing  on  the 
striking  picture  we  give  as 
a  type  of  the  Chanvans,  one 
of  these  tribes,  can  hardly 
fail  to  mistake  it  for  an 
Indian  brandishing  his  scalp 
trophies  and  giving  the  yeU 
of  triumph  as  he  bounds  in 
joy  over  his  victory. 


A  Stag  Hunt  In  Siberia. 

The  English  traveler,  At- 
kinson, describes  the  follow- 
ing scene  which  took  place 
in  Siberia: 

"  Two  hunters  were  chasing 
a  stag,  and  followed  him 
from  valley  to  valley  until 
they  arrived  at  a  rocky  por- 
tion of  the  country.  Un- 
daunted, they  kept  on,  and 
toward  evening  liad  driven 
him  to  a  pass,  with  a  pre- 
cipice upon  one  side  and  a 
deSIe  upon  the  other.  Here, 
while  in  hot  pursuit,  they 
saw  the  animal  hesitate,  as 
though  afraid  to  advance. 
Supposing  that  some  wild 
animal  barre^l  his  passage,  they  kept  on,  when 
suddenly  two  bears  leaped  out  cf  the  bushes, 
and  joined  in  the  chase  of  the  stag.  The 
poor  animal,  turning  short  to  one  side,  leaped 
the  precipice,  making  a  bound  of  thirty-three 
feet,  and  lan-ling  upon  the  summit  cf  a  rcc'.; 
detached  from  the  principal  mass. 

One  of  the  bears  attempting  to  follow  him, 
over-calculating  bis  strength,  fell  into  the  abyss, 
while  the  other  stopped  upon  the  edge  of  the 


THE  CnANVAUS,  A   SIBEKIAN  TRIBE. 


precipice,  growling  with  rage.  Our  Cossacks 
sent  him  to  rejoin  his  comrade  in  the  heaven 
of  bears,  by  shooting  him. 


A  Legend  of  Siberia. 

Many  years  ngo,  the  ostrogs  en  the  banks  of 

the  Ana'yr  Piver  were   densely  packed   with 

loyal    Cossacks,  who    possessel    thousands  of 

reindeer,  and  cared  not  whether  B:'Jiaon  were 


abundant  or  not  in  its  waters — ^men  who  hnnted 
for  pastime  only,  and  enriched  the  chapels  c£ 
Russian  priests.  The  furious  Tchuktchi  had  notJ 
yet  appeared  among  them,  and  the  men  hunted 
in  peace,  or  roamed  with  their  Vv  ives  and  diil- 
dren  along  the  winding  Anadyr,  and  followed 
its  course  from  the  headwaters  to  its  confluence 
with  the  boisterous  gulf  beyond.  Far  down 
this  rixer,  wi'.hin  several  hundred  miles  of  tb« 
Bay  cf  Kaachalan,  a  number  of  these  wandcre* 


874 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    KATIOKa 


A   ST/G-HUNT   IN   SIBERIA. 


discovered  a  site  whicli  ple.isccl  them,  and  here 
tliey  built  their  hoices  and  a  fort  besides. 

Vv'lieu  the  Vvinter  had  frozen  the  river,  the 
f  imilies  of  the  pioneers  and  numbers  of  others 
traveled  over  the  ice  in  sledges  to  the  near 
v'.'.l.igc.  The  name  selected  for  it  was  Urch- 
ucteclia. 

But,  alack,  the  life  of  Urchustecka  and  the 
pror^perity  of  her  population  were  doomed  to  a 
short  continuance.  The  swarthy  nomad.'i  of  the 
great  deserts  beyond  discovered  the  new  ar 
riv.ils,  and  the  invaders  crossed  the  boundaries 
sinT  besieged  the  Cossacks.  They  hoped  to 
Bocnre  an  abundant  harvest  of  plunder.  Flocks 
of_decr,  caches  running  over  with  salmon,  furs, 
autl  nets,  and  implemtn's  of  the  chase — all 
these  good  things  invited  the  Tchuktchi. 

A  war  ensiled — a  long,  slow,  disastrous  war — 
but  the  enemy  was  superior  in  strategy,  and  the 
Cossacks  were  in  a  bad  strait  indeed.  The  war 
vas  hardly  fought  by  the  brave  Cossacks,  but 
their  foes  jjossessed  the  advantage,  because 
even  in  the  level  snow  they  made  hiding-places. 
'They  fought  the  fight  of  the  Indian— a  fight  of 
n:iibu8cades  and  massacre.  Stubbornly  were 
their  encroachments  resisted,  but  inch  by  inch 
thej'  drove  the  Cossacks  back  to  the  head- 
vaters  of  the  Anadj'r. 

Another  enemy  appeared  in  the  Cossack 
eamp  ;  it  was  famiuo  ;  their  flocks  were  gone, 
their  storehouses  despoiled,  and  their  teams  set 
at  liV)erty.  Sharp-faced  children  and  maidens, 
Bot  less  than  haggard  women  and  gaunt  Cos- 
jsacJis  with  bloodshot  eyes,  betokened  the  ap- 


pearance of  this  pitiless  scourge.  It  was  worse 
than  famine — it  was  despair — for  with  the 
pangs  of  hunger  was  born  the  resolve  to  perish 
rather  than  yield  to  their  merciless  foe. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  at  Urchustecka  ; 
and  destruction  the  most  complete  must  have 
overtaken  it,  but  for  the  bold  device  of  a  man 
who  was  a  favorite  with  the  good  spirits 
above. 

This   man   was   Vasilee   Sherepoi".     It  was 


said  that  it.  sliaidow  hovered  around  his.  Head! 

always,  antl  shielded  him  from  harm. 

While  yet  an  infant,  Vasilee,  like  Moses,  of 
old,  was.  set  afloat  on  a  cradle  of  reeds,  toidrift 
with  the  waters  wherever  fate  might  ordain. 
The  women  ©f  an  ostrog  on  the  Mine  Eiverhad. 
discovered  the  waif  a.she  floated  past  in  his.un^ 
certain  eraft.  They  took  him  to  their  Itomes,, 
and  all  irt turn  nursed  him.  A  nomad  Tungusi,. 
who  hapjjened  in  the  ostrog  shortly  after;,  re- 
lated that  the  child  was  born  of  a  maideni  of  his 
tribe,  who  had  been  compelled  to  forsake-  her 
babe,  as  the  i^enalty  of  her  crime — "  for,."' said 
the  traveler,  "  it  was  said  amongst  us  that  a 
being  of  a  white  color  was  the  child's  father,  | 
and  that  he  spoke  a  singular  language-"' 

Some  said  that  he  came  from  a  place  Ueyond,  ] 
whence  a  large  baidarka  conveyed  himi  away.  ' 
The  girl's  father  concluded  that  it  was.tlifi.  child 
of  a  sprite,  and  he  ordered  its  destruction.. 

AVith  this  web  of  my.stery  woven  around  hia 
young  life,  and  a  singular  intelligence^,  Vasilee-,  i 
started  in  the  world. 

The  Cossacks  had  learnt  to  reverence  him  a& ' 
a  being  from  another  sphere,  placed  among ' 
th  m  as  a  mark  of  the  Great  Spirit's  favor.  Hia 
reserved  character,  too,  and  mysterious  ways, 
enhanced  this  superstition.  He  had  encountered 
the  bear  of  the  North  in  single  combat,  and 
with  no  other  weapon  than  his  own  right  hand 
he  destroyed  the  monster.  When  the  lapravnic 
was  within  the  very  jaws  of  death,  this  Vasilee 
had   effected  his   cure  by  miraculous  means. 

Within  the  yourta,  too,  his  accomplishments 
and  superiority  were  no  less  marked. 

Sherepoff's  life  was  replete  with  incident,  and 
by  the  most  simple  means  he  had  wrought  out 
wonders.  By  clever  devices  he  retained  the 
halo  of  mystery  which  had  shaped  his  career. 
He  it  was  who  advised  the  settling  of  Urchus- 
tecka.  Now  that  the  invaders  were  at  the  very 
threshold,  it  is  not  strange  that  to  this  man 
alone  every  one  looked  for  relief.  He  had 
tried  every  measure  to  stay  the  encroachment 
of  the  Tchuktchi. 

He  had  gone  to  their  camps,  and  held  parley 
with  the  clilcfs ;  and  the  Tchuktchis,  without 


TBWELINO  IN  laS  JlUSBJiN  STBFPISS, 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


375 


A   WOLF-IIUNT   IM   RrSSIA. 


themselves  knowing  wLj',  had  allowed  him  to 
come  and  go  at  his  own  good  pleasure,  without 
jnolestiition. 

With  despair  Sherepoff  beheld  the  flocks  de- 
cimated or  captured,  and  the  helpless  families 
around  him  stricken  with  hunger,  while  the 
enemy  rejoiced  in  plenty.  The  confidence  of 
his  people  nerved  him  to  seek  assistance  from 
Heaven,  and  his  prayer  was  answered. 

One  night,  when  matters  had  arrived  at  this 
crisis,  and  the  Cossacks  were  assembled  in  the 
big  yourta,  discussing  their  terrible  situation, 
Vasilee  entered  noiselessly,  and  removing  his 
fur  cap,  he  shook  off  the  snow,  and  laid  it  be- 
eide  the  fire  to  dry.  The  eager  conversation 
had  been  silenced  upon  his  entrance,  and  all 
■waited  for  the  speech  of  the  chief. 

But  Vasilee  Sherepoff  was  unusually  silent 
that  night.  He  walked  over  to  a  comer  of  the 
room  where  the  arms  were  arranged,  and 
selected  for  himself  a  bow  and  a  quiver-full  of 
barbed  arrows.  He  then  approached  the  fire, 
and  adjusted  the  bowstring. 

The  Cossacks  preserved  silence ;  but  their 
eyes  implored  W  esplaiiatiou,  as  Sherepoff 


never  carried  arms  on  any  occasion.  He  vouch- 
safed no  explanation,  however,  but  quietly  com- 
pleted his  preparations. 

Presently  he  donned  his  cap,  which  had  now 
become  dry,  and  withdrew  in  the  same  manner 
that  he  had  entered.  But  on  reaching  the  door 
he  turned  back,  and  said  to  the  men  who  had 
risen  as  if  to  follow  him : 

' '  My  brothers,  you  are  anxious  to  learn  my 
movements ;  seek  not  to  know,  O  Cossacks ;  do 
not  follow  me  ;  I  know  your  valor,  but  I  pray 
you  do  not  follow  me.  I  have  spoken  with  the 
spirit,  and  he  has  revealed  his  presence  to-night. 
Stay  rather  in  the  yourta  and  make  ready,  be- 
cause to-morrow's  dawn  will  see  our  tribes  on 
their  journey  to  Markova.  Betray  not  the 
women  by  deserting  them,  but  await  my  return 
in  patience." 

Sherepoffs  will  was  law.  The  Cossacks  would 
fain  have  followed  his  footsteps. 

Outside  of  the  yourta  all  was  still — no  human 
being  could  be  seen  for  miles  around.  The  sun 
was  slowly  sailing  away  from  view,  while  the 
moon  arose  in  the  east  and  journeyed  swiftly 
toward  the  sun.    The  great  Anadyr  la^  calm 


and  glassy  in  the  chill  Winter  embrace.  Tha 
snow  was  caked  hard  upon  the  river,  and 
glistened  under  the  light  of  the  two  great  orbs, 
and  the  imprints  of  deer-hoofs  were  frozen  on 
its  surface  and  presented  a  perfect  mold.  Shere- 
poff moved  carefully  along,  regarding  every 
snow-bank  and  ice -boulder  suspiciously,  as 
likely  to  conceal  a  foeman.  Thus  he  traveled, 
sometimes  stopping  for  several  minutes  and 
listening  with  jealous  ear  to  the  wailing  of  tha 
breeze,  till  he  arrived  at  the  base  of  a  steep 
hill.  Here  the  would-be-deliverer  of  Urchus- 
tecka  halted,  and  bending  down  on  one  knee 
he  gazed  over  into  a  hollow  hewn  out  of  tha 
frozen  earth,  and  half  concealed  by  an  over- 
hanging shelf  of  snow.  In  the  hollow  a  dim 
light  cast  a  fUcker  over  the  snow-walls,  and 
clustered  around  this  light  were  a  dozen  or 
more  savages.  Sherepoff  appeared  satisfied 
with  the  discovery,  and  retreated  swiftly  to  a 
boulder  near  by,  which  offered  a  safe  retreat. 
From  this  hiding-place  he  gazed  eagerly  to  the 
eastward,  as  though  he  awaited  aid  from  that 
quarter.  The  adventurer  was  conscious  of  the 
dangers  of  to  scheme,  but  a  holy  pity  for  hia 


37S 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


THE   TCnCKTCni   NEAH  THE   COSSACK  YOURTAS. 


helpless  tribe  nerved  him  to  success.  Presently 
the  light  of  the  moon  shot  fieross  the  flaming 
track  of  the  setting  sun.  Vasilee  gazed  more 
eagerly  than  before,  but  a  smile  of  joy  and 
triumph  now  flashed  over  his  face.  Slowly  the 
giant  orbs  approach  each  other,  and  a  singular 
darkness  spread  over  ice  and  plain.  Still  Vasi- 
lee's  gaze  fastened  on  the  scene  above.  The 
orbs  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  until  a  collision 
seemed  inevitable ;  but  suddenly,  from  some 
mknown  regions  beyond,  the  Aurora  sprang 


between  the  sun  and  the  moon.  Its  long, 
luminous  limbs  embraced  the  two,  but  tliey 
were  drawn  closer  together  in  the  embrace. 

They  seemed  within  an  inch  of  each  other — 
the  giant  orbs.  The  moment  had  arrived  for 
which  Vasilee  Sherepoff  had  waited  so  long. 
He  now  arose  and  hastened  to  the  aperture  in 
the  Tchuktchi's  retreat.  He  then  detached  a 
strong  barbed  shat.  from  the  quiver  at  his  back, 
and  bent  his  whole  body  over  the  hole.  The 
savages  detected  the  shadow  across  their  thresh- 


old, and  leaped  to  their  feet 
as  one  man.  Swift  as  thought, 
Vasilee  aimed  at  the  foremost, 
a  slight  touch  of  the  bow- 
string, and  the  leader  rolled 
back  in  the  death-struggle. 

Another  followed,  and  an- 
other, but  presently  the  sav- 
ages gained  a  foothold  out- 
side. They  glanced  at  the 
daring  man  who  alone  attacked 
a  dozen  of  their  number,  and 
their  malicious  smiles  told  of 
the  terrible  vengeance  in  stora 
for  Sherepoff.  He,  however, 
stood  calm  and  unmoved  amid 
the  uproar  around  him,  and 
silently  pointed  to  the  combat 
above.  The  savages  gazed  for 
an  instant,  and  the  next  they 
■were  flat  on  their  faces,  rending 
their  hair  and  howling  for 
mercy.  Sherepoff  smiled 
sternly,  and  offered  to  stay  the 
convulsion  they  had  witnessed 
if  the  flocks  were  restored  to 
Urchustecka  and  the  inhabit- 
ants allowed  to  depart. 

Rapidly  the  treaty  was  con- 
cluded ;  the  savages  would 
accept  any  conditions. 

Vasilee  raised  his  head  again, 
and  the  last  ray  of  the  setting 
sun  disappeared.  The  Aurora 
lost  its  vivid  tints,  and  the 
moon  sailed  triumphantly 
through  the  floating  clouds. 

The  conquest  was  complete. 
TheTchuktchi  muttered  "  Kal- 
muk  "  softly,  and  withdrew  in 
silence  to  their  own  camps. 

When  Vasilee  returned  to 
the  yourta  he  discovered  the 
Cossacks  and  women  straining 
their  eyes  on  a  far  distant  col- 
umn of  men  and  women.  It 
was  the  retreating  foe. 


A  Finland  Farmhouse. 
After  leaving  Ofvre  Tornea 
there  are  no  regular  post- 
houses,  but  the  peasants  drive 
to  a  farmhouse.  Here  is  a 
description  of  one  ■ 

"A  large  fire  blazed,  that 
made  even  the  great  room 
Tincomfortably  warm.  Divers 
trades  are  going  on  in  different 
parts  of  it;  in  one  corner  a 
man  was  finishing  a  set  of 
harness ;  in  another,  the  runners  of  a  sledge 
were  receiving  that  peculiar  curve  that  dis- 
tinguishes them  in  Finland ;  and  a  number 
of  lasses,  with  their  shoulders  troubled  with 
very  little  clothing,  were  keeping  half  a  dozen 
«piuning-wheels  in  constant  motion. 

■•  As  soon  as  they  perceived  that  I  wanted  a 
relay,  one  of  the  girls  put  on  a  little  jacket, 
and,  without  waiting  to  button  it  over  her 
breast,  ran  to  a  house  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off  to 
fetch  a  Horse. 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


377 


"I  entered  a  few  houses  where  there  were 
shelves  on  each  side  of  the  fire,  bearing  forty  or 
fifty  birch  pans  filled  with  cream  an  inch  tliick  ; 
and  they  contrive  to  make  butter  the  wiiole 
Winter  through. 

"  The  houses  are  not  dirty,  though  the  rooms 
»re  generally  darkened  by  smoke.     In  lieu  of 


wood,  and  glazed.     They  arc  themselves  indus- 
trious and  well  clad." 


Traveling  Down  the  Elvers  of  Siberia. 
The  great  plain  of  Siberia,  extending  from 
the  Chinese  frontier  and  gradually  descending 


The  preparations  for  descending  one  of  these 
rapids,  or  poroga,  as  they  are  called,  are 
made  with  a  solemnity  which  fills  the  mind 
with  an  undefined  sense  of  dread.  As  soon  as 
the  boat  arrives  near  the  falls,  and  the  white- 
crested  waves  are  visible,  breaking  in  spray  on 
the  rocks,  and  overwhelming  every  obstructioa 


PERILOUS   ADVBUniEB  OVEB  THB  CATABACT  OF  SELO   KESCHB.TT,  IN  SIBEBIA. 


candles,  they  use  laths  of  fir,  planted  obliquely 
in  a  stand  ;  these  give  a  cheerful  but  unsteady 
light,  and  require  replacing  almost  every  second 
minute.  Although  laboring  under  such  disad- 
vantages, both  as  regards  soil  and  climate,  their 
state  is  infinitely  preferable  to  that  of  the  Irish 
cotters.     Their  habitations  arc  roomy,  built  of 


to  the  marshes  on  the  shores  of  the  frozen  sea, 
is  intersected  by  numerous  rivers,  rising  in  tha 
Altai  mountains,  on  the  southern  border  of  the 
plain,  traversing  its  extent  in  a  northerly  direc- 
tion. These  rivers  are  remarkable  for  being 
cut  up  by  rapids  and  disfigured  by  rocks,  which 
makes  tlie  navigation  exceedingly  difficult. 


in  their  precipitate  course,  the  captain  cries  ou€ 
Sadiles!  (sit  still!)  The  rowers  rest  on  their 
oars. 

The  next  order  is  Moliie  Bogo!  (pray  to 
God !)  on  which  the  crew  bow  down  before  th« 
image  of  a  saint  elevated  in  their  sight,  and  tha 
pilot  pronounces  a  prayer  in  a  loud  voice.    Tb9 


378 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


A  FINLAND  FABM-H0U8E. 


oailors  immediately  resume  their  position  at 
tlie  oars,  and  at  the  words  Grebile  silno !  (pull 
hard!)  strilve  with  all  their  Btrength.  A  deep 
anxiety  takes  possession  of  every  one  present^ 
an  anxiety  which  increases  as  they  near  the 
fall.; ;  they  seem  alive  ta  nothing  but  tlie  dan- 
ger which  lies  before  tliem — to  Ee3  nothing  but 
boiling  water — to  hear  nothing  but  the  voice  of 
the  waves. 

The  pilot  stands  at  the  prow,  holding  in  his 
hand  a  white  handkerchief,  with  which  he  sig- 
nals to  those  on  tlie  poop  when  tlie  sound  of 
his  voice  is  lost  in  the  roar  of  the  falling 
waters.  Four  men  stand  at  t'.ie  helm,  prepared 
ta  obey  instantly  tlie  first  signal.  When  the 
fall  is  unusually  dangerous,  two  or  more  of  the 
crew  manage  an  oar,  at  the  decisive  moment, 
rapidly  turning  the  prow  of  the  boat  i:i  the 
direction  of  the  current:  a  turn  in  the  wrong 
direction,  and  every  soul  on  board  must  perish. 

Suc'.i  is  a  general  description  of  the  perils 
suffered  by  travelers  in  this  distant  country, 
which  are  brought  more  vividly  before  us  by  a 
letter  from  a  correspondent,  recently  in  Siberia. 
Among  other  things  he  says : 

"  I  floated  down  one  of  these  rivers  in  a  boat 
resembling  Noah's  Ark,  the  vast  proportions  of 
this  unwieldy  vessel  increasing  my  anxiety ; 
but  a  day's  peaceful  navigation  gave  me  time 
to  recover  myself.  Finally,  however,  I  beheld 
the  great  waves:  the  oars  were  lifted  ;  the  boat 
was  borne  on  the  current ;  the  rapidity  of  its 
motion  increased  every  moment ;  the  tumult 
of  the  wavej  was  deafening  ;  every  nerve  in 
the  body  was  affected ;  the  sjnsation  was 
indescribable. 

"  I  flew  over  the  waves  ;  the  waters  ceased  to 
bellow ;  the  pilot  descended  to  the  prow, 
turned  his  face  towards  us,  and  in  a  cheerful 
voice  called  out  to  the  priacipaj  sam  oa  board, 


'  I  give  you  joy,  my  lord  ;'  he  paid  a  similar 
compliment  to  the  captain,  and  we  all  exclaimed 
together,  '  God  be  praised !'  and  the  profound 
silence  which  had  prevailed  amongst  us  in  tlie 
moment  of  danger  was  broken  by  a  loud  and 
joyous  shout. 

"  Such  an  expression  of  feeling  was  but  natural 
after  so  temble  an  adventure  had  been  accom- 
plished with  safety.  The  descent  of  a  jmrog 
in  one  of  these  ark-like  contrivances,  is  incon- 
cievably  exciting.  You  descend,  as  it  were, 
between  two  perpendicular  walls  of  rock,  with 
a  celerity  which  can  be  compared  to  notliing 
but  the  MoTiiagne  Riisse  on  a  gigantic  scale. 

The  peril  of  the:5e  descents  is  less  where  the 
water  is  deep  and  unbroken  by  rocks  ;  but 
where  the  waters  are  shallow,  and  rocky  points 
abruptly  rise  in  close  proximity,  and  lie  perdu 
beneath  the  foam  a:id  spiMy,  the  danger  of  the 
passage  can  hardly  bo  over-estimated. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  Gth  of  June  I  sent 
to  Bratzkei  one  of  my  Cossacks,  with  a  letter 
for  the  Governor-General,  requesting  that  the 
number  of  my  men  might  bo  increased  by  eight. 
The  Pilot  of  Padinakoi,  a  venerable  old  man 
with  white  locks,  camo  on  board,  and  we  con- 
tinued our  route.  For  about  nine  hours  we 
descended  Poehelemie,  and  in  an  hour  after- 
wards had  cr.)ssed  the  rapids  of  Pianoi,  with 
the  customary  ceremonial. 

"Next  day  we  approacliel  Padun,  the  fall 
par  excellence.  The  pilot  and  captain  declared 
that  we  needed  a  more  favorable  wind  and  a 
calmer  water  for  the  descent  of  thft  terrible 
cascade  ;  that  our  difficulties  were  increased  l>y 
two  rocks  placed  at  a  short  distance  only  from 
each  other,  and  between  which  it  was  necessary 
we  should  pass.  AVe  cast  anchor  on  the  left 
hank  of  the  river,  where  we  escaped  in  some 
de£;rug  from  the  violence  of  the  current,    Qu 


the  day  after  I  went  ashore.  The  little  island 
where  I  pitched  my  tent  was  covered  with  ver- 
dure and  folia3:e,  refreshed  by  the  showers  of 
the  preceding  day  ;  the  landscape,  lighted  by  a 
brilliant  sunshine  and  backed  by  a  sky  of 
intensest  blue,  presented  a  scene  fully  as 
delightful  as  could  b?  aiforded  by  the  favored 
regions  of  the  earth.  The  deep  silence  that 
reigned  in  the  wood  was  only  broken  by  the 
rustle  of  the  foliage,  as  f  omo  serpents,  alarmed 
at  my  approach,  glided  away  and  hid  them, 
selves  imder  the  withered  leaves  of  the  preced- 
ing Autumn.  The  solitude  in  which  X  found 
myself  sent  my  (hougl;ts  homeward ;  I  felt  the 
sorrow  of  separation  ;  but  it  was  one  of  those 
moments  of  sweetened  nie'.ancholy  when,  by 
the  beauties  of  nature  and  its  calmness  and 
grandeur,  the  heart  is  sootlied  and  comforted, 
and  feels  that  peace  within  wliich  it  would  not 
barter  for  a  monarch's  diadem. 

' '  In  Siberia,  as  well  as  in  Norway,  it  is  still  the 
practice  to  burn  the  grass  under  the  trees,  for 
the  purposo  of  improving  the  next  year's  crop. 
Under  the  l)ranches,  therefore,  the  soil  presents 
a  peculiar  appearance,  bein?  covered  with  a  sort 
of  very  fine  reJ  sand.  Tliis  sand  contains  small 
quantities  of  quartz,  and,  it  is  believed,  gold- 
dust,  as  it  is  exactly  similar  to  that  of  the 
Ural  Mountains.  For  a  distance  of  several 
verets,  the  rocks,  formed  by  horizontal  beds  of 
sandstone,  present  a  jierpendicular  wall  to  th« 
river.  The  bed  of  the  torrent  offers,  there  is 
no  doubt,  a  valuable  le:  on  to  the  mineralogist, 
as  the  banks  contain  innumerable  pebbles, 
agates,  wliite  as  milk,  and  as  large  as  an 
ostrich's  egg ;  other  stones,  of  different  colors, 
beautifully  veined ;  in  a  word,  an  infinite 
variety,  the  exact  scientific  value  of  which  is 
yet  to  be  ascertained. 

"When  I  returned  on  board  I  was  apprised 
the  popoB,  the  captain  and  tlie  two  pilots 
were  of  ttie  opinior.  that  we  should  attempt  the 
passage  of  the  Padun.  I  wint  into  my  cabin, 
packed  up  my  instrum'—.ts,  together  with  a 
rouleau  of  notes,  and  armed  myself  with  a 
poinard,  which  I  thought  might  be  useful  in 
the  event  of  shipwreck.  I  was  interrupted  in 
my  preparations  by  Gustave,  my  interpreter ; 
he  came  to  tell  me  that  the  pilot  refused  to  take 
the  boat  over  the  falls,  unless  the  master  would 
give  him  a  blesiang.  Gustave  showed  me  how 
this  ceremony  must  be  accomplislied.  I  made 
the  sign  of  the  cro.ss  on  the  oM  man's  forehead, 
and  he  was  then  quite  satisfied.  The  sailors 
demanded  the  image  of  their  saint,  but  in  tha 
confusion  it  was  impossible  to  find  it. 


GLOVKI  AHB  WOODEN   SPOON   OF  A   RCSSIAM 
fOSIlLLION. 


EMPIEE    OF    RUSSIA. 


379 


"The  boat  during  this  time  had  been  put  in 
motion  ;  the  ol  1  pilot  with  his  white  locks, 
stood  immovable  at  the  prow ;  one  of  my 
SJrvanls  held  in  his  hand  a  white  cloth  to  serve 
as  a  sign;!  ;  a  lishcrmin  stuod  at  the  rudder  ; 
and  the  crew  went  to  prayers.  The  silence  was 
deep  and  solemn  ;  there  was  something  death- 
like in  the  scene.  We  approached  the  falls ; 
the  white  spray  was  around  us  ;  we  were  in  the 
midst  of  the  boiling  flood.  The  sun  shone  oa 
us,  and  the  moon  appeared  on  the  horizon. 
Suddenly  the  keel  cf  our  boat  grated  on  the 
rocks ;  at  one  stroke  we  were  stopped  in  the 
very  midst  of  the  precijtitate  torrent.  The 
ierror  had  something  awful  in  it,  as  the  sailors 


should  steer  to  the  right,  the  other  to  the  left. 
The  question  w.is  soon  decided,  and  with  a 
cheer  that  rent  the  air,  we  passed  close  under  a 
black  rock  that  threatened  us  on  the  right.  At 
the  same  instant  another  rock  was  seen  to  the 
left ;  this  was  also  passed  with  sifety.  We  had 
weathered  the  falls !  The  old  pilot  quitted  the 
prow ;  the  terror  which  had  strained  our  eyes 
was  over,  and  the  blood  came  back  to  cheeks, 
which,  a  few  moments  before  were  pale  as 
death.  '  Slava  leba,  Bogu!'  (God  be  praised) 
was  heard  from  every  tongue  ;  and  we  warmly 
congratulated  each  other  on  our  safety,  as  men 
only  can  who  have  shared  a  common  danger. 
' '  I  afterwards  descended  a  longer  but  less  dan- 


Siberian  Convicts. 

Immediately  after  condemnatith  all  prisoners 
are  hurried  off  to  some  one  of  the  headquarters 
of  the  Ivussian  empire,  where,  a  large  number 
being  assembled,  they  are  classed  according  to 
their  sentences,  whether  of  simple  transporta- 
tion (possilenii),  or  of  hard  labor  in  the  pullio 
works  (kalorga).  Thus  classified,  they  are  told 
off  into  gangs  of  a  hundred  at  the  least,  and  ol 
two  hundred  and  fifty  at  the  greatest  computa- 
tion. The  gangs  thus  formed  then  separate  for 
Siberia,  and  the  time  which  is  spent  on  the  road 
is  one  of  the  greatest  elements  of  suffering  ic 
thoir  painful  lot. 


SIBERIAN   CONVICTS  WITH  COSSACK  OCARD. 


glanced  around  them  on  the  whirling  waters, 
and  t'.ie  waves  beat  with  frightful  violence  on 
this  new  obstacle  in  their  course.  •  Pul! — pull 
h.ird  !'  roared  the  captain.  The  men  fell  to 
work  vigorously,  and  the  oars  were  plied 
heartily  enough.  We  moved — but  so  trilling 
was  'hat  movement,  that  our  case  seemed 
utterly  hopeless.  The  oars  dipped  again  and 
again  ;  '  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pul!  all 
together,'  and  we  were  out  again  on  the  torrent, 
borne  onward  with  irresistible  impetuosity.  At 
this  critical  moment  a  misunderstanding  arose 
between  the  old  pilot  at  the  prow  and  the  fish- 
orman  in  the  poop — the  one  of  opinion  that  we 


gerous  cataract  —  that  of  the  Seh  Keschemy 
which  is  upwards  of  a  Norwegian  mile  in 
length.  The  peculiar  character  of  the  Siberian 
rivers  varies  very  considerably  at  different  parts ; 
sometimes  they  are  encumbered  by  a  redun- 
dancy of  vegetation  ;  sometimes  blocked  up  by 
masses  of  ice  ;  in  some  places  rendered  particu- 
larly dangerous  by  rocky  points  and  small 
islands.  As  most  of  these  rivers  pass  through 
a  desolate  waste,  and  have  their  embrochure  in 
a  frozen  sea,  they  have  never  been  thoroughly 
explored,  and  the  survey  ordered  by  the  Russian 
Government  is  very  incomplete,  even  with 
respect  to  the  great  river  Yenisei ' ' 


For  exampx,  to  go  from  Kiow  tu  Tobolsk  re- 
quires a  long  year ;  and  if  the  gang  has  a 
further  destination  (say  the  mines  of  Nertchinsk, 
in  the  government  of  Irkoutsk),  the  journey 
will  take  moro  than  two  years. 

Criminals  condemned  to  hard  labor  are  placed 
under  a  stronger  escort,  and  under  a  more  severe 
watch  th  m  those  who  are  simply  deported,  and 
they  generally  form  a  brigade  by  themselves. 
These  caravans  always  travel  in  the  following 
order: 

In  front  rides  a  Cossack  at  a  walk,  completely 
armed,  and  with  a  lance  in  his  hand  ;  after  him 
come  men,  either  singly  or  chained  togetbei  bj 


380 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    KATIONa 


hands  and  feet ;  these  are  followed  by  twenty, 
all  fastened  at  the  wrists  to  long  iron  rods ;  the 
next  are  fettered  in  the  same  way,  with  their 
feet  chained  in  addition,  hut  the  women  do  not 
wear  any  irons.  On  hoth  sides  of  the  ganp; 
march  soldiers  with  loaded  arms,  while  some 
Cossacks  ride  up  and  down.  After  the  prisoners, 
and  in  the  first  carriage,  one  may  see  the  officer 
in  charge,  with  his  head  down,  and  smoking  his 
pipe  ;  the  other  carriages  bring  the  baggage  and 
the  sick,  who  wear  a  collar  by  which  they  can 
be  chained  to  a  pole  fixed  in  the  vehicle. 

A  mournful  silence  reigns  in  these  groups, 
and  it  is  only  broken  by  the  dull  noise  of  their 
chains.  Thus  none  of  these  unhappy  creatures 
can  stir  in  his  sleep  without  awakening  com- 
piwiions  fastened  to  the  same  V>ar,  and  indeed 
without  causing  them  sharp  pain,  -f  the  move- 
ment should  happen  to  be  a  rough  one,  as  often 
is  the  case  in  sleep. 

At  the  times  for  halting  and  eating,  the 
prisoners  are  huddled  together  in  a  circle,  while 
the  foot  soldiers  watch  them,  and  the  Cossacks 
stray  round  them  on  horsebick. 

The  column  walks  for  two  days  and  rests  on 
the  third  ;  and  for  this  purpose,  beyond  Nijni- 
Novgorod,  where  the  villages  are  few  and  far 
between,    houses    havo    been    constructed    to 


TARTAR   WOMEN  OP  KAZAN. 

shelter  the  gangs,  at  distances  calculate  1  to  suit 
the  recurrence  of  these  days  of  rest. 

These  buildings,  long  and  low  (for  they  are 
only  one  story  high),  extending  in  the  middle  of 
wide  and  desert  plains,  and  only  inhabited  at 
intervals,  are  calculated  to  leave  a  strange  im- 
pression. Military  stations  are  also  established 
at  unequal  distances  along  the  route  from  Kiow 
to  Smolensk  and  even  to  Nertchinsk.  In  each 
of  these  stations  is  to  be  found  an  offirer  with  a 
number  of  soldiers  sufficient  to  replace  the  escort 
which  arrives.  The  officer  is  in  all  cases  respon- 
sible for  the  prisoners,  and  has  over  them  a 
perfectly  discretional  power.  He  may  punish 
them  with  the  bastinado,  the  rods,  and  the 
plite;  and  abuses  are,  as  maybe  supposed,  in- 
evitable, though,  to  the  honor  of  humanity,  it 
must  be  said  that  very  many  of  these  officer;, 
far  from  making  a  crnel  use  of  their  dictaorship, 
often  show  themselves  full  of  care  .and  compas- 
sion for  the  unhappy  beings  whom  they  are 
obliged  t )  conduct. 

At  time:;  of  severe  co'd  or  of  r.ny  great  flood, 
the  cohmns  are  obli -ed  to  stop  at  any  station 
where  they  may  happen  to  be.  These  expedi- 
tions are  sent  off  in  such  a  way  that  every  week 
one  gang  enters  Tobolsk  as  another  leaves  it  to 
continue  its  march.     At  Tobolsk  sits  what  ij 


called  the  Commission  of  Deportation,  whose 
business  is  to  assign  a  definitive  destination  to 
each  man,  according  to  local  convenience,  or 
the  necessities  of  the  public  works.  It  has  beea 
calculated  that  the  number  of  transported  per- 
sons amounts  every  year  to  a  little  short  of  tea 
thousand. 


The  Bazar  at  St.  Petersburg 

Is  an  enormous  circular  building,  containing 

nine  hundred  and  thirteen  shops,  provided  with. 

all  classes  of  wares.     Tlie  building  is  fire-proof. 

The  staircase  and  railings  are  of  iron,  and  tho 

doors  and  gratings  of  bronze.    The  shops  are  all 

sliut  at  the  close  of  the  day,  and  neither  fire  nor 

light  is  permitted  within  the  walls.    The  clerks 

are  either  paid  a  fixed  salary  or  are  allowed  a 

percentage  on  profits.     They  are,  usually,  mea 

of  liberal  education  and  acquainted  with  several 

languages. 

> «  ♦  )  < • 

A  Marriage  Ceremony, 
An  American  lady  thus  describes  a  marriagA 

which  she  witnesse;! : 

"  A  small  temporary  altar  was  brought  oat 

into  the  body  of  the  chapel,  and  the  wedding- 


EMPIRE    OF    EUSSIA. 


381 


o 

c 

Q 


I 


382 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


party  moved  from  the  high  altar  and  stood 
before  it.  The  priest  places  himself  on  the  right 
hand  cf  Viatcheslar,  and  the  paranymphs  being 
immedi.-.tcly  lehind  thera,  ho  held  over  the 
head  cf  each  a  gilt  crown  ;  gilded  tapers  were 
then  lighted,  and  put  into  t';e  hands  of  bot'.i 
brice  and  bridegroom;  the  bridesmaids  stooj 
near  them,  but  the  four  paranymphs  were  their 
real  attendants. 

"A  cup  of  wine  was  now  presented  to  the 
espoused  cou[.le,  from  which  they  drank  three 
times.  Joyous  chants  then  tilled  the  air,  and 
made  Vera's  heart  be^t,  especially  when  she  and 
Viatcheslav,  having  their  hands  tied  together 


Traveling  on  tlie  Steppes. 
The  Winter  of  the  Russian  steppe,  in  inten- 
sity of  cold,  frequently  surpasses  the  severest 
seasons  known  on  the  shores  of  the  Baltic  ;  and 
the  cutting  blasts  from  the  North,  sweeping 
huge  masses  of  snow  into  the  Black  Sea,  often 
cover  it  witii  a  thick  coating  of  ic  for  many 
leagues  from  the  shore.  Xhe  steppe,  accord- 
ingly, participates  in  all  the  severity  of  a  Rus- 
sian Winter,  but  enjoys  few  of  the  advantages 
which  to  the  Norihern  Russian  go  far  to 
redeem  the  intensity  of  the  cold.  In  Nortliem 
Russia,  and  even   in   the   Ukraine,  the   snow 


the  snow  in  a  constant  state  of  agitation,  and 
pje vent  it  from  ' ■  caking' '  on  the  ground.  The 
snow,  in  consequence,  never  uniformly  covers 
the  steppe,  but  seems  to  lie  unequally  scattered 
over  it  in  drifts,  according  as  the  wind  may 
waft  it  abv,ut. 

Vv'licn  the  snow  mcUs  en  the  steppe,  the 
Spiing  may  be  said  to  commence,  'ihij  usually 
take!  place  in  April,  but  May  is  someti-iits  f.r 
advanced  before  the  mass  of  water  has  had 
time  to  find  its  way  into  tlie  rivers.  During 
this  "melting  season,"  the  whole  surface  of  the 
steppe  is  converted  into  a  sea  of  mud,  through 
which  neither  man  nor  beast  can  wade  without 


with  a  silk  handkerchief,  were  conducted  by  the 
priest  three  times  round  the  little  altar,  the ir 
par.anymphs  following  them,  and  bearing  their 
crowns  an  1  tapers  behind  them. 

"A  veiy  soft,  joyous  chant  accompanied  this 
part  of  the  ceremony,  which  constitutes  the 
positive  binding;  together  of  man  and  wife,  in 
the  name  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 

"  A  Bible  was  now  presented  to  the  newly- 
married  pair  to  kiss.  This  being  done,  they 
were  unti-d,  solemnly  ble.«5ed,  and,  the  great 
event  over,  the  whole  company  returned  to 
the:r  homes." 


WOLF  HTNTING  IN  RUSSIA. 

remains  on  the  ground  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  Winter,  and  the  sledges  quickly  wear 
the  surface  of  the  road  into  a  smooth  mass  of 
ice,  over  which  the  heaviest  goods  may  be 
transported  with  a  speed  and  facility  surpassed 
only  by  a  railway. 

The  Russian,  therefore,  usually  prefers  the 
Winter  months,  not  only  for  traveling,  but  also 
ffir  the  conveyance  of  heavy  gootls  from  one 
place  to  another. 

To  the  denizen  of  the  steppe  this  natural  rail- 
road is  unknown.  The  storms  that  prevail 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  Winter  keep 


positive  danger.  Through  every  ravine  rushes 
a  torrent  of  the  dirtiest  water  that  can  well  be 
imagined,  and  about  the  dwellings  of  men  the 
accumulated  filth  of  the  Winter  is  at  once  ex- 
posed to  view,  by  the  disappearance  of  the  snowy 
mantle  that,  for  a  season,  had  charitably  cov- 
ered a  multitude  of  sins. 

Tliis  operation  is  frequently  inteirupted  by 
the  return  of  frost  and  the  descent  of  fresh 
masses  of  snow — for  there  is  no  country,  per- 
haps, where  Winter  makes  a  harder  fight  for  it 
bef.ire  he  allows  himself  to  be  beaten  out  of  the 
field.     When,  at  last,  boisterous  old  Hyems  has 


EMPIRE    OF     RUSSIA. 


383 


384 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


supply  their  place  vy  an  ingenioiis 
device.  A  Lapp's  trowsers  reach 
hia  ankles,  and  he  puts  into  the 
shoes,  so  as  to  enfold  the  feet  and 
ankles,  a  kind  of  grass,  the  caret 
acuta,  which  they  cut  in  Summer, 
dry,  rub  down,  and  afterward  card 
and  comb.  Thus  defended,  he 
never  suffers  from  the  severest  cold. 
A  Lapp  never  has  chilblains.  They 
use  -the  grass  also  to  fill  their 
gloves. 

The  women  wear  dark  woolen 
robes,  sometimes  ornamented  with 
silver  trimmings. 

The  Lapps  on  the  sea-coast  are 
permanent  in  their  abodes,  but  the 
mountain  Lapps  are  nomadic,  driv- 
ing their  herds  of  reindeer  from 
Swedish  territory  to  Russian  with 
very  little  ceremony. 

The  sketches  we  give,  taken 
from  life  by  G.  Janet,  a  French 
artist,  show  one  Lapp  on  his  sleigh, 
another  returning  from  a  hunt  on 
Bnow.shoes,  which  are  different  from 
the  raquotte,  or  Canadiin  snow- 
shoes. 

The  attire  of  the  women  will  be 
noticed,  with  the  curious  mode  of 
disposing  of  the  rising  generation. 


A   LAPLAND   FAMILY. 


really  been  forced  to  beat  his  retreat,  a  most 
delightfiJ  period  of  the  year  succeeds,  and  the 
steppe,  covered  with  a  beautiful  and  luxuriant 
herbage,  smiles  like  a  lovely  oasis  between  the 
parched  desolation  of  the  Summer  and  the 
dreary  waste  of  the  Winter.  The  whole  earth 
seems  now  clad  in  the  color  of  Hope,  while  the 
sky  assumes  that  of  Truth  ;  and  though  it  is 
certainly  monotonous  enough  to  behold  nothing 
but  the  blue  above  anl  green  below,  yet  the 
recollection  of  past  hardships,  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  present  abundance,  make  the  season  one 
of  rejoicing  to  the  native,  and  even  excite  for  a 
while  the  admiration  of  the  stranger.  The 
latter,  however,  is  certain,  before  long,  to  grow 
weary  of  a  Spring  unadorned  by  a  single  flow- 
ering shtab,  unvaried  by  a  single  bubbling 
brook. 


The  Laplanders. 

The  Laplanders,  now  reduced  to  some  eleven 
thousand,  form,  with  the  Esquimaux,  the  only 
connection  between  Europe  and  America.  TTie 
Lapps  are  of  low  stature,  seldom  exceeding  four 
feet  nine  inches  in  height,  but  of  great  strength, 
hardy,  and  active.  They  havj  large  heads,  wide 
mouths,  prominent  cheek-bones,  long-pointed 
chins,  small,  obliquoly-placed  eyes,  a  swartliy 
complexion  ;  long,  dark,  glossy  hair,  but  a  thin 
beard.  Their  precarious  life  is  detrimental  to 
health,  and  they  very  seldom  reach  the  age  of 
fifty. 

The  dress  of  the  Lapps  is  seen  in  our  illustra- 
tion. That  of  the  men  consists  of  a  sheepskin 
coat,  tight  leather  or  woolen  trowsers,  reindeer 
boots,  and  a  cap.     They  wear  no  stockings,  but 


Fisherman's  Hut  in  Lapland. 
Four  nations  now  inhabit  Lap- 
land— the  true  Lapps,  Swedes  and 
Norwegims,  Finlanders  and  Rus- 
sians. The  original  Laplanders 
now  occupy  only  the  more  sterile 
inland  parts  beyond  the  Polar 
circle.  Their  number  docs  not 
exceed  seven  thousand,  and  they 
are  divided  into  those  who  live  on 
the  produce  of  their  herds  of  rein- 
deer and  the  fishing  Lapps,  who 
are  mostly  dispersed  among  the 
lakes  and  along  the  banks  of  the 
rivers  in  Russian  Lapland.  The 
number  of  the  Swedes  and  Nor- 
wegians is  very  considerable,  and 
they  subsist  for  the  most  part  on 
the  produce  of  agriculture.  The 
true  Lapp  is  almost  as  much  a 
sivage  as  the  ancient  Scythian, 
and  is  easily  recognizable  by  his 
dwarfish  stature,  broad  cheek-bones 
and  coarse  features — the  originals,  no  doubt, 
of  the  elfs,  trolls,  and  dwarfs  of  Northern 
Mythology  and  Eddas. 

This  fisherman  and  his  pretty  wife  are  evi- 
dently only  Swedish  settlers  in  Lapland.  Be- 
sides the  physical  superiority  of  this  youivg 
couple,  there  are  the  conical  head-dress,  tht 
bag,  worsted  balls,  and  various  artich  s  of  the 
chatelaine  or  "housewife"  hanging  from  the 
girdle  of  the  woman,  and  other  points  of  detail 
which  will  be  identified  as  Swedish.  The  rein- 
deer dog  is,  of  course,  common  in  all  these  high 
Is  titudes. 

We  might,  from  the  vagueness  of  our  know- 
leilge,  imagine  that  the  Lapps  passed  a  miserable 
existence,  especially  during  the  long  and  dreary 
Winter.  But  we  should,  as  all  experience  tendf 
to  show  that  happiness  is  pretty  equally  dis- 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA. 


385 


o 
o 

a 


o 

<=! 
cc 
H 
O 


386 


THE    WORLDS    OBEAT    NATIONS. 


tributed,  in  all  probability  find  that  they  are 
not  more,  or  so  much,  perhaps,  to  be  pitied  as 
the  reeidents  of  Fifth  Avenu3.  Tlie  ties  of 
rela'.ionship  are  tlie  more  tender  and  deli^'htful 
in  proportion  as  the  family  is  cut  off  from  the 
r3st  of  the  world ;  and  there  are  the  indoor 
amusementi,  the  story  of  adventure,  and  the 
■wild  Scandinavian  tales,  legends  and  songs,  to 
■whil:)  away  the  time  round  the  cheerful  Winter 
fire  ,  not  to  speak  of  the  grand  aspect  of  nature 
and  the  sublime  phenomena  incidental  to  the 
cibaate 

At  all  events,  our  poor  fisherman  seems  to  be 
contemted  with  his  pipe,  his  Het-making,  his 


FISHERMAN  S   HOT  IN   LAPLAND. 

you  g  wife,  and  his  baby  ;  6ur  lady  readers  will 

say  we  ought  to  have  put  the  last  first.  As  for 
tlie  pretty  mother,  with  her  infant  in  its  birch- 
bark  cradle,  swithed  like  an  Italian  bam'iino, 
with  her  foot  on  the  has.sock  to  get  purchase 
for  swinging  it  ti  sleep,  we  have  seldom  seen 
maternal  felicity  more  happ'ly  expressed. 

The  climite  is,  of  course,  extremely  cold,  the 
frosts  between  November  and  March  being  very 
intense,  and  in  the  northernmost  part  of  tlie 
country  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow  three- 
fourths  of  the  year.  After  the  short  Sprini, 
which  lasts  only  a  fortnight,  the  heat  of  Rum- 
mer in  July  and  August  is,  however,  very  great. 


Tlie  days  at  this  period,  in  the  most  Southeru 
districts,  last  nineteen  or  twenty  hours  ;  in  the 
Northern,  several  weeks;  and  in  the  extreme 
North  there  is  day  for  three  months. 

"Winter  Amusement. 
One  of  the  most  popul  ir  Winter  amusement* 
of  St.  Petersburg  consists  in  skimming  up  and 
down  on  the  artificial  esplanades  (that  are  there 
prepared),  on  sleds.  The  participants  in  this 
sport  start  from  the  top  of  a  descending  esplan- 
ade, and  gaining  sufficient  momentum  before 
reaching  the  bottom,  ascend  to  the  top  of  the 


EMPIRE    OF    RUSSIA.' 


38/ 


E 


c 


c 

IS 

c 

o 

K 


S88 


TEE     WORLD'S    GKEA.T    NATIONS. 


next  without  difficulty.  On  a  clear,  bright  day 
many  spectators  assemhle  to  look  upon  this 
lively  diversion. 

<i^i> 

An  Adventure  in  Eussia. 
"Whirlkjo  over  the  snow,  througli  the  wood, 
the  stem  and  cold  magiiitioence  of  the  scene 
p.TSsed  all  powers  of  description.  It  was  evident 
from  the  division  of  trees  that  we  were  follow- 
ing some  known  track,  though  it  was  sometimes 
6j  narrow  and  circuitous  that  we  wore  often  in 
danger  of  collisions  with  the  trunks  of  old  oaks 
and  their  branches. 


"  Shall  we  try  the  pig  as  a  decoy?"  I  said  to 
Saunderson. 

"  By  all  means." 

Tiie  pig  war  dragged  from  under  the  seat, 
where  he  had  lain  very  quiet,  and,  by  dint  of 
pinching  his  tail,  was  made  to  perform  a  solo  of 
pig  music,  with  variations,  wliich  resounJed  for 
miles  through  the  stillness  of  the  forest. 

For  some  time  we  could  discern  no  wolves ; 
but  at  length  we  caught  sight  of  two  skulking 
among  the  underwood,  in  a  parallel  line  with 
our  path,  but  at  a  respectful  distance.  Although 
we  kept  up  the  decoy  music,  they  were  shy  of 
approaching  within  shot. 


position,  put  new  zeal  into  his  music.  The 
wolves  left  the  cover  with  springs  and  jumps, 
an  1  soon  approached  the  poor  pig,  who  was  im 
no  greater  danger  than  ourselves. 

As  they  were  on  the  point  of  springing  on  the 
bag — in  fact,  one  of  them  had  made  the  jump 
—a  sign  caused  the  driver  to  move  on  with  his 
horses,  thus  pulling  the  prey  out  of  their  reach, 
and  setting  them  both  wondering  what  this 
could  mean.  The  wonder  did  not  last  long,  for 
the  wolves  distinctly  had  smelt  pork,  and  they, 
no  doubt,  meant  to  dine  on  it. 

They  again  approached  the  bag,  and  the  bag 
again  receded,  while  the  most  vociferous  &ni 


^ow  and  then  we  emerged  from  the  trees  into 
n  wide  open  of,  perhaps,  one  or  two  hundred 
ncres,  with  here  and  there  a  magnificent  oak, 
CDvered  with  hoary  foliage,  towering  in  soli- 
tary grandeur. 

In  Summer,  these  opens  have  the  appearance 
of  parks,  artificially  laid  out,  surrounded  by 
dark  forests  on  all  sides.  The  driver  was  never 
at  a  loss. 

"I  know  these  trees,  baron.  There  is  no 
danger  with  such  angels  of  horses.  Noo !  noo  ! 
Step  out,  my  deam.  We  shall  soon  get  among 
the  wolves.     I  think  I  see  their  marks. 


SKATINQ   IN   LAFLAKD. 

One  end  of  a  long,  white  cotton  rope  was 
then  attached  to  the  mouth  of  the  pig's  bag,  the 
other  end  to  the  back  of  the  sleigh,  and,  as  we 
slowly  turned  a  bend  in  the  track,  the  bag  was 
dropped  behind. 

We  slackened  pace,  and,  as  the  rope  ran  out, 
the  pig  became,  of  course,  stationary.  When 
the  rope  was  all  run  out,  we  relaxed  our  speed 
to  watch  the  result,  taking  our  station  about 
two  hundred  yards  from  the  pig,  behind  a  tree, 
with  our  eyes  on  the  place  where  we  had  last 
seen  the  two  wolves. 

The  pig,  meantime,  finding  himself  in  a  new 


resounding  shrieks  proceeded  from  the  pig 
inside. 

The  wolves  made  a  furious  run,  and  again  the 
driver  gave  reins  to  his  horses  till  he  had  pulled 
the  pig  nearly  on  a  line  with  the  place  where 
Saunderson  and  I  were  standing,  the  wolvee  fol- 
lowing with  tongues  out  and  glaring  eyes. 

Both  rifles  went  off  at  the  same  moment,  and, 
strange  to  say,  only  one  wolf  rolled  over.  We 
had  both  fired  into  one. 

The  other  wolf  sprang  for  cover,  b«t  was 
stopped  and  brought  to  l)ay  by  the  three  dogs, 
who  very  soon  made  an  end  of  him,  receiving  In 


EMPIEE    OF   RUSSIA. 


3S9 


O 

> 

o 


K 
O 
CO 

a; 

IS 

IS 
o 


or 

CO 


390 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


iTie  struggle  a  few  sharp  bites  from  his  strong, 
ii^ly  tooth. 

This  method  of  decoying  wolves  is  common 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  and  it  is  not  unat- 
tended with  danger,  for,  in  case  of  a  large  pack 
being  attracted,  nothing  but  fleet  horses  can 
save   the   hunters.     We   had    this   advantage, 
besides  rifles  and  dogs,  and  were  prepared  for 
'as  many  wolves   as   might   show  themselves. 
I      "  Do  you  hear  that  ?"  said  Saundorson,  as  an 
.'unmistakably  howling  yelp  was  borne  to  us  on 
the  wind.     "  We  have  only  killed  the  advanced 
guard  ;  the  pack  is  iu  full  cry.    Be  quick ;  fetch 
in  the  pig,  and  let  us  drag  these  two  wolves  be- 
.  hind  the  sleigh." 


horses,  and  pull  up  very  gradually  when  I  cry 

'Stop!'" 

"I  hear." 

A  detachment  behind  were  now  coming  up. 

"  Slower,  Mattvic." 

"I  hear." 

We  got  on  our  knees  on  the  seat  of  the 
sledge,  with  our  faces  to  the  apiiroachiug  wolves, 
about  fifteen  in  number ;  we  rested  our  rifles  on 
the  back,  and,  as  the  wolves  came  up,  Saunder- 
son  said  : 

"  Now,  take  one  on  the  left,  and  I'll  take  one 
on  the  right,  and.  as  soon  as  you  see  their  teeth, 
fire."  I 

"Stop,  Mattvic."  I 


We  went  more  and  more  slowly,  and  at  length 

stopped  altogether  and  waited;   but  no  mora 

wolves  came   up. 

«.«.«». 

Aurora  Boreal  s  at  Spitzbergen. 
Here  other  lights  replace  the  moon ;  the 
aurora  borealls,  clear  or  faint,  nightly  meet  the 
view  of  the  observer.  Now  tbey  are  simple 
gleams  or  luminous  plates,  now  rays  quivering 
with  brilliant  white,  crossing  the  firmament 
from  the  horizon,  as  if  drawn  by  an  unseen 
pencil.  Sometimes  tbey  stop,  the  uufiuLshed 
rays  do  not  reach  the  zenith,  but  the  aurora 
continues  at  another  point.  A  cluster  of  rays 
appears,  opens  fan-like,  and  vanishes.     Again 


AUUOKA    BOKEAl.IS    f^hli.S     A  I     i:i)SSKK()l',   JANl-AKV    i;,    183'.). 


We  tied  the  rope  round  the  neck  of  each  wolf, 
and  dragged  both  as  fast  as  jaossible,  secured  the 
dogs  iu  the  sleigh,  and  jumped  in  ourselves. 
Then,  off  we  sped  again,  wolves  by  this  time 
visible  on  each  side  of  us  and  behind  us.  We 
soon  found  we  could  sustain  a  pace  of  three  feet 
to  their  two,  and  this  cleared  ixs  of  all  risk.  All 
we  had  to  do  was  to  prevent  their  getting  ahead 
of  us.  Having  reloaded  our  empty  barrels  and 
lighted  our  cigars,  we  kept  watch  on  either 
side  for  a  good  shot;  but  it  is  not  easy  to 
get  a  good  shot  in  a  running  sleigh,  unless  the 
object  be  stationary,  large,  and  near. 

"Mattvic,  go  slower;  keep  your  eye  on  the 


Gradually  the  sleigh  came  to  a  stand.  The 
wolves  were  by  this  time  within  twenty  yards  of 
us,  and  we  could  see  their  grinning  and  sharp 
grinders,  and  the  light  in  their  fiery  eyes. 

'•Are  you  ready?  Fire!  Twodown.  Again! 
The  other  barrel.  Heady  ?  Fire !  Other  two 
down.  Drive  on,  Mattvic,  slowly ;  it  will  take 
them  some  time  to  consider  of  that." 

The  wolves  all  stopped,  and  seemed  to  gather 
round  their  fallen  friends.  A  turn  in  the  wood 
hid  them  from  view.  Even  our  enemies  on  the 
right  and  left  flanks  paused  at  the  xinexpected 
reports  of  the  guns,  and  allowed  us  to  proceed 
without  molestation. 


golden  draperies  float  above  you,  waving  as  if 
agitated  by  the  wind.  They  are,  apparentlj-, 
but  a  short  distance  above  you,  and  you  wonder 
not  to  hear  the  folds  brush  against  each  other. 
Generally  a  luminous  arc  appears  in  the  north  ; 
a  dark  segment  divides  it  from  the  horizon, 
setting  out  the  clear  white  or  brilliant  red  arch, 
which  diCFuses  its  rays,  extends,  divides,  and 
soon  becomes  a  luminous  fan,  covering  the 
whole  sky,  grar'-ially  ascending  to  the  zenith, 
there  to  unite  -n  a  crown,  which  then  scatters 
its  pencils  of  licht  in  every  direction.  Then  th9 
heavens  seem  a  cupola  of  fire  ;  blue,  green,  red, 
yellow,  white,  play  in  the  rays  of  the  aurora. 


EMPJKE    OF    KUSSIA. 


391 


WATRRFAUi    OE    KVARNARARFOSS.    IN    ICELAND. 


S9S 


im 


This  brilliant  spectacle  lasts  but  a  moment ; 
the  crown  ceases  to  dilluse  its  rays  of  light,  unl 
gradually  dims  ;  a  diffused  light  fills  the  sky  ; 
here  and  there  luminous  plates,  like  tiny  clouds, 
expand  and  contract  with  incredible  rapidity, 
like  a  palpitating  heart.  They,  too,  soon  pale 
and  vanish.  The  aurora  seems  in  an  agony  ; 
the  stars,  obscured  by  its  brilliancy,  shine  forth 
Trith  new  lustre,  and  the  long  Polar  night,  deep 
■  ^d  gloomy,  reigns  once  more  iu  the  icy  soli- 
;  jdes  of  earth  and  ocean. 

The  electro-magnetic  character  of  the  aurora 
has  been  proved  beyond  doubt. 

Almost  every  Polar  night  has  its  auroras, 
more  or  less  brilliant,  but  they  arc  chiefly  seen 
between  the  middle  of  January  a.id  middle  of 

Axiril. 

ii^ii 

Palls  in  Iceland— Oatiract  oi 
Kvamararfoss. 

In  a  country  like  Iceland,  combining  the  vol- 
canic structure  of  Sicily  with  more  than  Alpine 
cliffs  and  snows,  we  may  naturally  expect  on  a 
gigantic  scale  the  scenes  which  have  so  long 
filled  generations  with  wonder,  at  Mount  Etna 
and  Mount  Blanc.  The  glaciers,  those  frozon 
cataracts,  are  here  seen  side  by  side  with  nvers 
of  lava,  apparently  as  frozen  as  the  watery  tor- 
rents beside  them. 

No  wonder  St.  Brendan,  as  he  approacbel  the 
coast  and  beheld  Hecla  hurling  forth  its  rocks 
and  fire,  and  lava  seething  and  roaring  down  its 
Ice-cla  1  sides  till  it  plunged  into  the  sea,  took 
the  island  for  the  home  of  Satan,  and  the  people 
who  flocked  to  the  shore  for  so  many  imps  of 
darkness. 

Yet,  water  is  not  all  arrested  there  by  the 
stony  hand  of  ice.  The  waterfall  of  Kvamarar- 
foss, near  Skogar,  which  we  illustrate,  is  one  of 
the  lUDSt  beautiful  and  romantic  that  meets  tlie 
eye  of  the  traveler  in  any  latitude,  Wild  as  the 
land  ii,  it  has  none  toe.tceed  this  in  the  majesty 
and  grandeur  of  desolation.  Deep  abysses  of 
extinct  craters  yawn  amid  broken  fields  of  lava, 
where  lieaps  of  ashes  rise  on  one  hand  anl 
gigantic  masses  of  rock  or  ice  on  the  other ; 
agiin,  a  streaming  pool  with  its  sulphurous 
water.5  spreads  out  boiling  and  bubbling;  again 
you  will  find  a  mammoth  cave,  where  ice  and 
stalactites  vie,  or,  as  in  this  case,  where,  amid 
caves  and  yawning  abysses,  this  beautiful  stre  'ni 
comes  dashing  and  plunging,  its  beautiful  sheet 
sparkling  and  flashing  in  the  light,  as  it 
descends  opposite  a  mighty  cavern,  to  le  lost  in 
the  abyss. 


Tartar  Women  of  Kazan. 
The  City  of  Kazan,  the  ancient  capital  of  the 
Tartar  khans,  and,  next  to  St.  Petersburg,  Mos- 
cow, Warsaw,  and,  perhaps,  Odessa,  the  most 
important  city  in  the  empire,  is  situated  be- 
tween the  left  bank  of  the  Kasanka  (about  four 
miles  above  where  it  empties  into  the  Volga), 
and  its  tributary,  the  Bulak,  occupying  a  tongue 
of  land  which  gradually  rises  like  an  island  to 
a  i»nsiderable  height  above  low  plains  subject 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


to  inundation.  It  is  four  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  East  of  Moscow.  Kazan  covers  a  space 
nearly  six  miles  in  circuit,  and  consists,  like 
most  other  Russian  cities,  of  three  parts — the 
Kremlin,  or  fortress,  on  a  considerable  emi- 
nence ;  the  town,  properly  so  called ;  and  the 
slobodes,  or  suburbs,  inhabited  principally  by  the 
Tartar  population. 

The  costume  of  the  Tartar  women  of  Kazan 
belungin ;  to  the  higher  classes  is  very  rich  and 
elegant.  They  wear  a  species  of  robe  of  rich 
thick  silk  or  satin,  the  sleeves  being  very  large 
and  long— sometimes  even  falling  as  low  as 
the  ground ;  the  upper  part  of  these  robes  is 
embroidered  in  front  with  gold.  Over  this  they 
wear  a  kind  of  capote,  very  wide,  and  generally 
made  of  gold  brocade  or  some  similar  stuff  gor- 
geously embroidered.  They  wear  on  their  head 
a  silk  cap  bordered  with  fur,  which  hangs  down 
on  one  side  and  ends  in  a  point  having  a  golden 
tassel  attached  to  it.  This  cap  is,  also,  some- 
times adorned  with  precious  stone  s  and  ancient 
gold  and  silver  coins.  Their  hair  falls  behin  I 
in  long  tvesses,  the  ends  of  which  are  tied  up 
with  bows  of  ribbons. 

Sometimes  these  tresses  are  covered  with  long 
bands,  to  which  are  attached  various  coins  and 
ornaments.  The  Tartar  women  wear,  moreover, 
a  profusion  of  poarls,  necklaces,  gold  and  silver 
bracelets,  finger-rings,  ear-rings,  chains,  etc. 
The  dress  of  one  lady  of  rank,  including  her 
jewelry,  sometimes  costs  not  loss  than  tw  > 
thousand  dollars ! 

The  Tartar  women,  as  in  all  Mohammedan 
countries,  are  kept  secluded  in  the  houses  and 
harems  of  their  husbands  and  parents.  They 
are  allowed  to  remove  their  tliick  vails  in  their 
bedrooms  alone:  not  their  husbands'  brothers, 
nor  even  tlieir  own  uncle?  and  cousins  are  per- 
mitted to  behold  their  features.  They  perform 
no  labor  of  any  sort,  the  concerns  of  the  house- 
hold being  confided  to  old  women  and  male 
attendants  ;  the  younger  fomales  having  no- 
thing to  do  but  to  dress,  cat,  drink,  sleep,  and 
please  their  husbands.  They  marry  very  early, 
•jometimes  in  their  twelftli  year!  A  rich  Tar- 
tar woman  has  hardly  left  her  bed,  wlien  she 
begins  her  daily  task  of  painting  h::r  face  re  1 
and  white ;  then  she  clothes  herself  in  her 
gaudy  vestments  of  goLl  an  1  silver  texture, 
and  puts  on  her  vari  )us  ornaments  ;  and  then 
throws  herself  on  the  soft  Turkish  sofa,  on 
which  she  lies  almost  buried.  The  samovar  (tev 
urn)  is  then  bnjuglit  her.  She  makes  the  te.a 
herself,  and  drini  s  cup  after  cup  of  it  iintil  the 
perspiration  floivs  down  her  face,  washing  away 
at  the  same  tin'e  all  the  piint  with  which  she 
had  adorned  her  face  ;  this  necessarily  requires 
two  more  hours  it  the  toilet,  when  she  is  ready 
for  her  breakfast,  which  consists  of  a  variety  of 
greasy  dishes.  This  over,  she  again  throws 
herself  on  the  sofa,  and  remains  there,  half- 
sleeping,  half-waking,  till  a  female  friend  prob- 
ably drops  in  to  see  her,  upon  which  the  somo- 
mr  again  makes  its  appearance,  and  our  fair 
Tartar  drinks  again  as  much  tea  as  she  did  in 
the  morning— to  say  the  least,  not  less  than 
seven  or  eight  cups.    The  harmony  of  her  face 


is  again  destroyed  by  the  copious  flow  of  perspl* 
ration  that  ensues,  and  she  is  forced  to  paint 
her  face  afresh,  in  order  to  appear  at  dinner  in 
all  her  charms  in  the  presence  of  her  husband. 


Skating  in  Lapland, 

The  Lapliind  skate,  or  rather  snow-shoe,  for 
it  is  made  to  travel  over  snow  more  than  ice, 
bears  little  resemblance  either  to  our  skate  <,r 
the  Canadian  snow-shoe.  'Hie  frozen  lake  or 
river  is  not  the  prevailing  feature  of  the 
country ;  man  needs  an  instrument  to  enable 
him  to  travel  over  the  vast  steppes  of  snow ; 
the  desert,  not  waterless,  but  of  water  in  th& 
state  of  snow. 

The  Canadian  snow-shoe,  which  has  been 
adopted  from  the  Indians,  is  called  by  the 
French  raguelte,  from  its  resemblance  to  the 
racket  or  battledore,  being  a  light  wooden  frame 
crossed  by  a  network  of  catgut.  In  the  centre, 
at  an  opening,  the  foot  is  attache<l,  leaving  the 
heel  loose.  With  this,  these  accustomed  move 
very  rapidly  over  the  snow,  the  breadth  of  sur- 
face preventing  the  person  from  sinking  in  it. 

The  Lapland  article  is  different.  It  is  like  a 
small  sleigh-runner,  narrow  but  flat,  and  from 
its  skate-like  shiipe  is  more  adapted  to  speed 
than  the  Canadian.  For  sport  it  acts  both  as 
skate  and  sleigh,  and  it  is  a  favorite  amusement 
tj  go  down  the  declivity  of  a  hill  as  boys  do  on 
their  sled  among  us.  Some  Norwegians  intro- 
duced this  plan  in  this  country  a  few  years 
since,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  have  met  with 

much  favor. 

<i^i> 

A  Village  on  the  Banks  of  the  Volga. 

The  appearance  of  this  village  is  not  very  at. 
tractive,  and  we  may  readily  credit  the  asser- 
tion of  a  recent  traveler,  that  drunkenness  is 
very  common  among  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
towns  on  the  river,  and  that  the  lower  classes 
are,  generally,  very  degraded  and  immoral. 
All  here  bear  marks  of  unthrift  and  untidiness. 
These  vilhiges  are  almost  entirely  inhabited  by 
fishermen  of  various  r.aces.  These  fisheries  are 
of  great  value  -no  stream  in  the  world  being 
more  abundantly  stocked  with  fish — particularly 
between  tlie  city  of  Astrakhan  and  the  Caspian 
— a  distance  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles.  On 
t'.:is  groun  J  an  immense  number  of  vessels  and 
boats,  and  many  thousand  persons,  are  employed 
'n  the  Spring,  Autumn,  and  Winter,  in  taking 
fish  —  chiefly  sturgeons  —  from  the  roes  and 
bladders  of  which  large  quantities  of  caviare 
and  isinglass  are  manufactured,  while  the  flesh 
is  cured  for  home  consumption  and  for  expor- 
tation. 

East  of  the  Volga,  the  surface  is  a  wide,  tree- 
less steppe,  dotted  with  salt  lakes.  On  the  west 
it  is  hilly,  stony  toward  the  south,  though 
tolerably  fertile  to  the  north,  producing  rye, 
wheat,  oats  millet,  and  peas  in  sufficient  quanti- 
ties to  allow  exportation  of  breadstuffs.  Wood* 
of  oak,  poplar,  Siberian  .accacia,  and  fur  ard 
found  ;  Init  not  of  sufficient  exte'it  to  bo  A 
Bourc*  of  much  wealth. 


NORWAY   AND    SWEDEN. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY,' 

OSOAB'8    HALL,    IN  CHBISTIAKA— THE  AAL  FOSS    KAPIDS— NOBWKOIAN    HOSPITALITY— THE    MAELSTROM— DRESSING  A  BKIDB— WEDDINO    COSTUMB* 

—Church  in  Guldsbrandsdal— a  Bear  adventure- Hell  Fall  of  Chbistiansand— Trolls  Heart— A  PioB  Kelkbb— Early  Scan- 
dinavian VEseEL— A  Swedish  Bride— a  Swedish  Woman  Dbessed  for  Church- State  Carriage  of  Gustavus  III.  of  Sweden- 
Swedish  Marriage  Procession- Hct  in  a  Swedish  Clearing  -The  Maypole— Sater  Stdga- The  Chbistuas  Tebe— Habtbst  Boms 
—Lund  Hobse  Fair  in  Sweden— a  Swedish  funebal— Costumes  of  Vabious  Provinces  of  Sweden. 


"lyTORWAY  and  Sweden  jointly  occupy  the 
V  whole  of  the  Scandinavian  Peninsula. 
-^  With  the  exception  of  the  Interval  be- 
tween the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  and  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  the  peninsula  is  surrounded  by  water 
— west  by  the  Atlantic,  south  by  the  Skager- 
Kack  and  the  Baltic,  with  the  intermediate 
channels,  and  east  by  the  Baltic  and  Gulf 
of  Bothnia,  from  the  northern  extremity  of 
which  the  boundary  on  the  side  of  Russia  fol- 
lows the  Tornea  to  the  crest  of  the  Kiolen 
Range,  and  then  strikes  eastward  along  the 
crest  to  the  southern  coast  of  the  Varauger 
Fiord.  The  length  of  the  peninsula  is  about 
one  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and 
the  extreme  breadth  along  the  sixtieth  parallel 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The  two 
countries  are  divided  from  each  other  in  the 
Borth  by  the  Kiolen  Mountains,  and  south  of 
these  by  a  somewhat  conventional  line  which 
makes  for  the  inmost  angle  of  the  Skager-Rack. 
Sweden  lies  east  of  this  boundary,  and  ex- 
tends south  over  the  peninsula  between  the 
Kattegat  and  the  Baltic  to  fifty-five  degrees 
twenty  minutes  north  latitude.  Norway,  on 
the  other  hand,  overlaps  Sweden  in  the  north, 
and  entirely  shuts  it  off  from  the  Arctic  Ocean. 
The  area  of  Sweden  in  square  miles  is  one 
hundred  and  seventy  thousand  six  hundred 
and  twenty-nine,  and  the  population  over  four 
millions.  Norway  has  an  area,  in  square  miles, 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  thousand, 
two  hundred  and  ninety-one,  and  a  population 
<  i  about  one  million  and  a-half . 

Norway  and  Sweden  are  entirely  separate 
and  independent  states,  the  only  bond  of  union 
between  them  being  of  a  personal  nature,  in 
that  they  have  and  are  obliged  to  have  the 
same  sovereign.  This  arrangement  has  been  in 
force  since  1814.  It  is  not  the  first  time  that  a 
similar  union  has  existed  :  from  1397  to  1523 
they  were  united  along  with  Denmark  by  virtue 
of  the  Union  of  C&lmar.  Norway's  greatest 
prosperity  commenced  in  885,  when  Harold 
Haarfagar  consolidated  the  various  tribes  into 
a  single  state,  and  it  continued  to  the  end  of 
Hako  IV.'s  reign  in  1263,  during  which  period 
her  fleets  ruled  the  seas  of  Western  Europe,  and 
hsr  settlements  extended  over  the  Hebrides, 
Shetlands,  Orkneys,  and  Iceland.  From  1523 
to  1814  Norway  remained  an  appendage  of 
Denmark.  The  period  of  Sweden's  greatness 
c«mmeiio«s  with  the  reign  of  Gustavus  Adol- 
pkus  in  1611.    In  1645  sha  acquired  from  Dea- 


mark  the  Norwegian  districts  of  Jemtland 
(about  Ostersuud)  and  Herjeadalen,  and  the  isle 
of  Gothland,  and  in  1658  the  southern  dis- 
tricts of  Bohus  Schonen  and  Blekiugen. 
About  the  same  period  she  also  conquered  the 
greater  part  of  Pomerania,  Esthonia  and 
Livonia.  The  two  latter  were  ceded  to  Russia 
in  1710,  and  Further  Pomerania  to  Prussia  in 
1720 ;  but  Hither  Pomerania  and  RUgen  re- 
mained to  Sweden  until  1814.  Finland,  which 
had  belonged  to  Sweden  for  above  six  hun- 
dred years,  was  acquired  by  Russia  in  1809. 
The  Swedes  belong  to  the  Scandinavian 
branch  of  the  Teutonic  family,  and  entered  the 
country  as  conquerors  probably  about  the  third 
or  fourth  century  of  our  era.  They  fell  into 
two  divisions :  the  Goths  of  the  south,  and  the 
Sviar  or  Swedes  proper,  who  emigrated  north- 
ward to  Lake  Malar.  They  now  occupy  the 
whole  of  the  south  and  central  districts  and 
the  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia.  Finns,  to 
the  number  of  about  twelve  thousand,  belong- 
ing to  Quiin  tribe,  penetrate  from  the  north 
between  Sweden  and  Norway  as  far  south  as 
the  sources  of  the  Klar ;  and  Lapps,  about 
five  thousand,  occupy  a  belt  between  the  Upjjer 
Dal  and  the  Tornea.  The  Swedes  are  amiable, 
industrious,  hospitable  and  light-hearted  :  the 
Dalecarlians  retain  many  jjeculiarities  of  dress 
and  language.  The  people  are  divided  into 
four  classes — nobles,  clergy,  burgesses,  and 
farmers.  The  small  freeholder  is  a  very  nu- 
merous class  in  Sweden,  in  consequence  of  the 
law  of  inheritance,  which  enforces  the  subdi- 
vision of  a  property  equally  between  the  chil- 
dren. The  nobility  are  also  numerous,  inas- 
much as  the  rank  is  not  limited  to  a  single  line, 
but  descends  equally  to  all  children. 

The  Norwegians  belong  to  the  same  stock  as 
the  Swedes,  and  speak  a  language  which  differs 
only  dialectically  f rom  the  Danish  and  Swedish. 
There  are  about  twenty-two  thousand  Finns 
and  Lapps  in  Norway  ;  the  former  on  the  Swe- 
dish frontier,  and  the  latter  in  Finland.  The 
Norwegians  are  a  fine,  athletic  race,  patriotic 
and  hospitable,  and  particularly  jealous  of  all 
encroachments  on  the  part  of  Sweden.  The 
small  resident  freeholders  are  the  most  import- 
ant social  and  political  element  in  Norway  : 
large  estates  are  rare.  The  people  are  very 
tenacious  of  old  customs,  and  retain  peculiar 
costumes  in  several  districts,  particularly  in 
Tellemarken,  Bergen,  and  Hardanger. 
Norway,  like  Swedea,  i»  a  coustitutipnal  mon- 


archy. The  nation  acts  through  a  parliam«ntr 
named  Storthing,  or  "  great  court,"  elected  by 
a  system  of  indirect  voting.  The  Storthing, 
when  met,  selects  out  of  its  own  body  the  Sen- 
ate, or  Lagthing,  to  form  an  upper  chamber, 
comprising  one-fourth  of  the  whole  number  of 
representatives.  The  remaining  three-fourths 
constitute  the  lower  chamber,  or  Odelsthing. 
The  power  of  the  King  in  the  House  is  limited 
to  a  suspensive  veto  :  a  Bill  which  has  passed 
the  Houses  in  three  successive  Storthings  be- 
comes law  without  his  assent.  The  established 
religion  is  Episcopal  Lutheranism,  and  th& 
country  is  divided  into  five  bishoprics  and 
three  hundred  and  forty-two  parishes,  many  of 
which  are  of  great  extent.  Religious  toleratioik 
has  been  legalized  since  1844  (Mormonisra  ex- 
cepted), but  the  established  Church  is  almost 
universally  followed.  Education  is  very  gen- 
eral, and  there  is  a  university  at  Christiania. 

Agriculture  and  fishing  are  the  leading  oc- 
cupations in  Norway.  The  cultivated  ground 
is  only  about  one  per  cent,  of  the  area  of  the 
country,  and  of  this  the  greater  portion  ia 
under  pasture.  The  best  farming  is  in  thfr 
southern  provinces  of  Hedemarken  and  Smaal- 
ehnen.  Barley  and  oats  are  the  chief  cereals ; 
rye  and  a  little  wheat  are  also  grown,  and  a 
very  large  amount  of  potatoes.  The  grain  is. 
insufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  population. 
The  farming  methods  are  antiquated  and  unsci- 
entific. The  farmers  derive  large  profits  from 
their  timber,  particularly  in  the  valleys  that 
converge  toward  the  Christiania  Fiord.  Fish- 
ing is  prosecuted  along  the  whole  coast.  Mana- 
facturing  industry  is  at  a  low  ebb  :  the  absence 
of  coal  and  prudent  restrictions  as  to  the 
demolition  of  the  forests  check  the  development 
of  the  mineral  resources  of  the  country,  and 
leave  the  manufacturer  mainly  dependent  on 
water  as  his  motive  power.  Distilleries,  brew- 
eries, and  tobacco  manufactories,  with  a  few 
ironworks  (the  Fritzo,  near  Laurvig,  in  particu- 
lar) are  the  chief  establishments.  Commerce 
is  active.  The  exports  are  timber  and  deals, ' 
fish,  and  minerals ;  the  imports,  colonial  pro- 
duce, salt,  coal,  and  Manchester  goods. 

The  roads  in  Norway  are  good,  considering^ 
the  diflScult  character  of  the  country :  in  some 
instances,  as  on  the  Christiania  and  Drontheim 
road,  north  of  the  Dorrefield,  great  engineer- 
ing skill  has  been  exercised.  Railways  hav» 
been  made  from  the  capital  to  the  Swedish 
frontier  near  Kongsvinger. 


894 


THE    WOKLD'S    GEEAT    NATlONa 


Hospitality  in  Norway, 

Hospitality  is  a  distinguishing  virtno  among 
the  peoiile  of  Norway— a  virtue  which  gave  a 
certain  nobility  to  their  character  even  in  the 
days  of  their  paganism,  and  which  Christianity 
has  strengthened  and  encouraged. 

The  children  of  frigid  Norway  do  not  emi- 
grate as  do  those  of  the  smiling  plains  of  Baden 
and  the  verdure-clad  hills  of  Wurtemberg. 
They  do  not  cross  the  Atlantic  and  seek  on  our 
shores  a  more  grateful  soil  and  more  genial 
climate.  No  dreams  of  well-filled  j^urses  for 
scanty  labor  tempts  them  from  their  country. 
There  is  not  a  poet  from  Iceland,  Denmark, 
Sweden  or  Norway  who  has  not  praised  en- 
thusiastically the  marvelous  beauties  of  his 
country,  the  brilliancy  of  the  glaciers,  the 
mysterious  depths  of  the  forests,  the  charms  of 
the  long  Summer  days,  the  magic  of  the 
AVinter  nights,  illuminated  by  the  fantastic 
light  of  the  aurora  borealis  ;  and  their  verses 
are  the  expression  of  the  instinctive  poetry 
and  patriotism  of  the  Scandinavian  people. 

When  premature  cold  chances  to  blight  the 
crops,  when  in  a  single  night  the  hoar-frost 
banishes  all  hope  of  a  harvest,  the  farmers  of 
the  North  are  forced  to  desert  theif  fields  and 
to  seek,  in  some  distant  province,  other  means 
of  earning  their  subsistence.  Frequently  in  the 


Autumn  hundreds  of  people  —  men,  women, 
and  children — will  be  seen  on  the  highways, 
who,  from  the  very  heart  of  Dalecarlia,  are 
journeying  to  Stockholn  in  search  of  work  and 
a  home  during  the  Winter.  In  Norway  the 
inhabitants  of  the  northern  districts  frequently 
emigrate  to  the  southern  provinces  for  the 
Winter,  and  offer,  their  services  from  door  to 
door,  and  are  accepted,  where  labor  is  needed, 
without  other  recommendation  than  their 
poverty  and  honest  faces. 

Often  lone  women  who.  through  the  death  of 
a  husband,  father,  or  brother,  have  lost  their 
support,  make  journeys  of  a  hundred  leagues  in 
search  of  employment.  They  walk  without  fear 
through  the  dark  forests,  and  over  the  barren 
mountains,  knowing  that  their  very  weakness 
is  their  safeguard  against  insult,  and  whenever 
they  see  the  smoke  rising  from  a  chimney  they 
feel  that  they  will  be  welcome  to  a  seat  by  the 
fireside  and  a  crust  from  the  table. 

One  of  these  poor  lone  travelers  is  represented 
iu  our  engraving.  She  has  stopped  at  a  Nor- 
wegian house,  where  there  is  an  air  of  ease  and 
rustic  comfort.  She  has  entered,  cold  and 
weary,  her  babe  upon  her  shoulders,  while  the 
woman  who  is  welcoming  her  has  a  child  in  her 
arms.  The  two  have  a  bond  of  sympathy 
in  their  maternal  affection.  Tlie  charitable 
mistress  of  the  house  cannot,  on  account  of 


the  child  upon  her  breast,  a-ssist  her  poOf 
visitor,  but  her  little  daughter,  in  whom 
principles  of  charity  and  hosi)itality  have  al- 
ready been  inculcated,  is  bringing  the  stranger 
a  bowl  of  porridge. 

She  will  remain  under  this  hopitable  roof 
until  she  is  sufficiently  rested  to  continue  on 
her  journey.  She  will  sit  at  their  board,  and 
have  a  comfortable  bed,  and  her  generous 
hostess  will  see,  on  leaving,  that  she  takes  with 
her  a  plentiful  supply  of  provisions,  while  the 
little  girl  will  doubtless  attend  to  the  babe,  and 
furnish  him  with  whatever  warm  garments  can 
be  spared  from  her  own  wardrobe.  Then  they 
will  bid  the  poor  wanderer  a  cordial  good-by, 
and  she  will  go  on  her  way  blessing  the  homa 
in  which  she  found  such  kindly  welcome,  and 
imploring  God's  benediction  upon  the  good 
people  whose  house  and  heart  bad  so  gener- 
ously opened  to  the  poor  and  weary. 


Th3  Aal  Foss  Eapids,  on  the  Oxea. 

A  SPORTSMAN,  one  of  a  party  who  visited  the 
river  to  enjoy  salmon-fishing,  that  no  stream 
in  Britain  would  approach,  writes  : 

"  The  rapids  of  Oxea  are  perfectly  safe.  It  ia 
impo.ssible  that  an  accident  can  happen  in  them, 
except  from  carelessness  ;  for  the  water,  though 
swift,  is  everywhere  deep.     The  stream  fall* 


Oscab's  hall  in  chbistunia. 


NORWAY    ANB    SWEDEN. 


895 


with  some  force  over  a  slanting  ledge  of  smooth, 
Blatj  rock  some  three  or  four  hundred  yards 
Ion;,',  or  perhaps  more,  and  acquires  in  its  slide 
con-  iderablc  velocity ;  hut  the  hottom  is  smooth 
a&d    tbc  surface  nowhere  hroken  hy  sunken 

rocks.    Tbf  etre»a,  tberefQrQi  U  ft  steady  curi 


HOSPITALITT  IS  NOKWAT. 

rent,  surging  up  against  the  numerous  islands 
which  dot  the  river,  as  if  they  had  heen  pieces 
of  a  ruined  bridge.  Each  of  these  -were  created 
with  its  half  dozen  or  so  of  ash  or  birch,  which 
loked  as  if  it  was  they  that  were  in  motion,  and 

not  tbe  clear  etrean  (bat  ^as  racios  past  then. 


"The  passage  was  a  sheer  trial  of  strength^ 
requiring  no  gre?.t  amount  of  pilotage,  or  local 
experience,  or  even  skill.  The  ropes  were  got 
out  and  made  fast  to  two  or  tlirec  thwarts,  to 
take  ofif  the  strain  ;  the  boats  were  lightened  of 

tbeir  Uviag  eaeutabrosc^s,  pseept  fso  far  m  tha 


396 


THE    WORLDS    GKEAT    NATIONS, 


stoorsmen  were  concerned,  and  were  then 
tracked  by  main  force,  one  by  one,  every  one 
of  the  party  lending  a  hand. 

"  The  principal  difficulty  arose  from  the  un- 
certainty of  the  footing  among  the  crags,  and 
the  gnarled  ash-trees  that  every  lierc  and  there 
shot  almost  horizontally  from  between  the 
fiosures  of  the  rock,  dipping  their  branches  into 
thf;  stream.  Tliese  rendered  it  nece-sary  every 
now  and  then  to  make  fast  the  boat  to  tlie  tree 
itself,  and  then  to  float  down  a  line  to  it  from 
some  point  above  the  obstacle,  for  the  river 
fortunately  ran  in  a  curve  to  that  place.  Thus, 
by  giving  a  broad  sheer  into  the  stieam,  while 


between  a  fall  and  a  rapid,  sailed  'The  Aal 
FosB.'  in  the  middle  of  wliich  was  a  picturesque 
rocky  island,  covered  with  trees,  and  on  the  left 
liank  an  equally  picturesque  peninsula,  which 
was  destined  to  he  thj  headquarters  of  the 
expedition,  and  the  basis  -of  subsequent  ope- 
rations." 


The  Maelstrom. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  whirlpools  is  the 

tnaektrom  or  mahhlrom,  off  t'nc  coast  of  Norway. 

There  are  two  islands,  called  Lofoden  and  Mos- 

koe,  between  which  the  depth  of  water  is  about 


an  hour,  at  the  turn  of  the  ebb  and  flcxd. 
When  the  stream,  heightened  by  a  storm,  is  at 
its  greatest  violence,  it  is  dangerous  to  come 
within  two  or  three  miles  of  it  ;  boats,  ships, 
and  yachts  having  been  drawn  in  before  they 
were  aware  of  their  danger. 

Whales  have  been  known  to  be  drawn  into 
the  vortex,  notwitlistanding  all  their  efforts  to 
extricate  themselves  ;  and  on  one  occasion,  a 
bear,  in  attempting  to  swim  from  Lofoden  to 
Moskoe,  to  prey  upon  the  sheep  who  were  pas- 
turing on  the  latter  island,  was  similarly  en» 
gulfed,  roaring  terribly  when  he  found  Ut 
danger. 


tlie  rest  of  the  party  hauled  upon  the  rope,  the 
boat  would  swing  clear  of  the  impediment. 

"But  all  this- was  very  hard  work,  and,  as  the 
Bun  was  now  iiigh  in  heaven,  very  hot  work  ; 
and,  moreover,  it  had  to  be  repeited  three 
times  before  ali  the  boats  were  in  safety.  Fully 
as  much  justice  was  done  to  breakfast  as  had 
been  done  to  supper  on  the  preceding  evening. 

"  The  remaining  part  of  the  voyage  was  easy ; 
there  was  a  sharp  current,  no  doubt— too  sharp 
for  anything  to  speak  of  to  be  done  with  the 
flies— but  it  wiib  all  plain  traveling,  and,  with 
an  occasional  hein  from  the  ropes,  before  noon 
their  destination  hai  been  readied. 
^  "This  was  the  foot  of  a  low  fall,  or  something 


DRBSSINQ    A   BRIDE   IN   NORWAY. 

forty  fathoms ;  but  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Moskoe  the  depth  is  scarcely  sufficient  for  the 
safe  passage  of  a  vessel. 

At  flood-tide  the  water  rushes  between  the 
two  islands  with  great  force ;  but  at  ebb-tide 
the  violence  is  so  extreme  that  scarcely  any 
cataract  equals  the  roar  which  is  heard,  and 
wliich is  aulible  for  several  leagues  ;  and  it 
forms  vortices  and  pits  of  such  an  extent  and 
power,  that  if  a  ship  comes  within  their  attrac 
tion.  it  is  drawn  in,  carried  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  sea  in  a  whirl  or  spiral,  and  dashed  to 
pieces,  the  wrecks  lieing  thrown  up  again  when 
the  sea  becomes  calmer. 

This  calmness  only  exists  about  a  quarter  of 


Branches  of  firs  and  pines,  after  being  ab» 
sorbej  by  the  vortex,  rise  a^ain,  torn  to  pieces ; 
which  seems  indicative  of  the  rocky  nature  of 
the  bottom. 

In  1045.  early  in  the  morning  of  Sexagesima 
Sunday,  the  whirlpool  raged  with  such  noisa 
and  impetuosity,  that,  on  the  islmd  of  Moskoe, 
the  very  stones  of  the  houses  fell  to  the  ground. 

An  American  captain  visited  the  Maelstrom 
at  one  of  its  calmer  moments,  and  thus  de« 
scribed  it: 

"We  began  to  near  it  at  10  a.m.,  in  th« 
month  of  September,  with  a  fine  North-west 
wind.  Two  good  seamen  were  placed  at  the 
belia,  tbo  mat*  on  the  auarter-deck,  all  hasda 


NORWAY    AND    SWEDEN. 


397 


'ftt  their  siation  for  workin;;  ship,  and  the  pilot 
standing  on  the  bowsprit  between  the  night- 
heads. 

"I  went  on  the  main-topsail  yard,  with  a 
good  glass.  I  had  been  seated  but  a  few  min- 
utes when  my  snip  entered  the  dish  of  the 
whirlpool.  'Ihe  velocity  of  the  water  altered 
her  course  three  points  toward  the  centre,  al- 
though she  was  going  eight  knots  through  the 
water. 

"This  alarmed  me  for  a  moment.  I  thought 
"that  destruction  was  inevitable.  She,  however, 
answered  her  hehn  sweetly,  and  we  ran  along 
the  edge,  tlie  waves  foaming  around  us  in  every 
form,  while  she  was  dancin<i  gayly  over  them. 
Imagine  to  yours(!lf  an  immense  circle  of  water 
rutming  round,  of  a  diameter  of  a  mile  and 
a-half,  the  velocity  increasing  as  it  approxi- 
mated toward  the  centre,  and  gradually  changing 
its  dark  blue  color  to  white  ;  foaming,  tum- 
bling, rushing  to  its  vortex  ;  very  much  con- 
cave, as  much  so  as  the  water  in  a  fimnel  when 
half  run  out ;  the  noise,  too,  hissing,  roaring, 
dashing— all  pressing  on  the  mind  at  once, 
•presented  the  most  awful,  grand,  and  solemn 
sight  I  ever  experienced. 

"  We  were  near  it  about  eighteen  minutes, 
and  in  sight  of  it  two  hours.  From  its  magni- 
tude, I  should  not  doubt  that  instant  destruc- 
tion would  be  the  fate  of  a  dozen  of  our 
largest  ships,  were  they  drawn  in  at  the  same 
moment." 

Opinions  as  to  the  cause  of  the  Mael-trom 
are  not  free  from  the  contradiction  which  may 
•be  expected  where  the  danger  of  a  near  approach 
is  so  great. 

Kircher  entertained  the  extravagant  opinion 
that  there  was  an  abyss  at  the  bottom  of  the 
maelstrom,  which,  after  penetrating  a  consid- 
erable distance  into  the  earth,  communicated 
■with  the  distant  gulf  of  Bothnia. 

Mr.  M.  Schelderup,  however,  conceives  that 
nothing  more  is  necessary  for  explanation  than 


WEDDINO   UOSTCMES   AT  SAETEBSDBLEN,  KORWAT. 


CHUECH  IS   GtILDSBEAia)SDAl,  KORWAT. 


the  admission  of  two  opposing  currents  con- 
tending with  each  other.  It  is  found  that 
wliile  th3  tide  is  flowing  from  north  to  south, 
in  the  neighboring  ocean,  a  stream  or  current 
is  flowing  from  south  to  north  between  the  two 
is]ands  ;  and  it  is  believed  that  the  periodical 
change  of  the  tide  every  six  hours,  the  change 
in  the  opposite  direction  of  the  current  between 
the  isles,  and  frequent  collision  between  them, 
are  sufficient  to  occasion  a  whirlpool  between 
the  islands.  Nothing,  however,  but  a  know- 
ledge of  the  nature  of  the  bed  of  the  sea  be- 
tween the  islands  will  fully  explain  the  whola 

phenomenon. 

1  ^  1 

A  Bear  Adventure  Near  a  Ticklisli  Bridge. 
"  While  hunting  in  Norway,"  writes  a  trav- 
eler, "  I  hit  on  that  fearful  Tellmark  dis- 
trict —  seemingly  unknown  even  to  English 
sportsmen,  far  a  traveler  is  never  seen  or  heard 
of  twice  a  year.  It  is  as  wild  as  man  can  de- 
sire, and  consequently  the  seat  of  romance  and 
tradition.  Bear  and  wolf  swarm  on  every  side, 
and  game  of  all  kinds  is  so  abundant  that  the 
very  birds  are  audacious  and  independent  in 
their  attitude  to  you.  Government  gives  a 
bounty  for  bear  and  wolf-heads,  as  we  did  in 
old  times  in  New  England,  so  the  peasants  are 
always  rcvd^  \q  joia  you  ia  a  b«air-huat,  aod 


398 


THE  .WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


let  you  talte  the 
skin  of  the  animal 
if  you  give  them  a 
chance  to  get  five 
specie  for  the  head. 
"  It  wao  hardly 
bear  season,  and 
therefore  I  had 
not  got  up  a  bear- 
hunt  ;  but  one  day 
Iwent  out  to  shoot 
capercaillies,  with 
a  Norwegian  as  my 
guide,  a  fellow 
with  BO  short  a 
jacket  that  he 
seemed  a  mere 
schoolboy  who  had 
shot  up  suddenly 
to  man's  height. 
Wild  scenery  I  was 
prepared  for,  but 
unless  you  hara 
been,  over  the 
Sogne-fgeld  toiling 
for  hours  in  sight 
of  the  summit  of 
fika,:;stols  Tend  and 
its  attendant  crags, 
the  horribly-dis- 
torted Horungens, 
you  can  have  no 
idea  of  the  scene 
in  that  wild  chaos 
of  granite  rock. 
At  every  few  yards 
chasms  yawn,  iind 
test  your  nerve  and 

your  leaping  powers.  Here  and  there  some 
a  Iventurous  or  kindly  hand  has  thrown  a  rude 
bridge  across. 

"  When  well  worn  down  by  the  toil  of  the  day, 
I  came  to  a  bridge  of  the  most 
primitive  construction.  Tried  as  I 
was,  I  wished  to  gain  the  top  of  a 
Tery  remarkable  precipitous  roclc, 
from  the  crest  of  wbicli,  my  guide 
told  me,  I  would  be  rewarded  with 
the  grandest  view  in  Norway.  A 
long,  steep  up-hill  pull  brought 
US  to  the  chasm  over  which  the 
bridge  lay.  The  chasm  was  not 
very  wide,  but  it  yawned  two 
hundred  feet  down,  and  the  bridge 
was  only  a  fur-tree,  felled  so  as  to 
fall  across,  a  rope  a  few  feet  above 
serving  as  a  handrail. 

"We  had  met  some  bear-tracks, 
but  in  my  eagerness  to  enjoy  the 
fine  view,  I  gave  them  no  heed. 
What  was  my  horror  when,  just  as 
I  had  got  over,  looking  carefidly 
as  I  went  on,  I  heard  the  guide 
call  me  in  a  tone  of  the  greatest 
terror !  I  did  not  at  first  catch  his 
words,  BO  startled  was  I,  and  I 
turned  to  face  him. 

"'Come  back,'  I  sow  made 
out;  'back,  or  the  bear  will  be 
upon  you.' 

''At  the  same  instant  I  heard  a 
very  ominous  growl,  which  did 
much  to  quicken  my  apprehen- 
sion.   Looking  fonnd,  I  toua4  <V 


THE  UELL  PALL,  CHKISTIANSAND,   NOEWAY. 

bear,  vastly  too  big  and  fierce  to  bo  pleasant, 
making  rapidly  upon  me,  I  had  no  time  to 
consider  my  pirns.  There  was,  indeed,  no 
great  choice  in  the  matter.     I  might  stop  and 


be  hugged,  or  run 
and  be  hugged, 
perhaps,  in  thff 
very  middle  of  the 
chasm  ;  or  I  might 
show  fight,  and  try 
to  win  the  race,  if 
flight  had  to  be 
resorted  to  at  last. 
So  I  unslung  my 
gun  as  quickly  as 
1  could,  and  I 
thought  I  never 
knew  no  clumsy  a, 
fellow  as  I  decided 
myself  to  be  then. 
But  it  did  get  to 
my  shoulder,  and 
with  one  hand  on 
the  rope-rail,  ready 
to  ^^heel  and  start, 
I  pulled  bo'.h 
barrels  and  drov* 
both  ':harge3  of 
buckshot  full  into 
the  face  of  my 
friend.  My  guess 
aim  told.  I  did  not 
stop  to  examine  the 
result,  but  pitching 
my  double-barrel 
at  his  head  with 
all  my  might,  I 
made  over  thai 
bridge  with  » 
rush. 

It  took  ma  but 
an  instant  to  got 
over.  Then  I  turned  to  look,  and  thanktul 
was  I  that,  instead  of  following  me,  Bruin, 
with  his  face  well  pitted  and  cut  up,  sat  oa 
his  hind  quartern  hugging  and  crunching  my 
gun  in  a  way  that  made  mo  thank* 
ful  I  was  not  his  baby. 


XUE  IBOIX  S   UEAUT,  KOBWAT. 


The  Troll's  Heart. 
"Climbixo  t'-ie  steep  cliffs  abors 
the  village  of  I'yellebacker,"  says 
a  lady,  who  witli  her  mother  mads 
a  tour  through  the  wildest  part  of 
Norway,  "we  saw  the  teriible 
coast,  for  miles  r-nd  miles  around, 
lashed  by  enormous  wliite  waves 
on  a  sea  of  deepest  blue  ;  while 
from  distance  to  distance,  rock 
after  rock,  mountain  after  moun- 
tain, each  in  its  own  isolation, 
rose  to  the  very  horizon,  the  occaa 
rushing,  rolling,  and  ed  'ying 
amongst  them,  a  boiling  mass  be- 
neath us,  save  where  the  fearful 
S6te  Bay,  scooped  out,  trcaobcr- 
ously  concealed  its  roci\8.  The 
mainland  was  splendid  in  forma- 
tion —  grand  and  fantastic ;  one 
near  ravine  especially  was  so 
narrow  that  one  must  enter  side- 
ways, grope  for  the  path  between 
two  lofty  rocks,  guided  by  a  small 
lipeck  of  light  and  sea  at  one  end, 
aiiil  '-  telescopic  view  of  the  village 
at  the  other.  In  the  centre,  high 
up  Kii  one  could  lift  ouc'a  eyes,  a 


NORWAY     AND    SWEDEN. 


i«je  he»rt-sbaped  rock  was  supported  between 
bie  two  sides,  having  a  crushing  look  to  those 
leneath  ;  a  bgend  was  attached  to  this  stony 
tiCart  and  its  elerated  position. 

"  A  Troll  fell  in  love  with  a  beautiful  north- 
em  mermaid — to  approach  the  rock  where  she 
ao  sweetly  gang  was  death  :  to  be  away  from 
her  was  death  also.  Poor  Troll !  how  melan- 
choly for  vou  to  watch  her  trom  a  distance, 
neither  daring  to  move  backward  or  forward,  till 
at  length,  mighty  thoup;h  you  were,  you  pined 
away,  and  your  faithful  he.irt,  turned  into 
stone,  was  placel  by  fellow-trolls  where  it 
would  be  an  everlasting  sign  that  even  giants 
can  be  overcome  by  love." 


The  Hell  Fall. 

Onb  of  the  best  spots  in  that  "land  of  the 
moimtain  and  tlie  floou,"  Norway,  for  Salinon- 
flshini,  is  a  gigantic  mill-race  called  Hell  Fall, 
in  the  province  of  Christiansand.  It  is  a  fall 
terminating,  not  as  falls  generally  do,  iu  a  huge 
basin,  but  in  a  shoot  or  rapid  of  considerable 
length,  which,  after  a  straight  but  turbulent 
course  of  a  couple  of  hundred  yards,  sheets  all 
at  once  into  the  middle  of  a  round  and  eddying 
pool.  It  is  cilled  the  Hell  Fall,  probably.  (I'om 
its  fury,  for  the  word  is  Norso  ;  but  posilily, 
also,  from  Hela's  Fall — Hela  being  the  Goddess 
of  Darkness  ;  and  well  does  the  yawning  c'lasm, 
through  which  the  waters  rush,  deservt  that 
name,  overshadowed  as  it  is  by  its  black  waiJs 
of  rock. 

To  the  left  of  our  illustration  may  be  seen 
the  only  mode  of  ingress  and  egress,  by  whic'.i 
enthusiastic  piscators  can  approach  to  despoil 
the  turbid  waters  of  their  finny  treasures. 


A  Pige  Kelker  in  Norway. 

We  fear  those  who  have  not  enlightened 
their  minds  by  going  to  Norway  will  naturally 
ask,  "What,  in  heaven's  name,  is  a  pige 
kelker?" 

Well,  it  is  a  grand  invention  ;  the  body  is 
l^ke  a  little  sledie,  with  u  place  inside  where 
the  "  pige  "  (which  means  peasant  girl)  caa  stow 


THE  MAELSTROM. 


away  her  marketings,  and  then  sit  on  the  box, 
and,  with  two  little  sticks  with  iron  on  the 
ends,  push  herself  and  her  things  along  as  fast 
as  any  skater,  with  hardly  any  exertion.  They 
are  also  used  by  the  poor  fishermen,  whose  only 
chance  of  earning  anything  during  t'.ie  long 
Winter  is  to  cut  a  little  hole  in  the  ice,  and  sit 
on  their  kelUers,  and  fish.  We  have  seen  dozens 
of   strong,    able-bodied    men    sitting,    nearly 


perished  with  the  cold,  fishing  at  eaeli  of  thasrf 
little  holes,  bis  only  remuneration  at  the  end  of 
the  day  being  one  or  two  dozen  small  whiting, 
or  a  handful  of  shrimps.  Of  course,  under 
these  circumstances,  fish  is  only  for  the  rJcb, 
while  the  ice  lasts,  and,  as  lobsters  cannot  be 
got  at,  there  is  hardly  employment  left  for  the 
poor  fisherman  during  the  cold  ;  and,  but  for 
their  most  excellently  managed  soup-kitchon, 
which  is  one  of  their  charities,  and  is  nobly 
supported,  they  would  be  extremely  badly  off 
indeed. 


A  riQE   K£LTEB   IN   KOBWAT, 


An  Early  Scandinavian  Vessel. 
Odr  illustration  shows  the  sort  of  galley  in 
which  the  Northmen  reached  Iceland  and 
Greenland,  and  doubtless  skirted  along  the 
coast  of  Labrador.  It  was  a  great  Improve- 
ment on  the  hide  corrachs  in  which  the  adven- 
turous Irish  had  sailed  to  the  continent  on  their 
predatory  expeditions  and  struck  out  into  the 
ocean,  discovering  Iceland,  wKh  Its  volcano,  and 
the  immense  icebergs  which  they  were  the  first 
to  describe.  Even  Hengest  and  Horsa,  in  their 
invasion  of  England,  had  no  better  craft  than 
the  wicker-work  boats,  covered  with  skins.  The 
Northmen,  however,  seem  to  have  revived  and 
improved  those  fine  war-galleys  of  Northern 
Gaul,  which  so  attracted  the  admiration  and 
tested  the  military  ability  of  Caesar.  Thoy 
were  long,  low  galleys,  high  in  front  and  stern, 
combining  sails  with  oars,  and,  about  the  four- 
teenth century,  furnished  w**h  the  rudder  aa  IL 
substitute  for  the  great  tweenng-oors  dlfmy* 


400 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


^yreriously  in  use.  In  these  they  poured  their 
destroying  bands  on  England,  Ireland,  and 
even  on  the  more  attractive  fields  of  the 
countries  in  the  Mediterranean. 


Traveling  in  Norway. 
BuKTON,  the  traveler,  says:   "  The  day  after 
•we  arrived  at  Christiania,  Mr.  F.  volunteered 
to  act  as  cicerone,  proposing  to  visit  several 
points  of  interest  in  and  about  the  city.     We 
first  paid  our  respects  to  the  palace,  which  is 
seldom  occupied  by  the  royal  family,  and  when 
it  is,  I  learn  that  the  King  shows  the  good  sense 
to  assimilate  his  habits  and  style  of  living  as 
nearly  as  possible  to  the  simplicity  and  repub- 
lican tastes  of  his  Norwegian  subjects.     The 
palace  is  a  handsome  structure  of  considerable 
extent,   but  in- 
ferior to  the  one 
«t     Stockholm. 
In     the     after-  : 

noon  we   made  -l, 

an  excursion  to  r 

Oscar's  Hall,   a  -^-^z^^       jS^'^ 

private  villa  of 
the  King.  It  is 
of  moderate  ex- 
tent, but  most 
beautifully  situ- 
ated on  a  spur 
of  land  running 
out     into     the 

'  Fiord,  com- 
manding a  fine 
view  of  the  city 
and   its  sur  - 

'  roundings,  a  s 
well  as  of  the 
Fiord  for  a 
great  distance. 

"From  the 
royal  residence 
in  the  city  to 
this  point  there 
is  a  succession 
of  pretty  villas, 
built  of  wood, 
with  quite  a 
■variety  in  their 
styles  of  archi- 
tecture, in  gen- 
eral appearance 

frequently  resembling  some  of  our  villas  upon 
the  Hudson. 

"  The  eminence  upon  which  Oscar's  Hall  is 
■built  is  about  three  hundred  feet  in  height,  de- 
scending precipitously  to  the  water.  The  in- 
terior effect  of  the  villa  is  particularly  good :  the 
floors  are  liiid  in  mosaic  of  elaborate  designs 
and  highly  polished.  The  wainscoting  in  some 
of  the  apartments  is  very  elaborate  in  carving 
and  beautiful  in  design.  There  are  a  few 
pictures  by  Norwegian  artists  scattered  through 
the  rooms,  but  by  far  the  crowning  glory  of  the 
mansion  is  a  series  of  medallion  paintings 
which  adorn  the  dining-saloon.  These  are  by 
an  eminent  Norwegian  artist,  Carl  Haag.  The 
series  delineates  various  scenes  in  the  humble 
iife  of  the  Norwegian  peasant,  commencing 
■with  ehildhood  and  extending  to  old  age. 
"  It  WM  nine  o'clock  when  we  left  the  Hall 


to  return  to  the  city.  As  we  passed  through  the 
park,  says  my  Norwegian  friend,  '  Do  you  not 
think  the  flowers  of  Norway  are  more  beautiful 
than  any  other  ?'  I  was  hardly  able  to  appre- 
ciate their  vast  superiority,  and  had  not  then 
learned  the  necessity  of  praising  everything 
Norwegian  to  gratify  the  vanity  of  the  people. 

' '  Here  are ,  also,  a  crown,  girdle  and  frontlet, 
such  as  are  still  worn  by  brides  among  the 
peasantry  of  the  interior,  where  no.  greater  dis- 
grace can  occur  than  for  the  unhappy  fair  one 
to  be  compelled  to  make  her  marriage  vows 
uncrowned,  as  this  is  the  test  of  the  bride's 
reputation  for  chastity. 

' '  The  streets  of  Christiania  present,  at  times, 
a  novel  sight :  gangs  of  prisoners  from  the 
Castle  of  Agersbuus  are  often  seen,  heavily 
ironed,  engaged  ui  various  public  works.    One 


"  I  had  made  at  Christiania,  among  otiier 
pleasant  acquaintances,  that  of  a  young  student 
of  the  University.  It  being  his  vacation,  he 
gladly  accepted  an  invitation  to  accompany  me 
on  my  journey  north  as  far  as  Trondhjem. 

' '  The  houses  of  Norway  are  universally  log 
or  timber  houses ;  the  roof  is  frequently  of  turf. 
They  are  rarely  painted,  and  if  at  all,  they  are 
painted  red.  A  considerable  number  of  out« 
buildings  are  usually  seen.  The  sketch  which 
I  present  is  one  of  the  better  cla.s8  of  tbt 
houses  of  the  bnoder  in  GuldsbrandsdaL*    ^ 


THB  AAL  FOSS  KAPrOS,  ON  THE  OXEA,  NORWAY. 

noted  robber  was,  until  recently,  confined  in 
this  fortress,  ).n  a  cage  formed  of  thick  bars  of 
iron.  This  Norwegian  Kobin  Hood  was  a  de- 
cided  character.  He  seldom,  if  ever,  trespassed 
upon  the  property  of  the  humble  classes,  but 
confined  his  robberies  to  the  rich,  often  extend- 
ing the  helping  hand  to  the  poor  and  suffering. 
He  prided  himself  greatly  upon  his  affairs  of 
gallantry,  and  is  said  to  have  had  remarkable 
tact  in  gaining  the  affections  of  any  woman 
whom  he  set  himself  at  work  to  entangle.  His 
repeated  escapes  from  the  hands  of  justice  were, 
doubtless,  often  attributable  to  his  fair  inamo- 
ratas, who  gave  him  warning  of  danger  in  time 
to  insure  his  escape.  Again,  the  suffering 
peasantry  to  whom  he  so  often  extended  a 
generous  hand  in  the  hour  of  need  afforded 
him  an  asylum  when  pursued  by  the  officers  of 
justice. 


Sunday  in  Sweden, 

The  bell  of  the  neighboring  church  began  to 
ring  musically,  and  we  all  prepared  to  set  forth. 
Our  host  was  a  splendid  old  man,  with  hoary 

locks,  falling 
on     his     fresh 
cheeks;his 
*■  snowy     shirt 

__^^j  was  fastened  up 

"'^E5_jv;  .^  by  rows  of  sil- 

'-■^  ver  buttons;  the 

white  cloth  coat 
fwaist  of  mode- 
rate length)  em- 
broidered with 
green ;  black 
velvet  smalls 
were  fastened 
by  garters  at  the 
knees;  and  high 
to]i-boots,  for 
going  through 
the  woods,  con 
cealed  his 
knitted  stock- 
ings. The  wife 
had  a  russet 
gown  and  velvet 
bodice,  trimmed 
with  silver ;  her 
head  bound  by 
a  handkerchief 
knotted  on  the 
forehead.  The 
young  daughter 
followed  in  the 
same  costume, 
only  more  oo- 
quettish  in  hues. 
On  reaching  the  church,  from  all  sides  were 
seen  approaching  bands  of  rustics  in  the  like 
becoming  attire,  greeting  them  and  ourselves 
with  pleasant  salutations.  As  we  loitered  in  the 
churchyard  among  the  graves,  the  scene  was 
inexpressibly  touching :  the  advancing  groups, 
the  ringing  bell,  the  deep  glades  and  seclusion 
of  this  little  forest  church,  far,  far  away, 
sheltered  by  Scandinavia's  noblest  firs,  beneath 
which  the  peasant  stretches  himself  in  his  long 
rest.  Solemn  spot !  while  we  are  musing  on 
thee,  can  it  be  possible  that  others  are  sweeping 
to  church  in  gay  towns,  Ln  all  the  pomp  of 
crinoline  and  the  Tom  Thumb  bonnets  ? — that 
we  should  ever  ourselves  do  so  again  ?  Slightly 
shuddering,  humbled,  we  walked  up  the  sacred 
ai.sle  and  joined  in  the  simple  service.  That 
over,  all  went  silently  out.  At  the  door,  neigh- 
borly greetings  were  first  exchanged  ;  then  tha 


NORWAY    AND    SWEDEN. 


401 


HOUSE   IN   GULDSBEANDSDAL,  KORWAT. 


bandkerchiefa  of  the  women,  which 
had  heen  taken  off  during  divine 
eervice,  were  replaced  over  pretty 
white  caps  ;  the  male  legs  enc:ised 
in  top-hoots  again,  to  resist  the 
prickly  paths.  All  slowly  vanished 
in  the  woody  shades,  the  priest 
coming  home  to  refresh  himself 
with  our  family  at  a  midday  meal, 
after  some  interviews  with  those 
wlio  wished  to  see  him. 

The  patriarchal  host  presided  at 
the  head  of  the  tahle,  the  priest 
at  the  other  end ;  the  family  sat 
round  on  a  fixed  wooden  hench,  to 
a  repast  of  simple  but  good  mate- 
rials, hacon  being  the  dish  of 
eminence. 

"Do  you  speak  Latin?"  said  the 
pastor.  "No."  But  the  "blue" 
query  brought  on  a  discussion  of 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  deeply  in- 
teresting to  him.  He  could  not 
comprehend  the  reason  of  such  a 
numher  of  specie  dollars  being  ne- 
cessarily expended  to  fit  a  man  for 
teaching  the  truths  of  Christianity 
to  his  fellow-creatures. 


A  Swedish  Bride. 
Wrna  us  a  bride  is  a  pyramid  of 
^auzy,  airy  white  lace,  flowers, 
ti.'isue,  aU  of  spotless  white.  A 
Swedish  bride  is  quite  another 
matter.  In  a  land  so  near  the 
region  of  snow,  white  seems  to  he 
eschewed,  and  the  bride  comes 
forth  in  a  dark-blue  cloth  dress, 
17 


BEAR  ADVENTCBB  IN  NORWAY. 


fitting  tight  to  the  bust,  body  and 
skirt  both  trimmed  with  black 
velvet.  In  guise  of  buttons  down 
the  front  are  leaf-shaped  buckles 
of  gold  or  silver,  spreading  wider 
than  the  brass  ones  that  used  to 
adorn  cloaks.  As  she  moves,  these 
rattle  gayly  above  her  black  silk 
apron.  But  her  head-dress,  how 
describe  it?  A  perfect  Cheops 
pyramid  of  artificial  flowers  towers 
half  a  yard  above  her  head.  A 
white  collar  alone  looks  bridal. 

And  the  wedding  or  Boriullup? 
A  traveler  thus  describes  one  he 
stumbled  upon: 

"  The  dancing  was  nearly  over, 
and  giving  his  arm  to  a  bridesmaid, 
he  struck  up  a  lively  conversation, 
he  rattling  off  English  with  a  very 
sliglit  sprinkling  of  Swedish,  and 
she  as  glibly  replying  in  her  own 
tongue  pure.  Tliis  was  better  than 
the  supper,  which  was  stui'id,  all 
the  people  standing,  and  with  long 
intervals  between  liot  courses  of 
strong  food,  well  enough  for  noon, 
but  not  just  the  thing  for  mid- 
night. Several  speeches  were  made 
and  healths  proposed. 

"After  the  lapse  of  time  the 
bride  and  groom  appeared  at  a 
window  to  display  themselves  to 
a  large  crowd,  which  had,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  cf  the 
country,  gathered  to  glance  at 
the  bride ;  and  she  was  worth 
looking  at.  I  certainly  thought,  so 
I  give  the  sketch." 


402 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


bitter  enemy  of  England,  he  made  overtures  to 
Dr.  Franklin,  in  Paris,  to  recognize  American 
Independence,  six  months  before  the  peace  with 
England,  and  subsequently,  in  flattering  terms, 
requested  th;it  it  should  not  be  forgotten  by 
Congress  that  ho  was  tlie  first  European  moved 
to  volunteer  the  recognition.  This  was  in  1783  ; 
but  next  year  he  wrote  to  two  of  his  noblemen, 
forbidding  them  to  wear  the  badge  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati, which  Washington  had  conferred  upon 
them.  "  It  is,"  said  he,  ''  a  mark  of  successful 
revolt,  whose  cause  and  motives  were  unjust 
and  unfounded.  The  success  which  legalizes  an 
enterprise  cannot  justify  it." 

The  picture  of  the  carriage  we  give  was  that 
which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  using,  and  doubt- 
less conveyed  him  to  the  fatal  ball. 


A  SWEDISH  BRIDE. 

State  Carriage  of  Gustavns  III,,  of  Sweden. 
The  unhappy  Gustavus  III.,  of  Sweden,  whose 
assiaination  by  a  pistol  shot,  by  Ankerstiocra 
at  a  bal  musqui  in  Stockholm,  on  the  16th  of 
March,  1792,  is  doubly  familiar  to  the  public 
thrcu,'h  the  music  of  Verdi  and  the  pen  of  the 
novelist,  was  one  of  the  vainest  and  insincerest 
of  men.  His  conduct  with  reference  to  our  own 
vepublic  is  characteristic  of  his  nature.  When 
it  suited  him  to  court  the  French  Government, 
toen  the  ally  of  the  United  States,  and  the 


Swedish  Peasant  Marriage. 

Amongst  the  well-to-do  peasants  in  Sweden, 
the  proposition  of  marriage  is  seldom  made  by 
the  young  man  in  person  ;  but  after  an  object 
for  his  devotion  is  found — or  rather  after  hav- 
ing found  one  who  possesses  as  much  property 
as  himself,  or  more,  if  possible, — his  next  step 
is  to  enlist  in  his  service  some  shrewd  old  wo- 
man who  will  undertake  the  mission  to  find  out 
if  he  would  be  accepted  in  case  he  should  pro- 
pose. If  the  answer  is  favorable,  the  young 
man  will  some  fine  day,  dressed  in  his  best  suit 
and  mounted  on  a  fine  horse,  call  on  the  parents 
of  the  maiden  and  make  a  formal  proposal ; 
after  the  consent  of  the  parents  and  the  daugh- 
ter, refreshments  are  taken  and  the  day  for  the 
wedding  acrreed  upon,  and  a  great  number  of 
guests  are  inv'ted.  who  never  fail  to  bring  a 
good  supply  of  eatables. 

On  the  day  of  the  wedding,  when  all  the 
guests  are  assembled,  the  procession  is  formed. 
At  the  head  rra  two  young  men  oji  horseback, 


A  SWBtlSH  WOMAN  DBESSED  FOR  CHtlBCH. 

next  two  musicians,  playing  clarionets  ;  next 
comes  the  bride,  one  of  her  bridesmaids,  and 
parents  ;  the  bride  is  dressed  in  a  jacket  of 
dark-blue  cloth,  trimmed  with  black  velvet  and 
fastened  with  large  clasps  of  gold  or  silver,  in 
the  shape  of  two  leaves,  below  which  hang  two 
plate-like  pieces,  making  a  jingling  sound  when 
the  person  is  in  motion  ;  skirts  of  the  same 
material  and  color  as  the  jacket,  with  a  wide 
border  of  black  velvet,  and  a  Mack  silk  apron  ; 
on  bei  bead  is  a  crown  made  of  artificial  floweis^ 


SIAIB  OABKIAaS  Ot  0CSIATC8  III.  OF  SWSDSN. 


NORWAY    AND    SWEDEN. 


40S 


k  SWEDISH   MAKKIAGf!  PBOCiiSSION. 


remarkably  high,  gay 
from  twelve  to  eight- 
een inches,  and  very 
much  lilte  a  good-sized 
rosebush  ;  the  bride 
and  parents  riding  in 
a  gayly-painted  car- 
riage. Close  behind 
18  the  bridegroom  and 
quite  a  number  of  his 
friends,  all  on  horse- 
back, and  dressed  in 
dark-blue,  all  the  rest 
of  the  guests  follow- 
ing, either  in  wagons 
or  en  horseback,  the 
you  ig  men  firing 
pistols  in  quick  suc- 
cession. Last  of  all 
are  several  parties 
armed  with  large 
flasks  of  brandy  and 
enormous  pieces  of 
bread,  cheese  and 
cakes,  attacking  every 
one  in  their  way,  and 
none  will  refuse  their 
polite  invitation  to 
drink  to  the  health 
of  the  happy  pair.       ' 


HUT  IN   THE  CLEABING,    SWEDEN. 


Arrived  at  the  church 
or  parsonage,  the  mar. 
riage  ceremony  is  per- 
formed, and  when 
over,  the  procession 
returns  in  the  same 
order,  perhaps  accom- 
panied by  the  good 
minister  and  his 
family.  A  few  women 
left  at  home,  assisted 
by  the  best  cooks  in 
the  vicinity  have,  in 
the  meantime,  been 
busy  to  get  dinner 
really,  which  is  served 
on  large  tables,  extend- 
ing from  both  ends  of 
the  room.  Here  are 
huge  earthen  dishes 
filled  with  grot,  a  kind 
of  mush  made  of  rice 
boiled  in  milk,  boilef* 
hams,  large  bowls  of 
soup,  called  brown 
soup,  made  of  the 
blood  of  geese  ;  wine- 
raisins,  prunes,  and  a 
number  of  diickt  ns 
boiled   in    it.      Here 


404 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


his  feet.  Dancing,  eiting,  aud  drinking  are 
kept  up  until  exliaustiou  compels  them  to 
cease  ;  and  now  every  one  will  have  to  take  the 
hest  quarters  he  can  get  We  recollect  on  one 
Buch  occasion  an  old  man.  who,  either  by  acci- 
dent or  choice,  iiad  mistaken  a  large  deep  bas- 
ket for  a  bed,  and,  with  his  head  and  feet  in 
close  proximity,  slept  soundly  till  daylight. 

On  the  second  day  the  spealier  takes  up  a 
collection  for  the  married  couple,  and  all  give 
liberally,  generally  money,  butBometimes  catUo 
or  horses.  The  second  day  is  a  repetition  of  the 
first,  and  in  this  way  it  is  continued  for  one, 
two.  anJ  even  three  weeks. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  no  disturbances 
occur ;  perhaps  an  occasional  explosion,  caused 
by  a  careless  mixing  of  gunpowder  and  matches 
in  the  sime  pocket,  may  happen.  When  all 
the  festivities  are  ended,  every  one,  with  light 
heart  and  heavy  head,  seeks  his  own  home. 


THE  MAT-POLE. 


are  also  fish,  puddings  and  cakes,  and  an  in- 
exhaustible supply  of  brandy.  When  the  fish 
Is  served,  the  speaker  makes  a  short  speech. 
We  recollect  the  following,  although  made 
many  years  ago: 

"My  dear  friends,  we  are  here  assembled 
together  to  celebrate  the  marriage  of  Nils  Pehr- 
8on  and  Kama  Jonson.  Yes,  my  friends,  God 
said  to  Adam,  '  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be 
alone,'  and  therefore  He  gave  him  a.  wife.  Yes, 
my  friends,  these  two  are  now  one  flesh,  and 
■we  all  hope  and  pray  that  their  descendants 
may  become  as  numerous  as  the  stars  under 
heaven  and  the  sands  in  the  ocean  ;  and  for 
ibis  purpose  we  now  drink  to  the  health  of  the 
married  pair." 

Every  one  now  empties  his  glass  Dinner 
being  finished,  but  the  tables,  with  their  con- 
tents, left  standing,  eg  that  during  the  festivi- 


Sater  Stuga. 

The  taier  is  a  clearing  of  some  little  extent, 
and  is  usually  fenced  off  into  small  allotments 
pertaining  to  several  inhabitants  of  the  hamlet. 
On  each  of  these  allotments  is  a  so-called  mter 
stuga,  or  hut,  which  serves  as  the  temporary  resi- 
dence of  those  who  tend  the  cattle.  It  is  con- 
structed of  logs ;  sometimes  they  are  square  ;  it 
is  roofed  over  with  turf,  shingle,  or  layers  of 
birch-bark. 

Tlie  removal  of  the  cattle  from  the  homestead 
usually  takes  place  during  the  first  week  of 
June,  and  is  of  itself  quite  an  event.  The  prepa- 
rations made  by  the  women  keep  pace  with  the 
bleating  of  the  sheep  and  the  goats,  and  the 
bellowing  of  the  cattle,  whose  endeavors  to 
break  through  the  small  inclosures,  near  the 
house,  in  which  they  are  confined,  are  incessant. 
Two  or  more  girls,  called  Wallhjon,  accompany 
the  cattle,  all  of  which,  as  well  as  the  sheep  and 
goats,  are  marked  on  the  forehead  by  a  tar- 
brush with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  which  is 
believed  an  infallible  means  of  protecting  them 
from  evil  spirits. 

The  herd  is  led  by  the  "bell-cow,"  selected 


ties  the  guests  can  help  themselves  at  pleasure, 
the  company  now  withdraw  to  a  larj^er  room 
prepared  for  the  dancing.  The  musicians  ttrike 
up  a  lively  tune,  and  the  ball  is  opened  by  the 
bridegroom  and  some  venerable  old  lady.  He 
has  also  to  dance  with  all  the  ladies  present,  be 
they  ever  so  many.  Next  comes  the  bride, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  dance  with  all  the  gentle- 
men. As  many  others  as  can  get  room  now 
join  in,  and  the  dancers  are  soon  in  full  glory. 
Refreshments  are  served  at  short  intervals  ; 
the  musicians,  soon  getting  elated,  commence 
to  treat  the  poor  violins  most  unmercifully. 
Keeping  time  with  the  stamp  of  the  foot,  the 
dancers  increase  their  speed  fearfully,  clap  their 
hands,  give  the  hoot-heel  a  slap,  as  a  kind  of 
encouragement,  and  some  happy  fellow  will, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  partner's  strong  arms, 
make  a  terrible  leap,  touching  the  ceiling  with 


AS   EARLY  SCAJvDlKAVIAS  VESSEL. 


NORWAY    AND    SWEDEN. 


405 


for  her  docility.    When  the  herd  has  arrived  at 

the  sdter,  the  girls  regularly  take  up  their  abode 

at  the  sluga,  which  is  of  very  small  dimensions — 

not  exceeding  fourteen  feet  in  length  by  ten  in 

width. 

»  ♦  « 

The  May-pole  in  Sweden. 
St.  Hans'sEvc  is,  in  Sweden,  the  most  joyous 
niy;ht  of  the  whole  year.  In  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, more  especially  in  ihe  provinces  of  Bohus 
and  Scania,  and  in  districts  bordering  on  Nor- 
way, in  which  country  Balder  was  worshiped, 
it  is  celebrated  by  the  frequent  discharge  of  fire- 
arms, and  also  by  huge  bonfires  —  formerly 
called  Balder' s  Balar,  symbols  of  the  obsequies 
of  that  god,  whose  body  was  consumed  on  an 
immense  funeral  pyre — which  are  kindled  at 
dusk  on  bills  and  eminences,  and  throw  a  glare 


akimbo.  From  top  to  bottom  not  only  the 
"  Maj  Stang"  itself,  but  the  hoops,  bows,  etc., 
are  ornamented  with  leaves,  floweis,  slips  of 
various  cloth,  gilt  egg-shells,  etc.  ;  and  on  the 
top  of  it  is  a  cock  or  a  large  vane,  or  it  may  be 
a  flug,  commonly  white  or  red,  on  which  is 
inscribed  the  name  of  the  Apostle  John,  or  that 
of  the  hamlet,  and  date. 

Some  of  these  votive  pillars,  if  the  expression 
may  be  used,  are  thought  to  be  symbolic  of 
sun-worship ;  as,  for  instance,  the  garlands 
being  made  to  represent  triangles  and  wheels 
with  spokes,  these  forms  being  known  to  repre- 
sent the  sun,  at  least  amongst  the  Egyptians 
and  Phoenicians.  The  wheel  with  rays  being 
still  the  sign  of  t'le  sun,  and  the  obelisk,  or 
pointed  pillar,  is  also  supposed  to  have  had  the 
same  signification. 

The  raising  of  the  "Maj  Stang,"  which  has 


In  the  town  of  Lulea,  in  Norrlands,  families 
on  St.  Hans' g  Eve  are  accustomed  to  repair  to  a 
hill  in  the  vicinity  called  "Mjolkudds  Berget," 
where  tliey  light  a  number  of  small  fires. 
Those  that  now  blaze,  however,  are  not  fires  iu 
honor  of  god  Balder,  but  simply  to  prepare 
coffee.  Each  family  party  collects  around  its 
own  little  fire ;  but  the  coffee-pan  must  not  be 
placed  on  it  till  the  sun  is  about  to  siak  below 
the  horizjn  :  and  before  the  coffee  is  boiled  that 
luminary  has  again  risen  ;  for  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  in  these  high  latitudes,  the  queen  of 
light  is  so  unwearied  in  illumining  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  Fjalls  that  she  hardly  gives  herself 
a  moment's  rest. 

Some,   again,    direct   their  steps  to  certain 

mystic  fonts  called  "  Offer  Kallor,"  or  sacrificial 

springs,  so  named  liecause  in  heathen  times  the 

1  limbs  of  the  slaughtered  victim,  whether  man 


of  light  over  the  face  of  all  the  surrounding 
country.  It  is  remarkable  that  it  is  still  the 
custom  to  dance  around,  and  jump  over  and 
through,  these  fires,  reminding  one  of  the  an- 
cient feasts  of  Baal  or  Moloch,  when  the  wor- 
shipers are  described  as  passing  through  the 
fire  to  Moloch. 

The  great  attraction  of  the  evening,  however, 
is  the  "  Maj  Stang."  one  of  which  in  the  rural 
districts  is  raised  at  Midsummer  in  nearly  every 
large  hamlet,  as  also  near  to  the  residence  of 
most  large  landed  proprietors. 

This  consists  of  a  straight  and  tall  spruce- 
pine  tree — often  of  the  thickness  of  a  man's 
body  at  the  base — divested  of  its  branches.  At 
times  hoops,  and  at  others  pieces  of  wood, 
placed  crosswise,  are  attached  to  it  at  interviUs ; 
whilst  at  others  it  is  provided  with  bows,  re- 
Bieeenting,  bo  to  Bay,  a  man  with  his  arms 


THE  CHBISIUAS  TBEE  IN  SWEDEK. 

been  previously  decorated  by  the  maidens  of  the 
village,  is  attended  with  much  ceremony,  and 
to  the  sound  of  the  violin  or  other  musical 
instrument,  in  which  while  guns,  or  it  may  be 
small  cannon,  are  repeatedly  discharged. 

People  from  all  quarters  flock  to  the  ' '  Maj 
Stang,"  and,  after  forming  a  great  ring,  dance 
around  it.  "  Every  one  enters  into  the  amuse- 
ment, from  the  grandmother  to  the  child  three 
years  old,  the  unrestrained  wing  of  gladness 
being  extended  over  all.  Every  care  is  then 
forgotten,  and  one  abandons  oneself  solely  to 
the  enjoyment  of  the  hour." 

The  dance  over,  for  the  time  at  least,  they  sit 
down  to  the  evening  repast,  and  when  this  is 
ended,  they  cither  dance  again  or  amuse  them- 
selves as  best  they  may,  it  b2ing  the  custom  for 
every  one  on  this  festive  occasion  to  remaiu  up 
and  moving  during  the  whole  night, 


or  beaist,  were  here  washed  prior  to  immolation. 
Here,  also,  the  priestesses  of  the  neighboring 
temple  counseled  the  people  both  in  regard  to 
their  sicknesses  and  worldly  affairs,  and  as  a 
consequence  these  fonts  were  looked  on  as  holy. 
When  Christianity  was  introduced  into  Swe- 
den, now,  as  said,  upwards  of  a  thousand  years 
ago,  the  monks  erected  near  to  each  of  tlis^e 
springs  the  image  of  one  or  other  of  their 
saints,  making  the  people  believe  the  waters 
were  under  the  special  protection  of  the  latter, 
and  encouraged  them  to  make  gifts  to  them- 
selves in  like  manner  as  to  the  priestesses  of  old. 


Blotter  01,  or  Harvest  Home  in  Sweden. 

"  Slotter  6l,"  answering  to  our  "Harvest- 
home, ' '  is  in  several  provinces  of  Sweden  a  grea* 
"  people's  festival." 


406 


•IHE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


"In  Scania,  and  elsewhere,"  says  a  Swedis^h 
vyriter,  '■  it  has  been  the  custom,  from  time  im- 
memorial, for  the  peasantry  on  the  occasion  to 
devote  a  day  to  pleasure  and  festivity.  To  them 
it  is  one  of  the  happiest  in  the  year.  Their  joy 
is  loud  and  general.  All  are  animated  by  the 
gratification  which  is  the  reward  of  every  honest 
man  on  the  successful  completion  of  his  labors, 
The  festival  takes  place  when  the  fields  aie 
shorn  of  their  treasures  and  the  grain  safely 
housed.  The  peasants,  as  with  those  in  a 
higher  position  in 
life,  express  their 
delight  in  tlie  plea- 
enres  of   the  table. 

A  well-furnished 
one  has  always  been 
with  us  a  needful 
adjunct  to  social 
comfort  and  plea- 
sure. By  eating  and 
drinking  we  praise 
the  care  of  Provi- 
dence ;  we  express 
our  loyalty  as  sub- 
jects, our  gratitude 
toward  our  bene- 
factors, and  our 
sympathy  with  the 
important  oc- 
currences of  the  day. 
By  it  we  honor  our 
contemporary  cele- 
brities, and  show 
OUT  affection  toward 
ourfriends ;  and  our 
gratitude,  our  re- 
spect, our  love,  and 
our  delight,  are  not 
ttnfrequently     mea- 


HARVEST-HOME   IN   SWEDFJJ. 

sured  by  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  vianrls 
iin  1  liquors  set  before  us.  We  must  not,  there- 
fore, blame  our  more  humble  peasant  friends 
when,  after  their  labors  are  ended,  they  cheer 
their  hearts  with  a  meriy  meeting. 

"T/ie  guests  on  these  occasions  are  numerous, 
because  relations,  friends,  and  neighbors  have 
all  aided  in  gathering  the  corn  into  the  gamer ; 
and  now,  by  the  invitation  of  the  host,  come  to 
discuss  the  contents  of  his  larder.  And  we  can 
assure  our  readers  that  this  is  most  effectually 


accomp'ished.  Tlie  repast  lasts  a  long  tima^ 
during  which  Swedish  nectar— potato  brandy — 
is  forthcoming  in  abundance  ;  and  the  dance 
that  succeeds,  which  is  kept  up  until  a  lat© 
hour,  concludes  the  festivities." 


LUND   nORSF.-FAIR  IN   SWEDEN. 


A  Swedish  Funeral. 
When  a  death  has  taken  place  amongst  the 
peasants  in  Sweden,  two  of  the  nearest  male 
relatives  go  to  the  minister  of  the  parish  and 
state  the  facts,  and 
receive  from  him 
the  keys  of  the 
church  and  belfry. 
When  arrived  there 
they  will  ring  the 
bells  for  half  an 
hour,  and  in  this 
way  the  people  for 
miles  around  will 
know  that  one  of 
their  number  has 
departed ;  and  it 
always  seems  that 
the  bells  on  such 
occasions  have  a 
melancholy  sound, 
as  if  it  were  to  warn 
the  still  living  of 
the  uncertainty  of 
this  life. 

When  the  ringing 
has  ceased,  the  same 
per-ons  will  take 
the  spades  — always 
kept  in  the  belfry 
— and  dig  the  grave. 
This  finished,  they 
wni  order  a  cofBn. 


NOBWAY    AND    SWEDEN. 


40T 


l^f^l^lf/l 


8 


o 


< 
o 


o 


■o 


408 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


"^.m 


The  funeral  generally  takes  place  on  a^unday, 
vhen  the  deceased  is  carried  by  his  relatives 
and  friends,  sometimes  a  distance  of  four  or  six 
miles,  to  his  last  resting-place.  When  near 
the  church  the  bells  are  again  rung,  and  only 
cease  when  the  procession  has  arrived  at  the 
grave,  where  the  minister  performs  the  funeral 
ceremonies.  The  procession  is  always  headed 
by  the  oldest  men,  and  next  to  the  coffin  three 
or  four  women,  dressed  in  black,  with  large 
white  aprons,  and  their  heads  and  shoulders 
covered  with  handkerchiefs  of  the  same  color. 
Many  years  ago  the  funerals  were  in  some 
Instances  ended  with  music  and  dancing,  but  I 
have  only  seen  one  myself,  and  in  this  case 
the  departed  was  an  old  toper,  who  left  be- 
hind him  a  young  and  handsome  widow,  but 
not  to  monm  his  loss,  as  she  married  not  very 

long  after. 

♦  «  ♦ 

Lund  Horse  Fair, 
One  of  the  most  celebrated  fairs  in  the  coun- 
try is  that  held  annually  in  the  cathedral  town 
cf  Lund,  in  Scania.  It  lasts  from  the  begin- 
ning of  Ijeut  to  Easter  Week ;  "  and  this  merry 
time,"  we  are  told,  in  substance,  "is  to  the 
lower  classes  what  the  carnival  is  to  the  inhabit- 
Bnts  of  the  southern  countries  of  Europe.  The 
great  days  are  Wednesday  in  mid-Lent  and  Ash- 
Wednesday  ;  and  these  two  days  are  as  much 


A  SWEDISH  FUNERAL. 

renowned  amongst  the  peasantry  in  Scania  as  is 
Beaucaire  Fair  among  the  French  and  Italians. 
Ash  -  Wednesday  is  in  Lund — on  account  of 
the  horse-fair— turned  into  the  noisiest  day  in 
the  whole  year.  People  from  far  and  near, 
landed  proprietors,  bailiffs,  and  peasants,  flock 
by  thousands  to  the  town.  One  also  sees  there 
numbers  of  horse-jockeys,  and  amongst  them 
not  a  few  gipsies  and  Bohemians.  He  who, 
like  Borrow  and  Eibert  Smidt,  delights  in  the 
gibberish  of  these  people — a  lingo  called  '  Mo- 
inani,''  derived  from  Sanscrit,  and  interlarded 
with  the  slang  of  all  nations — ought  to  go  to 
Lund.  These  men  curvet  about  the  streets  on 
steeds  that  are  made  up,  and  look  well  enough, 
for  the  occasion  ;  but  when  one  has  purchased 
them  they  turn  out  the  veriest  jades,  and  full 
of  cleverly  concealed  defects." 

The  fair,  besides,  presents  to  the  beholder  an 
endless  variety  of  amusing  scenes  and  incidents. 
Grave  citizens,  at  inns  and  eating-houses,  in 
cloaks  and  ^  galloslies,''  or  overshoes,  the  latter 
being  looked  on  as  the  greatest  of  luxuries ;  the 
lower  class  in  tents  that  the  market  people  and 
the  jugglers  have  erected  in  the  street ;  the 
exchange  of  watches  here  and  there  between  the 
peasantry,  who  ratify  the  bargain  by  knocking 
their  hats  together  with  such  force  as  not  in- 
frequently to  leave  ineffaceable  indentations  on 
them ;  the  most  determined  bargaining,  but 
still  the  most  exorbitant  prices  paid. 


The  Ohristmas  Tree. 

On  the  evening  of  St.  Stephen's  Day,  the  iiw' 
habitants  of  the  village  assemble  either  at  one- 
or  other  of  their  own  homes,  or  at  a  so-called 
Lek  Stuga,  literally  play-room  or  house,  that 
is  supported  by  subscription,  and  where  the 
inhabitants  amuse  themselves  with  music  and 
dancing. 

Prior  to  the  commencement  of  the  latter-^ 
such,  at  least,  used  to  be  the  pleasing  custom 
some  years  ago  in  the  more  wooded  parts  of  Os- 
tergotland — four  maidens,  clad  in  white,  with 
tinsel  coronets  on  their  heads,  and  various  other 
ornaments,  enter  the  apartment.  Two  of  them 
carry  refreshments  for  the  company,  whilst  the 
other  two  carry  between  them  a  tub  filled  with 
soil,  in  which  is  planted  a  so-called  Jul  Buske, 
that  is,  the  upper  part  of  a  young  spruce-pine, 
to  the  graceful  branches  of  which  are  appended 
numerous  lighted  tapers,  party-colored  ribbons, 
etc.  This  tub  is  placed  on  the  floor  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  when  the  four  maidens  in 
question  form  a  ring  around  it,  and  sing  the- 
following  lines : 

"  To  greet  our  host  and  hostess  here. 
Behold  a  burning  bush  appear. 
'Tls  borne  alott  by  maidens  twain, 
Belonging  to  our  village  train. 
Sans  root,  with  crown  and  branches  greexu- 
Thus  growing  now  this  bush  is  seen. 
May  God  our  host  and  hostess  blesB, 
And  send  them  every  happiness." 


DENiMARK. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL- AND   HISTORICAL   SUMMARY.^ 

Copenhagen -The  Chfroh  of  Faareville— Danish  Costumes— Pubi^ic  lyARRiAoE— The  Metal  Font  at  Haderslev— Citriotts  ANcrENT  Goldbw, 
HoKNs— Danish  1'ebbyboat— pbison  of  Chbisiian  II,  at  sondebbuko— The  palace  of  CaaisTiANSBoao — Elsinobe— Danish  missions. 


/HIS  kingdom  lies  Korth  of  Germany, 
between  the  Baltic  and  North  Sea.  It 
comprises  the  peninsula  of  Jutland 
in  the  North,  the  Duchies  of  Holstein 
and  Lauenbeig  in  the  South,  and  a  group  of 
islands  Ij'ing  in  the  Baltic  Sea.  The  surface  is 
almost  a  perfect  flat,  and  in  some  parts  the 
coast  is  protected  from  inxmdation  of  the  sea 
by  dykes. 

The  soil  is  good  near  the  coasts,  but  in  the 
interior  there  are  large  tracts  covered  with 
heath.  Tlie  climate  is  humid,  but  mild  for  the 
latitude,  and  wheat  and  oats  are  extensively 
cultivated.  Geese,  ducks,  and  other  birds  are 
numerous,  and  tlie  exportation  of  their  feathers 
forms  a  very  profitable  branch  of  commerce. 
Peat  is  the  principal  fuel — all  coal  being  im- 
ported, is,  consequently,  very  expensive.  The 
supply  of  wood  is  limited,  there  being  but  few 
forests  in  Denmark.  Pastures  are  the  chief 
sources  of  wealth. 

The  inhabitants  belong  to  the  Teutonic  or 
German  family  of  nations,  and  their  leading 
pursuit  is  agriculture. 

The  roads  in  Zealand  and  other  islands  are 
generally  good,  but  in  other  parts  are  very 
poor.  Railroads  are  introduced  but  to  a  limited 
extent. 

As  Denmark  contains  neither  iron,  coal,  nor 
water-power,  its  manufactures  are  few.  Cheese 
and  butter  are  made  in  abundance,  and  distilla- 
tion and  brewing  are  extensively  carried  on. 
The  exports  are  agricultural  products,  live 
stock,  fish,  beer,  and  brandy. 

Copenhagen,  the  largest  city  and  capital  of 
the  kingdom,  is  situated  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
the  Island  of  Zealand,  and  partly  on  the  adja- 
cent Island  of  Amak.  Elsinore  is  on  the  Island 
of  Zealand,  and  is  twenty-five  miles  North  of 
Copenhagen.  It  is  a  small  commercial  town 
where,  formerly,  all  merchant-ships  passing  in 
or  out  of  the  Baltic,  excepting  the  Swedish  and 
Danish,  had  to  pay  sound  dues.  This  impost 
was,  however,  abolished  about  twenty  years 
ago — the  Danish  Government  receiving,  in  lieu 
of  it,  a  certain  sum  of  money  down  as  an 
equivalent.     Elsiuore   is   also  remarkable  as 


being  the  scene  of  Shakespeaie's  grand  tragedy 
of  "  Hamlet." 

Horace  Marryat,  in  his  chatty  work,  entitled 
"Jutland  and  the  Danish  Islands,"  gives  the 
following  pleasant  account  of  the  capital  of 
Benmark  : 

"  Among  the  earlier  events  of  interest  which 
took  place  at  Copenhagen,  I  find  mentioned 
how,  in  1363,  there  was  a  '  right  goodly  royal 
party  of  prindsen,  kings,  and  illustrious  princes, 
as  well  as  nobles  from  all  parts,  assembled  to 
witness  the  nuptials  of  the  Princess  Margaret, 
daughter  of  King  Valdemar  Atterdag,  with 
Hakon,  King  of  Norway.'  Swedish  historians 
declare  Margaret  to  have  heen  of  a  dark  com- 
plexion, by  no  means  well-looking.  After  her 
marriage  she  went,  accompanied  by  her  husband, 
to  Norway,  where,  on  account  of  her  tender 
years,  a  governess  was  placed  over  her,  the 
Iiady  Martha,  daughter  of  St.  Bridget ;  very 
strict,  too,  she  was,  and  often  made  Margaret, 
a  married  queen,  smart  under  the  rod.  In 
after  life  a  steady  affection  continued  to  exist 
between  the  queen  and  her  early  castigatrix. 

' '  Of  the  endless  and  innumerable  sieges  this 
devoted  city  has  undergone,  I  will  merely  call 
to  mind  that  which  took  place  in  the  days  of 
Philippa  of  England,  worthy  sister  of  the  hero 
of  Agincourt. 

"  Copenhagen  was  attacked  by  the  Hanseatic 
League,  and  the  town  would  have  fallen  had  it 
not  been  for  the  courage  of  Philippa.  '  Queen 
Philippa,'  say  the  Chronicles,  '  held  Princes' 
Day  at  Copenhagen,  and  invited  to  the  castle 
the  soldiers  and  young  men  of  the  city  who 
had  fought  against  the  Wends  and  Hanseatikers, 
and,  after  counseling  them  to  render  good 
service  to  the  lord  their  king,  dismissed  them 
to  enjoy  something  which  we  cannot  find  in  the 
dictionary,  but  imagine  to  be  "a  regular  good 
blow-out."  '  Her  conduct  inspired  the  citizens 
with  such  enthusiasm,  the  enemy  were  com- 
pelled to  retire.  Joyful  at  her  success  (Erik, 
her  husband,  was  then  absent  in  Sweden,  or,  as 
Swedish  historians  assert,  lying  concealed  in  the 
convent  of  Soro),  Philippa  invested  Stralsund 
with  »  fleet    of   seventy-five    ships :    fortune 


declared  against  he?;  after  a  hard-fought 
battle  she  returned  to  Copenhagen,  her  fleet 
destroyed  :  and  now  it  is  related  how  Erik,  un- 
mindful of  her  former  success,  in  his  rage 
struck  the  queen,  at  that  time  advanced  in, 
pregnancy.  Indignant  at  this  treatment,  she 
retired  to  the  convent  o"  Vadstena,  where  she 
died  some  few  months  after,  and  was  buried  in 
the  chapel  of  St.  Anne,  which  she  herself  had 
founded,  and  where  her  sepulchral  slab  may 
still  be  seen.  I 

"  Erik  caused  a  Domkirke  to  lie,  built  at 
Vadstena  in  her  honor.  ' 

' '  Some  historians  affect  to  deny  this  story,  or 
urge  in  Erik's  defense  the  Jutland  law,  by 
virtue  of  which  a  man  was  authorized  to  flog 
his  wife  and  children  with  his  hands,  but  not 
with  weapons."  kj 

The  Danes  aro  a  hardy  and  industrious  race, 
and,  after  the  English  and  Americans,  are  tha 
finest  sailors  in  the  world.  The  population  is 
about  two  millions. 

Sunday  is  nearly  as  much  a  work-day  as  any 
other,  yet  the  wages  of  laborers  do  not  usually 
amount  to  more  than  $75  a  year.  Womea 
earn  about  ten  cents  a  day.  The  united  earn- 
ings of  a  family,  consisting  of  a  laborer  and 
his  wife  with  three  or  four  children,  will  not 
enable  them  to  purchase  anything  better  aa 
food  than  rye-bread,  bad  milk-cheese  and  butter 
and  poor  coffee  ;  to  which  must  be  added  to- 
bacco and  snuff,  and  cheap  bad  spirits,  which, 
they  consume  in  large  quantities.  The  weekly 
earnings  of  a  spinner  are  $1.50  to  $2,  and 
those  of  a  weaver  are  from  $1..J0  to  $3.  In  tho 
most  favorable  situations,  the  diet  is  not  so  bad 
as  we  have  mentioned. 

The  religion  of  Denmark  is  strictly  Lutheran, 
and  apostacy  from  it  entails  loss  of  civil  rights. 
Education  is  carefully  followed  up,  and  the 
poorest  peasant  will  be  found  able  to  read  and 
write. 

The  early  history  of  Denmark  was  very  mucU 
connected  with  that  of  England,  upon  whos» 
shores  they  were  in  the  habit  of  making  frequent 
invasions — the  Danish  King,  Canute,  occupying 
the  throne  for  a  time. 


-no 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Oopenhagsn. 

Copenhagen,  tlie  capital  town,  or,  al 
It  is  spelt,  in  Danish,  Kjobenhavn,  is 
said  to  have  been  founded  by  Bishop 
Azel  in  116B,  when  it  was  only  a  mere 
hamlet  of  fishermen,  but,  as  a  town,  It 
dates  only  from  the  thirteenth  century, 
anl,  as  a  city,  sines  1443.  Being  well 
adapted  for  commerce,  it  rapidly  in- 
creased, and  soon  became  the  seat  of 
government,  its  population  in  1852 
being  138,140,  mostly  Protestants.  It 
is  built  on  a  piece  of  very  flat  ground, 
slightly  raise!  above  the  surface  of  the 
sea,  and  is  intersected  in  several  direc- 
tions with  canals,  along  which  are  nu- 
merous quays  and  wharfs.  Tlie  form 
c  f  the  city  is  that  of  an  irregular  circle. 
With  a  diameter  of  about  two  miles, 
circur^^ference  rather  more  than  six 
mi.  js. 

Copenhagen,  which  has  sustained  a 
prominent  position  in  the  militaiy 
annals  of  Europe,  is  strongly  fortified, 
being  surrounded  on  the  land  side  with 
a  lofty  wall  flanked  with  bastions,  and 
by  a  ;jroad,  deep  ditch,  filled  with  water 
from  the  Baltic,  and  defended  toward 
the  sea  by  most  formidable  batteries. 
It  contains  many  handsome  edifices  of 
modern  construction,  usually  of  brick, 
but  occasionally  of  Norwegian  granite  ; 
as  a  general  thing,  the  pavement  of  the 
streets  is  very  indifferent,  and  the  city 
suffers  much  bv  the  worst  of  evils  to 
which  a  large  community  can  be  sub- 
jected— a  deficiency  of  good  fresh  water. 

The  city  possesses  numerous  hospitals 
and  asylums,  in  which  no  kind  of 
disease,  poverty,  or  wretchedness  ap- 
pears to  be  forgotten ;  a  imiversity 
founded  by  Christian  I.  in  1478,  a  mu- 
seum of  Northern  antiquities,  cele- 
brated throughout  Europe  for  its  valu- 
able collection  of  Scandinavian  remains, 
and  is  well  provided  with  educational 
institutions. 

Copenhagen,  from  the  prominence  it 
has  had  in  the  belligerent  aimals  of 
modem  Europe,  has  stood  some  stout 
sieges,  especially  that  in  1801,  when, 
after  one  of  the  most  desperate  actions 
on  record,  Nelson,  who  was  second  in 
command  to  Sir  Hyde  Parker,  sank  or 
burnt  all  the  Danish  ships,  and  com- 
pelled Denmark  to  abandon  the  allianca 
she  had  entered  into  against  England. 
Again,  in  1807,  Copenhagen  was  bom- 
barded by  Lord  Cathcart,  and  forced  to 
capitulate.  For  this  siege,  and  th« 
destruction  of  the  fleet,  the  Danes  still 
dislike  the  English,  and  these  things 
may  have  had  some  effect  upon  the 
nation's  refusal  to  join  tl:3  Western 
Alliance  against  its  most  dangerous 
enemy — Alexander  11. 


The  Ohurch  of  Faareveile. 

Is  the  year  1567,  the  sentence  of  deafk 

was  passed  by  the  Scottish  Parliameok 

on  the  I<2arl  of  Bothwell.  who  had  COK^ 

polled  Mary,  Queeu  of  Scote,  to  marry 


DENMARK 


411 


him.  The  earl  was 
then  in  the  Orltney 
Islands,  and  succeeded 
In  making  his  escape 
to  Denmark.  Here  he 
declared  himself  to  bo 
the  husband  of  Mary, 
Queen  of  Scots,  and 
demanded  to  he  con- 
ducted into  the  pre- 
sence of  the  king. 

Frederic  II.  feared 
that  the  earl  would 
go  over  to  Sweden,  a 
country  at  war  with 
Denmark.  On  this 
account  only  was  he 
Bent  a  prisoner  to  Co- 
penhagen. Bothwell 
died  at  Draxholm  two 
years  after  liis  removal 
thither,  and  was  in- 
terred in  the  parish 
church  of  Faareveile. 
On  the  iron-bound 
door  of  the  church 
appears  the  dragon — 
titular  patron,  I  sup- 
pose, of  the  place.  The 
interior  is  simple,  of 
good  architecture, 
with  pulpit  and  altar- 
piece  of  Christian  IV. 's 
date,  and  in  sound 
repair  —  telling  of  a 
resident  landlord  who 
prides  himself  in  the 
prosperous  appearance 
of  all  around  him. 
And  now  they  raise  a 
folding  trap  in  the 
chancel ;  a  ladder  leads 

to  the  vault  below:  on  the  right  lies  a  simple 
wooden  coffin  encased    in   an  outer  one  for 
protection  ;   the  lid  is  removed,  a  sheet  with- 
drawn, uncovered  within  which  lies  the  mum- 
my-corpse of    Scotland's   proudest  earl.    The 
coffin,  in  earlier  times,  reposed  in  a  vault  of 
the  chapel  of  the  Adeler  family,  but  was  re- 
moved by  the  baron  to  its  present  place  for 
the  convenience  o^'  thoeo  who  desire  to  visit  it 
without   intruding  on  bae  djrmitorj  of    the 
family.     It  has 
always  for  cen- 
tur ies    been 
iknown    as   the 
tomb  of  ' '  Grev 
Bod  veil"  by 
sacristan    and 
peasant.    When 
the    wooden 
coffin  was    first 
)  p  e  n  e  d ,    the 
body  was  found 
mveloped      i  n 
Jhe  finest  linen, 
the  head  repos- 
ing on  a  pillow 
of  satin.    There 
was  no  inscrip- 
tion 

We  are  no 
enthusiasts,  and 
tako   mattero 


COSTUMES  OF  THE  DANISH   PEASANTET, 

quietly  enough,  but  we  defy  any  impartial  per- 
son to  gaze  on  this  body  without  at  once  declar- 
ing it  to  be  that  of  an  ugly  "  Scotchman."  It 
is  that  of  a  man  of  the  middle  height — and 
to  judge  by  his  hair,  red  mixed  with  gray,  of 
about  fifty  years  of  age.  The  forehead  is  not 
expansive :  the  form  of  the  head  wide  behind, 
denoting  bad  qualities,  of  which  Bothwell,  as 
we  all  know,  possessed  plenty  ;  high  cheek- 
bones; remarkably  prominent,  long,  hooked 


PUBUC   CARBIAOE. 


nose,  somowhat  do- 
pressed  toward  the 
end  (this  may  hava 
been  the  effect  of  ema- 
ciation) ;  wide  mouth ; 
hands  and  feet  small, 
well  shaped,  those  of 
a  high-bred  man. 

We  have  examined 
the  records  of  the 
Scottish  Parliament, 
caused  researches  to 
be  made  at  the  British 
Museum — the  copy  of 
his  "  Hue  and  Cry"  is 
not  forthcoming  :  no 
description  of  Both- 
well  exists,  save  that 
of  Brant6me,  who  saw 
him  on  his  visit  to 
Paris,  where  he  first 
met  Mary  during  the 
life-time  of  King 
Francis,  and  he  de- 
scribes him  as  "the 
ugliest  and  awkward- 
est  of  men."  Con- 
cerning his  grace  we 
can  say  nothing,  but 
we  do  not  think  his 
corpse  belies  the  de- 
scription of  the  French 
historian.  And  now, 
satisfied  with  the 
inspection,  having  first 
severed  a  lock  of  his 
red  and  silver  hair  as 
a  souvenir,  we  let  close 
the  coffin-lid,  and 
again  mounted  the 
staircase.  Bothwell's 
life  was  a  troubled 
one  ;  but  had  he  selected  a  site  in  all  Christen- 
dom for  quiet  and  repose  in  death,  he  could 
have  found  none  more  peaceful  than  that 
where  he  lies. 

ii^i> 

Ourious  Ancient  Golden  HomSi 
In  1802,  these  two  horns  of  solid  gold  were 
stolen  from  the  Kunst  cabinet  of  Christiana- 
borg,  Denmark,  by  a  jeweler  named   Heiden- 

reich,  and  were 
melted  down 
before  the  rob- 
bery was  dis- 
covered. The 
robber  was  im- 
prisoned  for 
life,  and  a  long 
detention  it 
proved,  for  he 
lived  to  be 
dghty  years  of 
age. 

The  circum- 
stances  attend- 
ing the  original 
finding  of  thesa 
golden  horns 
were  singular. 
In  the  year  1639, 
near  Tender,  In 
Slesvig,  a  young 


412 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


peasant  girl,  by  name  Katharina,  as  she  was 
returning  home  one  evening,  remarked  some- 
thing sticking  up  out  of  the  ground  by  the  side 
of  the  road.  Imagining  it  to  be  a  piece  of  wood, 
Bhe  passed  it  by  without  examination.  Some 
days  later,  walking  along  the  same  road,  she 
struck  her  foot  against  the  same  object.  Seeing 
it  to  be  something  curious,  she  endeavored  to 
pull  it  from  the  earth,  and  having,  after  great 
efforts,  succeeded  in  extracting  it  from  the 
ground,  called  to  her  companions  to  look  at 
what  she  had  found.  They  all  laughed  at  her, 
declaring  it  to  be  an  old  hunter's  horn,  and 
advised  her  to  leave  it  where  she  found  it.  This 
she  refused  to  do.  Having  had  the  trouble  of 
drag;^ing  it  out  from  the  earth,  she  determined 
to  carry  it  home.  She  then  washed  it  in  the 
river,  and,  when  rubbed  and  freed  from  the 
mud  which  adhered  to  it,  it  was  believed  to  be 
brass.  Everybody  ridiailed  her  ;  but  she  took 
one  of  the  rings  attached  to  the  horn  and  sold 
it  to  a  goldsmith  in  the  village,  who  discovered 
it  to  be  of  gold.  The  mayor  of  Tonder,  having 
questioned  the  girl,  caused  excavations  to  be 
made  at  the  same  place,  without  success.  At 
last  the  rumor  came  to  the  ears  of  Christian  IV. , 
then  on  a  visit  to  his  son,  the  Crown  Prince  at 
GlUckstadt.  Christian  purchased  the  horn  from 
the  girl  and  presented  it  to  the  prince.  The 
prince  placed  it  on  his  buffet,  and  amused  him- 
self with  his  court  in  endeavoring  to  quaff  its 
contents  at  a  draught.  This  feat,  however,  no 
one  could  accomplish,  as  the  horn  contained 
three  pots  and  a-half  of  wine.  It  weighed 
Beveu  pounds,  and  was  worth  $2,250.  It  is  now 
supposed  to  belong  to  the  first  or  an  earlier  Iron 
age. 

In  the  year  1737,  twenty-five  steps  from  the 
place  where  the  first  horn  was  found,  a  peasant, 
by  the  name  of  Erik  Lauritzen,  whilst  removing 
mold,  at  six  inches  from  the  surface,  struck 
against  the  second  horn  and  took  it  up.  Find- 
ing it  to  be  of  gold,  he  presented  it  to  Count 
Schack,  owner  of  the  land,  who  gave  it  to 
Christian  VI.  The  king  sent  the  peasant  $125, 
the  value  of  the  horn  being  $2,500.  The 
man  was  so  delighted  with  his  majesty's  liber- 
ality, that  he  wrote  twice  to  thank  the  king 
for  his  kindness. 
The  celebrated  poet, 
Adam  Oehlenschla- 
ger,  composed  a 
funeral  elegy  on 
these  horns,  when 
they  had  been  stolen 
and  melted  down, 
so  touching  that  it 
brought  tears  into 
the  eyes  of  all  anti- 
quaries who  read  it. 


Public  Oarriage. 
OuE  accompany- 
ing sketches  display 
the  usual  modes  of 
Inland  communica- 
tion by  ferry-boat 
and  public  carriage, 
crossing  the  Belt  to 
KorsSr,  in  Zealand, 
a  distance  of  about 
eighteen  miles. 
These    and    the 


THE  METAL  FOXT  AT  UADEHSLEV. 

numerous  other  feiTies  in  Denmark  are  all 
regulated  by  Government,  and  the  fares  are 
very  moderate,  and  the  attendants  always 
respectful 


The  Metal  Pont  at  Haderslev, 
The  bell-metal  fonts  of  Danish  churches  are 
a  feature  in  themselves — ivasi  in  form,  gene- 
ally  supported  on  the  shoulders  of  three  monks, 
or  grinning  monsters  of  some  kind.  They  are 
too  large  for  present  use,  and  inside  is  gene- 
rally fitted  a  metal  dish  en  repomsi,  with  Adam 
and  Eve,  the  spies,  or  three  fishes,  thereon, 
rude  in  workmanship,  though  they  are  of  more 
recent  date  than  is  imagined,  showing  the  art 
to  have  remained  in  statu  quo  later  in  these 
Northern  climes  than  in  the  South  of  Europe. 

The  general  style  and  form,  however,  is  not 
without  its  striking  features,  and  may  suggest 
new  forms  in  our  o^vn  churches. 


Tie  Prison  of  Christian  11. 
The  career  of  Christian  n.,  first  Protestant 
King  of  Denmark,  was  a  strange  series  of  con- 
trasts.   As  a  favorite  of  the  Pope,  he  drove 


CVBIOtrS  ANCIENT  OOUDEN  HORNS. 


Sweden  into  revolt  and  reform,  and  then  him- 
self renounced  the  faith  he  had  been  so  earnest 
for.  He  was  bom  to  three  kingdoms,  and  died 
deprived  of  them  all.  A  slave  to  a  mistress, 
his  rule  was  beneficent — he  fell  before  the  power 
of  the  barons,  yet  was  hated  by  his  people. 

"In  contemplating  the  character  of  Christian 
II.,  one  knows  not  what  most  rivets  the  atten- 
tion," says  the  historian  Geijer,  "  his  multiplied 
undertakings,  his  audacity,  his  feebleness,  or 
that  prolonged  misery  of  years  in  which  he 
expiated  his  short-lived  and  mach-abused  tenure 
of  power." 

After  many  attempts  to  recover  at  least  one 
of  his  kingdoms,  he  was  taken  prisoner  in 
Norway  by  the  Danish  Admiral,  under  a  prom- 
ise that  he  should  bo  set  free.  But  his  suc- 
cessor, Frederic,  was  compelled  by  the  noble* 
to  give  them  another  assurance  that  Christiaa 
should  be  kept  in  perpetual  imprisonment.  The 
document  containing  the  pledge  was  committed 
to  the  custody  of  eight  barons,  and  the  ill- 
starred  king  was  conveyed  to  the  castle  of  Son- 
denburg,  on  the  island  of  Alsen.  Here  he  was 
placed  in  the  vaulted  apartment  shown  in  our 
illustration,  all  the  windows  being  walled  up, 
except  a  small  aperture  near  the  ceiling  for  air 
and  light  and  the  introduction  of  his  food. 
Here,  with  no  companion  but  a  Norwegian 
dwarf,  who  for  a  time  was  allowed  to  attend 
him,  he  passed  seventeen  years.  A  stone  tabla 
still  remains  in  the  castle,  around  the  edge  of 
which  is  a  groove  worn  by  the  hand  of  the 
king  ;  and  our  illustration  shows  the  deep  circle 
worn  as  he  paced  around  the  table,  day  after 
day,  for  the  long  period  of  his  incarceration. 
He  died  a  prisoner  in  1649,  in  the  castle  of  Kal- 
lundborg,  in  Zealand. 

Danish  Missions. 
In  a  pleasant    volume    entitled  "The   Eol» 
Roy  on  the  Baltic,"  the  author  gives  some  pai>- 
ticulars  which  will  doubtless  interest  the  gen- 
eral reader: 

"Christianity  was  introduced  into  Denmark 
in  the  ninth  century.  Harold  was  the  first  king 
who  openly  professed  it.  Many  English  name* 
come  from  DenmarK. 
All  the  cinque  porta 
have  names  of 
Scandinavian  origin; 
and  the  name  of 
Havelock  is  en- 
shrined in  a  strange 
old  story  of  th* 
twelfth  century. 

"The  incident 
about  Canute  and 
the  tide  reminds  us 
that,  there  being  no 
ebb  and  flow  in  the 
Baltic,  the  courtiers 
would  naturally 
have  their  attention 
drawn  to  the  rising 
tide  in  England 

"In  the  royal 
library  at  Copen- 
hagen I  saw  the  old 
MS.  of  part  of  the 
Old  Testament  in 
Danish,  written  ia 
the   fourteeatb 


DENMAEK. 


418 


tsenttiry,  on  goatekinB  dyed  red.  In  1515,  Peter- 
sen, and  in  1524,  Mikkelsen,  gave  a  complete 
Danish  translation  of  the  whole  Bible,  ■which 
appeared  two  years  before  Tyndale's  English 
New  Testament  in  our  own  country ;  but  it  was 
not  published  as  a  whole  until  155G,  under 
Christian  III.  In  the  seTenteenth  century, 
Trederiek  IV.,  a  great  Danish  monarch,  made 
fresh  efforts  to  circulate  the  Bible  in  his  terri- 
tory. He  used  to  read  several  chapters  of  the 
holy  book  every  day. 

"  Viborg  was  the  first  Protestant  town.  In 
1688  each  church  had  a  '  Kirke  Gubber,'  or 
'  church-pusher,'  whose  duty  it  was  to  wake  up 
sleepers ;  while  an  hour-glass  placed  on  the 
pulpit  told  the  preacher  he  must  not  speak 
too  long. 

"Numerous  family  ties  have  unitert  the  royal 
families  of  England  and  Denmark,  from  the 
time  when  Gorme,  a  Danish  king,  a  thousand 


grand  battle  of 
the  Cross  may 
be  briefly 
noticed,  even 
while  we  pause 
in  our  journey 
to  gaze  back 
into  past  cen- 
turies. 

"  With  respect 
then,  first,  to 
the  mission 
work  in  India: 
we  may  pass 
over  the  labors 
of  Xavier,  as 
their  true  char- 
acter has  been 
exposed  on  ex- 
amination: and 


THE  CUUECH    OF    KAARVII.LE. 


DANISH   FEBBYBOAT. 

years  ago,  married  Thyra,  daughter  of  Ethelred, 
King  of  England. 

"  The  Scotchmen,  Henderson  and  Patterson, 
in  1805  commenced  a  Bible  Society  in  Denmark. 
The  grandson  of  George  II.  of  England  became 
its  president,  and  used  to  preach  from  selected 
texts.  Various  persons  of  distinction  aided 
these  efforts  in  more  modern  times ;  and  now 
there  is  a  regular  agency  for  Bible  distribution 
and  for  the  circulation  of  tracts  among  all 
classes  of  the  people. 

"  But  it  is  especially  in  the  foreign  missionary 
field  that  the  early,  active  and  successful  exer- 
tions of  the  Danes  deserve  to  be  recorded.  They 
were,  in  many  cases,  the  pioneers  of  the  Church, 
and  labored  out  a  way  for  the  Gospel  through 
endless  obstacles,  and  in  dark  and  weary  days, 
when  man  did  so  little  to  help  and  so  much 
to  hinder. 

"  A  few  of  their  splendid  achievements  in  this 


ike  other  Popish  conversions, 
nearly  all  the  alleged  instances 
of  it  seem  to  have  been  merely 
external  changes  of  form,  and 
not  internal  conver- 
sion of  heart;  and  the 
Jes  u  it  s  themselves 
allow  that  their  mis- 
sion efforts  at  that 
time  ended  in  failure. 
' '  Frederick  IV.  of 
Denmark  aided  Zie- 
genbalch  and  Pluts- 
cho  to  go  as  missionaries,  in  1705, 
to  Tranquebar,  and  their  work  was 
helped  by  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts,  which  had  been  set  on  foot 
four  years  previously;  and  by  the 
Christian  Knowledge  Society,  estab- 
lished two  years  before  that. 

' '  The  King  began  a  missionary 
college  at  Copenhagen.  War  forced 
the  missionaries  to  go  to  Calcutta, 
where  they  soon  began  to  preach, 
and  were  protected  by  Lord  Clive ; 
but  the  East  India  Company  re- 
solutely strove  to  debar  all  Christ- 
ians from  work  of  this  sort ;  and 
it  was  only  by  claiming  protection 
under  the  Danish  flag  that  English 
Christians  were  allowed  to  proclaim 
the  Gospel  in  &  British  possession. 


The  first  English  missionary  to  India  was  tha 
Eev.  A.  Clarke,  in  1789.  In  1814  Tranquebar 
was  sold  to  England,  and  the  mission  property 
was  then  transferred  to  a  Saxon  society. 


PRISON  OP  CHRISTIAN'   II.  AT  SONDBBBURQ. 


414 


THE    WORLD'S    GSEAT    NATIONa 


.  "  At  Tanjoro,  a  native  prince  introilneed  the 
Gospel  in  172-2 :  and  then  came  the  great 
Swartz,  who,  witli  the  aid  ol  Colonel  Wood,  the 
conqueror  of  HyJer  Ali,  erected  a  church  and 
school  at  TricL.nopoIi.  He  obtained  great  in- 
fluence over  the  heathen  princes,  and  died  after 
long  service,  and  after  he  had  given  much 
money  to  the  missionary  cause. 

"William  Carey,  a  cobbler,  determined  to 
become  a  missionary  to  the  Hindoos;  and, 
Deing  refused  a  passage  in  the  East  India  Com- 
pany's ships,  he  appealed  to  a  Dane,  who  took 
him  out  willingly,  with  his  family,  to  Seram- 
pore,  a  Danish  colony,  where  the  mission  was 
firmly  established  ;  and  Carey  died  in  old  age, 
after  building  a  college  on  the  Hooghly  for  four 
hundred  and  fifty  missionary  students,  which 
was  endowed  and  protected  by  the  King  of 
Denmark,  and  was  specially  provided  for  when 
Serampore  was  transferred  to  England  in  18457 
Marshmau,  Judson  and  Henry  Mar'tyn  were 
aided  in  their  work  from  hence  ;  and  an  unsuc- 
cessful effort  was  made  to  establish  a  station  in 
Bhootan,  where  so  much  trouble  has  been 
caused  within  the  last  few  years  to  the  British 
interests. 

"•Turning  now  to  Greenland,  we  find  that  in 
A.D.  1023  it  became  tributary  to  Norway  ;  but 
for  a  long  time  the  place  was  forgotten,  until 
Frederick  IV.,  instigated  by  Hans  Egade,  estab- 
lished a  mission  station  there,  after  repeated 
failures,  shipwrecks,  and  famines,  in  1721 ;  and 
the  work  being  continued  by  Stach  and  Count 
Zinzendorf ,  the  Moravians  took  up  the  mission 
and  zealously  labored  for  years  with  the  most 
wonderful  perseverance,  and  amid  dangers  and 
diflSculties  quite  appalling. 

"  In  the  West  Indies,  also,  the  Danes  were 
moved  to  preach  Christ  to  the  wretched  slaves 
in  their  settlements  ;  and  Dober  began,  in  1732, 
at  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas,  amid  dreadful  pri- 
Tations  and  discouragements ;  but  the  persecu- 
tion by  the  Governor  was  mitigated  through 
the  intervention  of  the  good  Count  Zinzendorf ; 
and  in  twenty  years  Christian  teachers  were 
even  sought  for  by  many  of  the  planters. 


"  F.  Martin  preached  in  St.  Jan,  and  others  at 
St.  Croce  ;  until  from  those  Danish  islands  the 
Gospel  was  first  sounded  forth  to  the  people 
of  Jamaica,  Antigua,  St.  Kitts,  Barbadoes,  and 
Tobago. 

"The  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  has 
314  missionaries  in  foreign  lands,  with  80,000 
people  under  their  charge,  and  200  schools." 


The  Palace  of  Ohristiansborg. 

In  the  year  1720  the  old  edifice  was  de- 
molished by  Frederick  IV.  of  Denmark,  and 
while  yet  scarcely  raised  from  its  ruins  was 
again  laid  low,  to  satisfy  the  craving  for  mag- 
nificence and  luxury,  the  besetting  sin  of  Queen 
Sophia  Madaleua.  It  was  again  consumed  by 
fire  in  the  year  1794,  and  for  some  time  re- 
mained a  heap  of  ashes.  But  Frederick  VI. ,  it 
appears,  had  received  a  promise  from  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  that,  in  reward  for  his  so- 
called  neutrality, he  should  receive  the  Kingdom 
of  Sweden,  and  be  crowned  King  of  all  Scan- 
dinavia. "King  of  Scandinavia!"  exclaimed 
his  majesty;  "and  no  palace  to  live  in!  send 
for  the  court  architect  at  once."  His  orders 
were  obeyed ;  they  planned  and  planned,  and 
the  present  unsightly  Palace  of  Chrlstiansborg 
is  the  result  of  their  consultations. 

Do  not,  however,  imagine  the  Palace  ot 
Christiansborg  to  be  a  building  as  useless  as  it  ii 
ugly.  Besides  the  state  apartments,  not  often 
occupied  by  the  royal  family,  it  harbors  within 
its  walls  the  two  Chambers  of  Parliament,  the 
Gallery  of  Pictures,  and,  in  a  building  apart, 
the  Koyal  Library. 

The  outer  court,  circular  in  form,  is  the 
remains  of  the  earlier  edifice  of  Madalena.  To 
the  right  lies  the  splendid  riding-school.  This 
court  is  muddy  in  Winter,  dusty  in  Summer  and 
always  untidy ;  it  is  used  for  exercising  the 
royal  stud.  The  Danes  do  not  understand  the 
adaptation  of  unoccupied  space  to  the  ornament- 
ation of  their  capital.  A  fountain,  however, 
has  lately  been  erected  in  the  centre,  and  cut 
limes  have  been  planted  round  the  edge,  which, 


after  a  time,  will  take  away  from  the  deserted 
look  of  this  dreary  waste,  and  give  even  the 
palace  a  more  habitable  appearance. 

A  bridge  across  the  Frederiksholm  Canal 
connects  the  He  du  Chateau  with  the  town ; 
and,  turning  to  the  right,  we  arrive  at  the 
Prindsens  Palais,  a  handsome  edifice,  now  the 
receptacle  of  the  numerous  museums — ethno- 
graphic among  the  rest,  the  finest  in  Europe  ; 
the  dresses,  etc. ,  of  the  Greenland  and  northern 
tribes  are  especially  worth  visiting — under  the 
direction  of  Professor  Thomsen,  who,  with  other 
learned  men,  has  apartments  allotted  to  him 

within  its  walls. 

•-»-• • 

Elsinore. 

Elsinobe  boasts  of  nothing  remarkable ;  its 
streets  are  narrow ;  the  long,  low,  many-win- 
dowed houses  are  of  respectable  appearance; 
many  very  spacious,  boasting  an  air  of  better 
days. 

The  lately  built  Kaadhuus  is  a  building  of 
considerable  pretension,  modeled  on  the  red 
brick  Gothic  peculiar  to  these  northern  climes — 
a  most  creditable  edifice,  but  (there  is  always  ft 
butj  badly  placed  in  the  centre  of  a  long  street, 
halt  concealed  by  the  adjoining  houses.  Its 
consiruction  was  a  regular  job  ;  one  side  of  the 
neighboring  square  was  offered  to  the  authorities 
for  a  trifling  sum ;  the  proposition  was,  how- 
ever, negatived  by  the  chief  magistrate  of  tho 
place — "  It  would  be  too  far  removed  from  his 
own  dwelling  ;  he  had  become  fat  and  unwieldy, 
and  could  not  bear  moving." 

Elsinore  possesses  two  churches,  both  of  great 
antiquity,  of  red  brick,  well  proportioned,  but, 
externally,  fearfully  degraded.  That  of  St.  Olaf 
once  piqued  itself  on  its  spire,  which  was  blown 
down,  in  1737,  during  a  hurricane,  which  seems 
to  have  sent  half  the  church- steeples  in  Den- 
mark toppling  over  like  ninepins ;  either  the 
hurricane  was  very  violent,  or  the  spires  badly 
built.  The  interior  is  rich  in  carved  and  gilded 
altar-piece  and  ornaments. 

Dyveke,  the  celebrated  favorite  of  King 
Christian  II.,  died  in  that  city. 


THE  SLOTSBOLU  EIDB  OF  COFENHIOEK— THB  NEW  CANAL  BBISOB, 


HOLLAND. 


GEOGR  -VPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL   SUMMARY.  . 

AiTBTEBDAM— Female  HEAD-rnESSES— a  villa  on  the  Scheldt— Skate- race— Customs  and  costumes— Eably  Pbintinq  OmcE— A  HoirssBOia 
IN  Amsteedam— The  VYVEBBEKa  AT  The  Hague— Friesland  women— dutch  Watchman— Market-woman  at  Amsterdam— In lEBioa 
<JT  AN  Orphan  asylum- dutch  Nurse  and  Child— a  gala  Sleigh  of  Sixteenth  Century- The  Eat-catcher— Woman  and  Girl  or 
Hindelopen— Polishing  diamonds — eoses  and  brilliants — diamond  Works  on  the  Amstel— Masks— Seaside  Scene— Albert  anu 
Isabella  in  the  Studio  of  Eubens— The  Jews'  Quarter- A  Noble  Dutch  Family  Eetubnino  Home  at  Niqht— XBB  IiIXIIiX  matwh. 

OISI*  07  AMSTBBDAM- THE  ANNUAL  FAIR  AT  E0IT£SI)A2[— Yl£W  OB  SCa£V£t<INa,  SOCXS  HOLLANS—f  £A£ 


70LLAND,  or  the  Kingdom  of  the 
Netherlands,  lies  North  of  Belgium, 
and  West  of  Germany  and  Prussia. 
The  surface  is  low  and  flat,  inter- 
sected hy  numerous  canals.  Being  below  the 
level  of  high  sea-tides,  it  is  protected  either  by 
Band-banks  thrown  up  by  the  sea,  or  by  artifi- 
cial dykes.  The  soil  is  very  fertile,  and  tlie 
climate  mild  and  humid.  The  Winters,  how- 
ever, are  generally  severe.  The  productions  are 
similar  to  those  of  Belgium.  The  cattle  are 
very  numerous,  and  grow  to  a  large  size.  Im- 
mense quantities  of  butter  and  cheese  are  made, 
and  the  trade  with  foreign  countries  in  these 
articles  and  herrings  is  very  great. 

The  inhabitants  chiefly  belong  to  the  German 
stock,  with  a  strong  mixture  of  the  Flemish. 
Their  plodding  habits  of  industry  are  prover- 
bial. The  Hollanders  have  a  strong  claim  upon 
our  sympathies,  since  the  g»eat  State  of  New 
York  was  founded  by  them,  two  hundred  and 
sixty  years  ago,  and  many  of  the  old  Knicker- 
bocker customs  still  rule  among  us.  Holland 
has,  also,  a  numerous  class  of  Jews,  whose 
habits  of  thrift  mak.e  them  very  valuable  mem- 
bers of  society — chiefly  devoted  to  commerce. 
Their  main  pursuit  is  rearing  cattle,  rather  than 
the  cultivation  of  cereals. 

They  are  a  very  moral,  dogged  people,  some- 
what given  to  schnapps  and  smoking,  but  slow- 
tempered  ;  although  when  a  Dutchman  is  in  a 
passion,  so  Dumas  says,  "  it  is  the  perfection  of 
■white  heat."  The  majority  of  them  are  Protes- 
tants. They  are  excellent  sailors,  and  for  many 
years  contested  the  empire  of  the  seas  with 
Great  Britain.  The  exploits  of  their  famous 
Admiral,  Van  Tromp,  is  fresh  in  the  recollec- 
tion of  every  student  of  history.  It  must  be  con- 
fessed that  he  "outheroded  the  Herod"  of  the 
seas  when  he  saUed  up  the  British  Channel  with 
a  broom  at  the  masthead  of  his  admiral's  ship. 
As  Charles  Lamb  said,  ' '  this  was  treading  on 
the  pride  of  Plato  with  greater  pride." 

Our  excellent  friend,  W.  T.  Adams,  better 
known  to  the  popular  heart  as  Oliver  Optic,  on 
his  return  from  his  tour  in  Europe,  told  us 
that ' '  what  struck  him  so  strangely  in  Holland 
was  that  when  you  looked  for  07ie  thing,  you 
found  another.  When  you  look  for  a  diy  road, 
you  find  it,  but  it  is  water,  since  their  high- 
ways are  canals.     I  almost  expected  to  find  the 


sky  made  of  earth,  by  way  of  consistency,  but 
it  wasn't." 

But,  raillery  apart,  no  nation  has  done  so 
much,  with  so  little,  as  the  founders  of  the  Em- 
pire State  of  the  New  World,  despite  the  time- 
laughed-at-jokes  of  John  Dryden  and  Andrew 
Marvel! — two  very  dissimilar  writers,  but  who 
concurred  in  a  devoted  dislike  to  Holland,  which 
was,  perhaps,  patriotism,  if  not  rational,  seeing 
that  at  this  very  time — the  reign  of  that  Jim 
Fisk,  Jr.,  of  history,  Charles  II. — the  famous 
Van  Tromp,  already  alluded  to,  was  brandish- 
ing his  Dutch  broom  in  the  very  chops  of  the 
Channel,  or,  in  other  words,  in  the  face  of  Bri- 
tannia. 

The  chief  manufactures  of  Holland  are  linens, 
velvets,  paper,  leather,  earthenware,  and  gin. 

The  Hague,  go  celebrated  in  the  days  of  Marl- 
borough, is  the  capital,  and  also  one  of  the 
finest  cities  on  the  Continent,  considering  its 
size.  The  largest  city  is  Amsterdam,  which  is 
the  chief  commercial  emporium,  and  stands  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Amstel  and  a  branch  of 
the  Zuider  Zee.  It  is  built  on  piles,  and  inter- 
sected by  numerous  canals.  Rotterdam,  the 
second  commercial  city  in  size  and  importance, 
is  on  the  Meuse,  and  is  famous  for  its  canals. 

Holland  is  a  country  in  which,  if  we  may 
employ  the  expression,  the  rivers  flow  suspended 
over  the  heads  of  the  inhabitants:  where  large 
towns  stand  below  the  level  of  the  sea,  which 
commands  and  menaces  them:  where  portions 
of  the  cultivated  soil  have  been  in  turn  in- 
vaded, surrendered,  and  recaptured  by  the 
waters :  where  the  natural  course  of  the  rivers 
has  reattached  ancient  isles  to  the  continent  by 
a  bond  of  sand,  and  where  old  portions  of  the 
continent,  destroyed  and  wrecked,  have  formed 
recent  islands.  At  the  sight  of  such  a  strange 
geographical  constitution,  which  diverges  from 
all  known  laws,  we  can  hardly  feel  surprised 
that,  with  a  handful  of  men,  Holland  should 
have  seized  and  maintained  her  independence  : 
that,  without  stone  quarries,  she  should  have 
built  cities  and  remarkable  edifices ;  that, 
almost  without  wood,  she  should  have  built 
vessels  which  disputed  the  lordship  of  the  seas 
with  the  most  formidable  fleets  ;  nor  are  we 
astonished  that,  with  sterile,  inundated  fields, 
which  defy  the  plowshare,  she  should  have 
rendered  her  cities  cattle-markets  and  granaries 


of  abundance.  What  astonishes  us  above  all 
is  that  such  a  country  exists,  and  that  which 
interests  the  traveler  more  than  the  variationa 
of  landscape,  the  character  of  the  inhabitante, 
the  extent  and' prosperity  of  the  territory,  is  th» 
mystery  of  a  singular  formation  and  destiny, 
which  are  explained  partly  by  nature  and  partly 
by  human  industry. 

Flat  and  level  as  a  perfectly  smooth  sea,  in- 
dented by  gulfs  and  bays,  occupied  by  internal 
lakes,  and  irrigated  by  rivers  which  ramify  into 
several  small  streams,  the  soil  of  Holland 
appears  to  have  been  the  theatre  of  a  struggle 
between  land  and  water.  The  present  state  of 
the  country — a  species  of  compromise  between 
the  two  elements — is  evidently  the  consequence 
of  curious  events  and  peculiar  causes.  But 
these  events  are  not  so  old  as  might  be  believed. 
When  science  wishes  to  go  back  to  the  geologi- 
cal cradle  of  the  other  parts  of  Europe,  it  is 
compelled  to  appeal  to  those  memorials  about 
whose  interpretation  history  is  dumb.  Human 
genius  follows  through  darkness  and  ruins  the 
thread  of  those  events  which  must  have  been 
accomplished  on  the  earth  at  a  period  when,  ac- 
cording to  all  probability,  man  was  still  absent 
from  creation.  In  Holland  a  more  singolar  and 
moro  novel  spectacle  is  presented  ;  the  gulls, 
lakes,  groups  of  islands,  and  alluvial  soil  which 
constitutes  entire  provinces,  man  saw  spring 
into  existence.  During  the  historic  period  he 
has  witnessed  the  mouths  of  rivers  closed  by 
the  constantly  growing  deposition  of  sand,  ho 
has  watched  the  land  being  converted  .'lo^o 
water,  and  the  inner  seas  being  dried  up. 

Several  of  these  physical  causes  to  which 
naturalists  refer  the  very  ancient  changes  that 
have  taken  place  in  the  economy  of  the  terres- 
trial globe — such  as  deluges,  winds,  tides,  move- 
ments in  the  level  of  the  land  and  sea — have 
remained  in  full  activity  on  the  soil  of  the 
Netherlands,  even  since  the  establishment  of 
cities.     •  ) 

Long  after  the  structure  of  the  European 
continent  was  arrested  more  or  less,  Holland 
began,  pursued,  and  even  at  this  day  is  pursuing 
the  course  of  her  geographical  formation.  The 
natural  history  of  the  variations  of  the  soil  in 
this  country,  therefore,  offers  a  peculiar  interest. 
This  history  is  connected  with  the  social  desti- 
nies of  the  people  inhabiting  the  Netherlands 


416 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS 


it  IS  the  geology  ot  yesterday  and  to-day, 
igeology  in  action,  and  even,  from  a  certain 
point  of  view,  political  geologj'. 

Hitlierto  travelers  and  annalists  h?,ve  too 
mucii  neglected  the  reconstruction  of  the  phys- 
ical stage  on  which  the  various  civilizations  of 
Europe  have  established  themselves.  The  date 
-and  nature  of  this  stage,  the  conditions  amid 
■which  it  was  formed,  are,  however,  allied  with 
the  essential  facts  of  the  nationality.  The 
peoples  are  what  the  external  influences  of  the 
country  they  inhabit  determine  them  to  be,  or 
vhat .  the  water,  sky,  and  land  make  of  them. 
The  value  of   these  topographical    causes    is 


It  at  present  covers  a  surface  of  about  eight- 
een thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  geo- 
metrical feet,  and  is  said  to  be  larger  than  Haar- 
lem, Leyden,  Delft,  Eotterdam,  and  Dordrecht 
together,  although  these  are  considerable  towns. 
It  is  nine  miles  and  a  half  in  circumference,  and 
is  surrounded  by  a  ditch  eighty  feet  wide,  full 
of  running  water,  and  with  a  rampart'  faced 
with  brick,  having  twenty  bastions,  on  eich  of 
which  a  windmill  has  been  placed.  Toward 
the  land  the  town  has  eight  magnificent  gates 
of  ston3  and  one  toward  the  shore.  The  forti- 
fications are  now  much  neglected,  and  have 
been  partly  converted  into  public  walks. 


bridges,  some  of  stone  and  s.ome  of  wood  :  tha 
river  Amstel  itself  divides  the  town  into  two 
parts — the  eastern,  or  old,  and  the  western,  or 
new  part — the  communication  between  which  is 
by  a  bridge,  partly  built  of  brick  and  partly  of 
stone,  with  thirty-five  arches.  This  bridge  is 
about  six  hundred  and  ten  feet  long,  sixty-four 
and  a  half  wide,  and  furnished  with  iron  balus- 
trades. The  largest  ships  may  pass  through  the 
eleven  central  arches,  Tlie  town  itself  is,  in- 
deed, built  in  the  midst  of  a  salt-marsh.  la 
consequence  of  this,  the  foundation  of  all  tha 
houses  and  public  buildings  is  formerl  by  driving 
piles,  of  from  fifty  to  sixty  fpot  ia  length. 


fur  ,her  augmented,  when  a  nation  is  placed  in 
the  unique  conditions  of  a  position  between  the 
continent  and  the  sea.  The  geography  of  such 
a  people,  in  this  case,  Ijecomes  the  preface  of  its 
history,  and  the  root  of  its  manners,  institu- 
tions, and  genius. 

>  OM  ' 

Amsterdam. 
Ai/THOUOH  New  York,  in  its  ancient  days,  was 
styled  New  Amsterdam,  the  original  Amsterdam 
is  not  one  of  those  cities  that  can  vaunt  of  being 
very  old.  Early  in  the  thirteenth  century  it 
was  a  little  gathering  of  fishermen's  huts,  like 
New  Amsterdam  four  centuries  later. 


AHSTERDAH. 

The  town  of  Amsterdam  itself,  in  the  simple 
circumstances  of  its  existence,  is  one  of  the 
most  striking  monuments  of  human  industry 
and  power  that  the  world  affords.  Tlie  adja- 
cent country,  along  the  banks  of  the  Y,  is  four 
or  five  feet  below  the  level  of  the  river,  from 
the  irruption  of  which  it  is  preserved  by  massy 
and  ponderous  dykes  ;  and  only  an  immense 
dam  of  the  same  kind  secures  the  town  itself 
from  inundation,  with  which  it  seems  every 
moment  threatened  by  the  brimful  canals  and 
waters  which  surround  it.  Canals,  indeed, 
intersect  the  town  itself  in  every  direction, 
dividing  it  into  ninety  islands,  which  are  con- 
uected  by  meaua  of  two  hundred  and  ninety 


through  the  swampy  ground,  until  they  rest 
firmly  on  a  solid  bank  of  sand  below  the  mo- 
rass. The  upper  ends  of  the  piles  are  thea 
sawed  to  a  level,  and  thick  planks  are  nailed 
to  them,  on  which  the  masonry  is  constructed. 

Some  buildings  have  declined  very  much  from 
the  perpendicular,  but  are  considered  quite  as 
secure  from  falling  as  before ;  they  are  not 
thought  equally  secure  from  sinking,  in  case  the 
sand  should  give  way  on  which  the  piles  rest. 
An  event  of  this  kind  happened  a  few  years 
ago,  when  a  stack  of  warehouses,  heavily  ladea 
with  corn,  sunk  and  totally  disappeared.  This 
mode  of  foundation  gave  occasion  to  the  witti* 
cism  of  Erasmus,  who  said  that  ia  his  wwiirf^ 


HOLLAND, 


417 


great  multitudes  of  people  lived  upon  the  tops 
of  trees. 

The  streets  of  Amsterdam  arc,  in  general, 
very  narrow.  Many  that  contain  the  houses  of 
the  most  opulent  merchants  are  not  more  than 
S3venteen  feet  wide.  Tlicre  are,  however,  some 
very  fine  streets  :  Kiezer's  Gragt,  or  Emperor's 
Street ;  Heeren  Gragt,  or  Lord's  Street ;  and  Pris- 
sen's  Gragt,  or  Prince's  Street,  are  upward  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  feet  wide,  and  are  lined 
with  houses,  the  splendor  of  which  would  do 
honor  to  any  town  in  Europe. 

All  tlie  streets  are  paved  with  hrick,  and  a 
few  of  them  have  raised  foot-paths  for  passen- 
gers ;  but  as  wheel-carriages  are  neither  numer- 
ous nor  allowed  to  be  driven  with  speed,  the 
ways  are  nearly  as  safe  as  the  flag-stone  pave- 
ments of  New  York.  Most  of  the  private 
houses  are  built  of  brick,  painted  and  orna- 
mented with  different  colors.  Tlieir  exterior 
is  usiialy  plain,  anl  the  architecture  recalls 
that  of  the  old  Dutch  houses  in  New  York, 
■which  have  now  all  been  swept  away  ;  the 
interior  of  the  houses,  however,  is  sufficiently 
splendiJ,  decorated  very  much  in  the  French 
stylo,  and  the  sides  of  the  rooms  are  generally 
painted  v.ith  landscapes  in  oil-colors. 


DUTCH   HEAD-DBBSSB8. 

Head-dresses  of  the  Dutch, 
He.u)-duesse3,  or  head-gear,  are  more  or  less 
characteristic  all  over  the  world.  Sometimes 
they  distinguish  nations,  tribes,  and  families. 
Indeed,  in  olden  days,  they  were  rigidly  regu- 
lated by  law  or  custom  ;  but  with  the  emanci- 
pation of  the  individual  has  come  individuality 
in  ornament,  as  in  most  other  things.  In  Hol- 
land the  adornment  of  the  head  is  a  passion 
pervading  all  classes,  more  especially  the  lower 
orders,  who  cling  to  old  customs  most  tena- 
ciously. Almost  all  the  women  in  Holland, 
but  particularly  those  in  Bort  and  Eotterdam, 
wear  spiral  ornaments  of  gold  or  silver  on  their 
temples,  or  on  the  top  of  their  heads.  The 
variety  of  head-dresses  increases  as  one  pene- 
trates the  country,  and  it  is  easy  to  determine 
the  birthplace  and  condition  of  every  woman 
and  girl  from  her  head  decorations. 

In  the  province  of  Noord  Holland  (North 
Holland)  the  head-gear  is  very  rich  and  very 
complicated,  the  hair  being  cut  short  and  cov- 
ered vrith  a  cap,  frequently  of  white  satin, 
richly  ornamented  with  rings  of  gold  and  silver 
and  flowers.  Unmarried  women  and  servants 
wear  ornaments  of  silver,  but  people  in  easy 


circmnstances   wear    gold.      Our    illustrations, 
convey,  however,  a  better  idea  of  the  peculiari- 
ties of  these  head-decorations  than  could  possi- 
bly be  obtained  from  any  pen-and-ink  descrip- 
tion, however  minute. 


A  Dutch  Villa  on  the  Scheldt. 

A  LAND  may  become  prosperous  that  haa 
neither  a  fertile  soil,  nor  mines,  nor  coal,  nor 
facilities  for  manufacturing.  And  while,  with- 
out any  of  these  advantages,  cne  gy,  thrift  and 
judgment  can  raise  a  nation  to  power  and  opu- 
lence, as  in  the  case  of  Holland,  we  see  Mexico, 
with  the  richest  mines  in  the  world,  a  soil  pro- 
ducing every  variety  of  :rops  that  are  found  in 
the  temperate  and  torrid  zones,  wallowing  in  its 
poverty,  simply  from  the  lack  of  energy,  thrift, 
and  sound  political  judgment. 

The  opulence  of  Holland  when  her  merchant- 
ships  were  found  in  every  sea,  and  her  navy  was 
second  to  none  in  the  world,  can  scarcely  be 
realized.  Her  cities  teemed  with  beautiful 
public  and  private  structures.  The  villas  of  the 
merchant-princes  on  the  banks  of  the  streams 
and  canals  variel  with  the  ideas  of  the  owners, 
and  architects  full  of  taste  combined  in  the 


27 


DDTCII   HEAD-DBESSia. 


418 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


structures  the  reminiscences  brouglit  by  the 
successful  merchant  from  the  far-off  land  where 
he  had  laid  tlie  foundation  of  his  fortune.  Thus 
these  villas  eml)raced  the  architecture  of  all 
lands,  and'  the  gay  gondolas  with  which  they 
Tisited  each  other  were  no  less  attractive,  while 
the  walls  were  adome  J  with  paintings  by  artists 
whose  fame  lives  to  attest  tlie  fact  that  these 
merchants  could  inspire  art  and  encourage 
genius.  The  nation  of  shoplceepers  boasts  of 
some  of  the  highest  names  ia  art,  in  science, 
and  in  philosophy. 

Our  charming  illustration,  from  an  old-time 
engraving,  shows  how  incorrect  is  the  idea  of 
the  Dutch  which,  in  early  life,  we  drew  from 
the  attractive  but  merciless  pages  of  Irving. 


tenderly  upon  him,  her  eyes  full  of  pride.  His 
mother's  hand  is  raised  with  a  gesture  of 
wonder  and  admiration.  His  sister,  too,  is 
listening  eagerly  to  liis  recital  as  to  how  the 
feat  was  accomplished,  and  even  the  old  father, 
who  is  less  demonstrative  than  the  female 
members  of  his  family,  is  smoliing  his  pipe  and 
thinlcing  that  any  parent  in  all  Holland  might 
envy  him  such  a  son. 

This  charming  little  domestic  scene  has  given 
our  artist  an  opportunity  to  reproduce  some  of 
the  curious  costumes  of  Zuid-Reveland,  where 
the  young  girls  wear  a  light-blue  silk  cap, 
bordered  with  lace,  and  entirely  concealing  their 
hair,  and  ornamented  with  golden  buttons  and 
pendants.    This  cap  has  a  lace  covering.    A  rich 


Skate  Eace  of  Friesland  Women. 

Ii  i.-i  difficult  to  have  seen  the  province  ol 
Friesland,  in  Holland,  and  not  speak  of  the 
women,  whose  beauty  is  no  less  celebrated  than 
their  head-dress.  The  origin  of  head-dresses  has 
puzzled  antiquarians.  Formerly,  the  women  ot 
the  North,  especially  those  of  noble  birth,  wore 
golden  coronets  on  their  heads,  and  this  species 
of  diadem  was  probably  the  prototype  of  the 
"irons,"  which  are  worn  by  peasant  women 
nearly  throughout  Holland.  The  character  of 
the  different  provinces  may  be  recognized  in  the 
various  forms  of  this  head-ornament ;  for  the 
choice  of  the  national  costume,  in  fact,  expresses 
tlie  feeling  for  beauty  in  races. 


There  are  a  few  households  more  delightful 
than  that  of  a  Knickerbocker. 


Dntcli  Oustoms  and  Oostnmes. 
In  Holland  the  out-door  sports  and  games 
which  were  the  delight  of  our  English  and 
French  ancestors  are  ctill  kept  up.  Target- 
shooting  is  very  popular,  and  the  most  intense 
enthusiasm  and  emulation  exist  among  the 
young  men  in  regard  to  hitting  the  mark.  The 
best  shot  is  quite  the  hero  of  the  hour,  and  is 
decorated  with  insignias  of  victory,  and  no 
warrior  returning  homo  triumphant  from  the 
battle-field  is  prouder  of  his  laurels  than  our 
young  villager,  who  has  just  won  the  prize  at 
the  village  /ele.     His  young  wife  is  leaning 


A  DUTCH  VILLA   OS  IBB  SCHELDT. 

necklace  sets  off  the  whiteness  of  the  throat.  A 
plaited  chemisette  is  worn  with  a  fichu  of  some 
brilliant  color. 

The  holiday  costume  of  the  men  is  peculiar, 
principally  from  the  brocaded  or  striped  damask 
waistcoat,  trimmed  with  sixteen  silver  filigree 
buttons  ;  the  colored  silk  cravat,  of  which  the 
bow  is  fastened  with  a  silver  chain,  and  is  sur- 
motmted  by  two  golden  buttons  at  the  opening 
of  the  collar.  There  are  silver  buttons  upon 
the  pantaloons,  and,  could  we  peep  into  the 
pockets,  we  should  see  there  a  wooden  case  for  a 
pipe,  and  a  silver-handled  knife.  The  hat,  en- 
circled with  a  velvet  ribbon,  is  quite  stylish. 

The  Island  of  Eeveland  (Zuid,  or  South  Eeve- 
land),  has  only  become  detafched  from  the  main 
land  since  the  terrible  tempest  of  1532. 


In  North  Holland,  the  gold  irons  (it  is  thus 
they  are  called  by  virtue  of  a  figure  of  rhetoric) 
are  oblong  and  Cat ;  in  Groningen  they  termi- 
nate in  a  sort  of  flower  or  flower-pot ;  in  Over 
Yssel  in  conical  spirals ;  and  in  Friesland  in  an 
ornamental  button.  The  Frison  women  have 
two  sets  of  irons — one  for  full-dress,  the  other 
for  ordinary  wear.  When  they  wish  to  do  honor 
to  a  visitor,  they  don  their  gold  plates.  This 
head-ornament  has  even  become  a  language:  if 
a  young  man  visits  a  family  to  ask  a  young 
woman  in  marriage,  he  knows  at  once  the 
nature  of  the  feelings  he  inspires,  and  that 
without  the  utterance  of  a  syllable.  If  the 
maiden  leave  the  room  and  return  adorned  with 
her  diadem,  it  is  a  sign  that  the  lover  is  ac- 
cepted ;    if,   on  the  other  hand,   she  rcmalu 


HOLLAND. 


419 


seated  before  him  without  that  ornament  on 
her  brow,  it  is  a  proof  that  she  is  unwilling  to 
be  his  queen.  These  head-dresses  are  of  con- 
siderable value,  costing  from  two  to  three 
hundred  florins  a  piece,  and  hence  the  farmer 
who  has  a  family  ol  daughters  is  compelled  to 
be  rich. 

The  true  footgear  of  a  Frison  woman  is  not  a 
shoe,  but  a  skats.  In  a  country  of  lakes,  the 
necessity  of  walking  and  running  on  the  water, 
hardened  by  Winter,  has  been  felt  from  the 
earliest  ages.  This  art  is  very  ancient,  for  they 
show  a  pair  of  bone  skates,  which  were  found  in 
one  of  the  mounds  on  which  the  Friscfc  villages 
are  built.  These  bones  seem  to  be  petrified,  and 
they  were  fastene.l  to  the  feet  by  straps  passed 
through  holes  made  in  the  hard  substance. 

There  are  in  Fricsland   clubs  of  male  and 


DDTCH   CUSTOMS   AKD  COSTUMES. 

female  skaters,  just  as  there  are  rowing  clubs  at 
Amsterdam  and  Rotterdam.  Boards  are  laid 
down  to  prevent  the  skaters  running  into  each 
other,  and  each  returns  on  the  opposite  side,  so 
as  to  equalize  the  race.  The  Frison  girls  in 
skating  do  not  aim  at  elegance  so  much  as 
speed  ;  and  this  is  again  a  trait  of  the  national 
character,  which  seeks  usefulness  more  than 
ornamentation.  It  is,  besides,  amusing  to  see 
these  daughters  of  the  North  in  their  pictur- 
esque dresses,  warm,  close-fitting  leggings  and 
floating  skirts,  glide  over  the  ice  like  appari- 
tions ;  lovely,  brave,  and  serious,  they  pass  in 
a  cloud,  with  their  heads  adorned  with  a  halo 
of  gold  and  lace.  Fastening  the  skates  on  the 
feet  of  one  of  these  rustic  queens  is  an  honor 
greatly  sought  by  the  young  fellows,  for  the 
pretty  skater  requites  this  service  with  a  kiss. 


An  Early  Dutch  Printing  Office. 

Thb  profession  of  the  printer  has  descended 
to  be  a  trade.  It  was  not  so  in  the  olden  time, 
when  the  Dutch  print  was  struck,  of  which  wo 
give  our  readers  a  correct  reproduction.  Thj 
copyists  and  illuminatore  who  had  preceded 
printing  had  been  men  ot  mark,  lookel  up  to 
with  respect  by  meaner  men ;  and  the  early 
printers  were  gentlemen. 

Our  compositors  now  are  not  the  ruffled  and 
doubleted  gentry  of  this  scene,  with  dirk  at  the 
girdle  and  sword,  leaning  by  the  pillar  ;  nor  dc 
our  modem  type-setters  sit  down  to  their  work, 
although  the  rooms  they  occupy  have  shared 
somewhat  in  the  improvements  of  the  time,  and 
they  can  boast  less  cold  and  chilly  apartments 
than  that  here  depicted,  where  the  whole  procets 


iao 


THE    -WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


of  book -making  i.5  done  in  a  single  room.  Here 
th3  hand-press  is  doing  its  worli  well,  but 
slowly ;  the  boy  is  toiling  over  the  horrid 
printin;;-balls,  which 
wjre,  fifty  years  ago, 
the  terror  of  the  ap- 
prentice, till  that 
happy  day  when  some 
one  in  the  West  Indies 
thought  of  combining 
molasses  ani  glue  to 
form  a  roller,  a  victory 
for  which  all  printers' 
devils  should  swear 
perpetual  allegiance  to 
molasses  candy.  The 
re.ider  seams  precise 
jind  close  enough,  and 
tli3  boy  lays  up  the 
eheets  more  carefully 
nnd  reverently  th,in 
the  machine  does. 


A  nocsKnou)  ix  Holland. 

being  u.3  residence  of  the  king,  of  the  foreign 
ambassadora,  and  the  place  of  assembly  of  the 
States-General,  may  be  considered  the  diplo- 


Tho  Vyverberg  at 

The  Hague. 
Thocoh  Amsterdam, 
from  its  size  and  im- 
portance, may  be  con- 
sidered the  commercial 
capital  of  the  kingdom 
cf  Holland,  as  it  is 
also  of  the  province 
of  N^orth  Holland,  yet 
liha  Hajue,  from    its 


AS  EABIY  DUTCH  PEIIITINO  OFTICE. 


matic  and  legislative  capital,  resembling,  in  this 
respect,  Washington.  It  was  originally  only  a 
hunting-seat  of  the  Counts  of  Holland,  built 
first  in  1250,  and 
thence  derives  its 
name,  in  Dutch  'S 
Gravenhage,  the 
Count's  Lodge,  from 
which  we  have  formed 
The  Hague,  and  the 
French,  La  Haye. 

Notwithstanding  the 
drawbacks  of  its  titua- 
tion,  it  is  a  epleudid 
town ;  the  public  build- 
ings stately,  the  streets 
broad  and  regular, 
well  paved  with  Email 
bricks,  travel  scd  by 
canals,  crossed  by 
bridges,  and  lined  with 
trees,  and  surrounded 
by  a  moat  with  draw- 
bridges. The  prin- 
cijial  streets  are  the 
^'oorhout,  containing 
many  fine  hotels  ;  the 
Prinssengracht,  Kneu- 
terdyk  and  Noor- 
deende.  A  trifling  rise 
in  the  ground,  hero 
dignified  with  the 
name  of  a  hill,  forms 
the  site  of  the  Vyver- 
berg (the  hill  of  the 


HOLLAND. 


42L 


s 


^ 


n 


o 


422 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


pond),  which  is  a  square  or  place,  planted  with 
trees  in  formal  avenues  on  one  side,  which  is  the 
public  promenade,  and  the  pond  on  the  other, 
into  which,  as  we  have  already  stated,  the  water 
of  the  lower  ponds  is  discharged.  Tame  storks 
are  seen  parading  about  the  lish-market,  and  a 
residence,  something  like  a  dog-kennel,  has 
been  built  for  them 

The  Binnenhbf  (inner  conrt),  which  stands  on 
one  side  of  this  square,  is  an  irregular  building, 
of  various  eras.  It  formed  originally  the 
inner-court  of  the  palace  of  the  counts,  but  the 
Gothic  hall  in  the  centre  is  the  only  remaining 
fragment  of  the  old  building,  and  is  the  most 
ancient  structure  in  The  Hague.  It  is  a  pointed 
roof,  supported  by  a  Gothic  wooden  framework, 
and  is  a  handsome  apartment ;  in  it  the  State 
lottery  is  now  drawn,  or  was  within  a  few  years. 
On  a  scaffold  opposite  the  door  the  Pensionary 


been  induced  to  visit  him,  and  most  inhumanely 
murdered  them  under  circumstances  of  the 
greatest  barbarity^literally  tearing  them  to 
pieces. 

The  house  in  which  the  elder  De  Witt  lived, 
an  humble  dwelling,  is  within  a  few  yards  of 
this  spot,  in  the  Kneutcrdyk. 


A  Dutch  Watchman. 
Our  sketch  is  not  an  illustration  of  life  in 
Kew  Amsterdam  ia  the  days  of  Wouter  Van 
Twiller,  or  Wilhelm  Keift,  though  it  is  doubt- 
less nearer  the  truth  than  some  that  modem 
artists  draw.  This  watchman,  or  clapperman, 
was  drawn  from  tlie  life,  in  the  year  1870,  at 
Scheveningen,  a  fashionable  watering-place  in 
Netherlands.  From  eleven  at  niglit  to  seven 
in  the  morning,  the  clapperm:in  is  on  his  beat, 


whence  really  Kew  York,  and  America  gene- 
rally, took  the  p..tteins  of  their  sleighs  ar.d 
cutters.  The  body  of  the  dragon,  except  the 
scarlet  tongue  and  glass  eyes,  is  gilt.  Between, 
the  two  breasts  hangs  a  blue  glass  ball  on  a- 
blue  ribbon.    It  is  lined  with  blue  silk,  quilted. 

There  are  no  shafts,  and  no  place  for  any- 
thing to  be  attached  in  order  to  draw  it,  except 
a  ring  and  staple  on  each  side  of  the  runner. 

It  was  probably  got  up  for  some  royal  file, 
or  some  grand  occasion,  and  laid  up  as  too  pre- 
cious for  meaner  use;  the  fact  that  the  runners 
are  not  supplied  with  irons  shows  that  it  could 
not  have  been  intended  for  any  severe  or  long 
protracted  use. 

It  is  a  curious  specimen  of  the  bizarre  taste  of 
the  time,  and  is  preserved  in  France,   where  ■ 
sleigh-riding    is    unknown.      In    America,    it. 
would  have  come  to  baser  uses,  and  been  often 


Bameveldt  was  beheaded  in  1618,  at  the  age  of 
Beventy-two,  and  Prince  Maurice  is  said  to  have 
witnessed  tho  execution  from  an  octagon  tower 
overlooking  the  spot.  The  ch.^mbers  of  the 
States-General  a.re  situated  in  this  building,  and 
the  public  are  admitted  to  the  debates  of  the 
Second  Chamber,  but  not  to  those  of  the  First  or 
Ijpper  Chamber.  The  officers  of  several  other 
departments  of  the  Dutch  Government  are  also 
in  this  building. 

Among  the  most  remarkable  public  buildings 
may  be  noticed  the  Maurits  Huis,  the  old  palace 
of  Prince  Maurice  of  Nassau. 

Between  the  Binncnhof  and  the  Vyverberg  is 
the  Gevangepoort,  or  prison  gate -house,  in 
which  Cornelius  de  Witt  was  confined  on  a 
charge  of  conspiracy  against  the  Prince  of 
Orange  in  1072,  and  whence  the  infuriated  mob 
dragged  him  and  his  brother  John,  who  had 


THE  VTTEKBEEO  AT  THE  HAGUE. 

making  night  hideous  with  the  click-clack  of 
his  wooden  rattle,  and  his  curious  cry  at  each 
successive  liour.  If  he  sees  a  window  open,  ho 
must  inform  the  people  ;  and  in  case  of  fire  he 
gives  the  alarm.  Each  one  is  on  duty  four 
hours,  and  must  go  all  over  his  beat  four  times 
during  that  term.  Such  as  he  is,  such  were  the 
watchmen  who  perambulated  our  city  streets 
during  (ho  seventeenth  century,  even  after  the 
British  flag  had  supplanted  the  Orange,  White 
and  Blue  below  the  Bowling  Green,  New  York, 
and  the  fort  adopted  an  English  name. 


A  Sleigh  of  the  Sixteenth  Oentnry. 

The  Museum  at  Cluny  contains  this  curious 

sleigh,  generally  supposed  to  be  Russian,  but 

really  Dutch,  Holland   having   then   been  the 

country  where  such  forms  were  adopted,  and 


whirled  over  the  enow  of  a  moonlight  night, 
contributing  to  entrap  two  unsuspecting  mortals  i 
into  dangerous  susceptibilities — love  and  mar- 
riage. It  deserves  to  have  at  least  a  few 
matches  interwoven  into  its  history ;  but  such 
good  material  is  sometimes,  like  other  good 
things,  sadly  wasted. 

— — — <i^ii» — 

Woman  and  Girl  of  Hindelopen, 
Hindelopen  is  situated  in  the  province  ofi 
Frise,  on  the  Zuider  Zee,  between  Workum  and  ' 
Stavoren  ;  although  it  is  a  mere  town,  number- 
ing at  the  most  eleven  hundred  inhabitants,  its  i 
charter,  dating  back  to  the  tliirteenth  century, 
confers  upon  it  extraordinary  privileges,   and 
among  others,  the  right  of  being  called  a  city, 
and  classing  itself  vrith  Amsterdam  and  The  - 
Hague. 


HOLLAND. 


4'a 


The  (ravc'or  passing  in  a  baat  this  pretentious 
little  village  where  the  herring  fishing-smacks 
harbor,  will  ho  struck  with  the  very  peculiar 
appearance  of  such  of  the  women  who  are  still 
faithful  to  the  national  costume,  and  whose 
picturesque  garb  is  better  illustrated  in  our 
engraving  than  it  possibly  could  be  by  any 
description,  however  faithful.  In  common  with 
the  people  of  other  pirts  of  Holland,  those  of 
this  neighborhoorl  regard  skating  as  a  useful 
art  as  well  as  graceful  accomplishment,  for 
whic'.i  their  numerous  canals  offer  ample  fields 
of  exercise.     Ths/raufoi  delightj  to  show  her 


skill  and  grace,  and,  possibly  her  ankles,  on 
skates ;  V)ut  when  she  rises  to  the  dignity  of 
frau,  and  besides,  possibly,  becoming  a  little 
stout  and  less  graceful,  she  is  content  to  seat 
herself  comfortably  in  a  little  sledge,  often 
elegantly  carved  and  ornamented,  and  set  on 
fine  steel  runners,  sharp  as  knives,  which  glide 
so  easily  over  the  ice  that  she  has  no  difliculty 
in  propelling  herself,  with  the  swiftness  cf  the 
wind,  by  means  of  two  steel-pointed  sticks,  one 
held  in  either  hand,  as  shown  in  the  engraving. 
Matches  of  speed  are  often  made  up,  in  which 
the  sledge  frequently  outstrips  the  skate. 


The  Little  Matct  Girl  of  Amsterdam. 
It  was  the  last  night  of  the  year,  bitterly  cold, 
snowing  fast,  and  nearly  dark.  In  the  cold  and 
darkness  a  poor  little  girl,  with  bare  head  and 
feet,  was  passing  down  the  street.  She  had 
slippers  on  when  she  left  home — but  what  was 
the  good  of  them  ?  They  were  very  big,  big 
enough  for  her  mother,  who  used  to  wear  them. 
She  lost  them  as  she  ran  across  the  street  in 
front  of  two  carriages,  which  came  teaiing 
along  at  a  fearful  pace.  One  of  them  she  could 
not  find  r.gain,  and  the  other  a  boy  snatched  up 


UAKEEI  WOMAN   AT   AUSTEBDAM. 


424 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


INTEEIOR  OF  AN   OEPHAN   ASYLUM. 


and  ran  off  with  ;  he  thought  it  might  do  for  a 
cradle  when  he  had  children  of  his  own,  some 
day. 

And  there  went  the  little  girl,  with  her  little 
bare  feet  all  blue  and  red  with  the  cold.  She 
had  a  lot  of  lucifer  matches  in  an  old  apron, 
and  a  bundle  of  them  in  her  hand.  That  whole 
long  day  she  had  sold  none,  and  no  one  had 
given  her  a  penny.  She  crept  along,  shivering 
with  cold  and  hunger,  the  picture  of  misery 
— poor  little  soul !  The  snowflakes  lay 
thick  ou  her  long  fair  hair,  which  fell 
on  her  shoulders  in  beautiful  curls, 
but  she  never  thought  of  them. 

All  the  windows  were  bright  with 
lights,  and  there  was  a  glorious  smell 
of  roast  goose,  for  it  was  New  Year's 
Eve.  She  did  think  of  that.  In  a  niche 
formed  by  two  houses,  one  of  which 
stood  a  little  more  forward  than  the 
other,  she  crouched  down  with  her  feet 
under  her  ;  but  it  only  made  her  colder. 
And  yet  she  did  not  dare  to  go  home  ; 
she  had  sold  no  matches,  and  had  not  a 
penny ;  her  father  would  be  sure  to 
beat  her,  and  at  home  it  was  cold,  too, 
for  there  she  had  nothing  over  her 
head  but  the  roof,  and  tlie  wind  came 
whistling  through  it,  thouih  the  biggest 
rents  were  stopped  up  with  straw  and 
rags. 

Her  little  hands  were  almost  numbed. 
Oh,  what  a  comfort  it  would  be  to  pull 
one  match  out  of  the  bundle,  strike 
it  on   the  wall,  and  warm  her  fingers 


at  it !  She  did  so.  Ssht !  how  it  splutters  and 
flashes,  as  she  holds  her  hands  over  it !  Such 
a  warm  clear  flame,  like  a  candle — a  wonderful 
flame!  It  really  seemed  to  the  little  girl  as 
if  she  were  sitting  before  a  big  iron  stove 
with  polished  brass  edges  and  feet.  The 
fire  burned  so  gloriously,  and  sent  out  such 
a  heat.  The  child  stretched  out  her  feet  to 
warm  them,  too  ;  but  suddenly  the  flame  was 
gone,  the  stove  had  vanished,   and  she  had 


DUTCH   CTJSIOM. 


nothing  but  the  little  burnt  stick  of  the  lucifer 
in  her  hand. 

Tlicn  a  second  was  struck  on  the  wall ;  it  lit, 
and  just  where  its  light  fell  the  wall  seemed  to 
become  transparent  like  a  vail,  and  she  could 
see  into  the  room  quite  plain.  A  snow-white 
cloth  was  spread  on  the  table  ;  all  the  bright 
china  dinner-servico  stood  shining  upon  it,  and 
the  roast  goose,  stuffed  with  apples  and  dried 
plums,  was  sending  forth  the  most  heavenly 
odors.  And,  what  was  still  more  de- 
lightful, the  goose  jvunped  down  from 
the  dish  with  a  knife  and  fork  in  its 
breast,  and  came  waddling  across  the 
room  toward  the  poor  child ;  but  at 
that  moment  the  match  went  out,  and 
there  was  nothing  left  but  the  hard, 
damp,  cold  wall. 

She  lit  another.  And  now  she  was 
sitting  under  the  most  splendid  Christ- 
mas-tree, much  bigger  and  finer  than 
the  one  she  had  seen  through  a  glass 
door  in  the  great  shop  of  the  place. 
Thousands  of  little  tapers  burned  on 
the  green  branches,  and  bright  pictures, 
like  those  in  the  shop  windows,  looked 
down  at  her.  S'ae  stretched  out  her 
hands  toward  them,  but  just  then  the 
match  went  out ;  the  lights  rose  higher 
and  higher,  till  she  saw  them  like  stars 
in  the  sky,  and  then  one  fell,  leaving 
a  long  trail  of  glory  behind  it.  "  Some- 
body is  dying .'"  said  the  little  girl :  for 
her  old  grandmother,  the  only  being 
Trho  bad  ever  loved  her,  and  who  was 


HOLLAND. 


435 


A    DUTCH    WATCHMAN     AT    SCHEVENINGEK. 


i26 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


dead  now,  ■used  to  tell  her  that  when  a  stnr 
falls,  a  soul  goes  xtp  to  God.  She  struck  another 
match  on  the  wall  ;  and  again  it  grew  bright, 
and  in  the  brightness  stood  her  old  grand- 
mother, 80  clear  and  dazzling,  so  gentle  and 
loving.  "  Oh,  grandmother  !"  cried  the  child, 
"  take  me  with  you.  I  know  you  will  go  away 
when  the  match  goes  out  ;  you  will  disappear 
like  the  warm  stove,  like  the  delicious  roast 
goose,  like  the  great  splendid  Christmas-tree  !" 
And  she  struck  the  whole  bundle  of  matches, 
for  sbewantel  to  hold  her  grandmother  fast. 
And  the  matches  burned  so  bright  that  it  was 
lighter  than  midday,  and  the  grandmother  had 
never  before  seemed  so  great  and  so  beautiful. 
She  took  the  little  girl  up  in  her  arms,  and 
away  they  flew  in  light  and  joy,  higher  and 
higher  ;  and  there  was  neither  cold,  nor  hunger, 
nor  sorrow  up  there— they  were  with  God. 

But  in  the  cold  dawn,  leaning  against  the 
wall,  with  frozen  cheeks  and  smiling  lips,  sat 
the  little  girl — frozen  on  the  last  night  of  the 
year.  The  New  Year's  sun  rose  over  her  little 
corpse.  There  sat  the  child  motionless,  with 
her  lucifers,  and  awhole  bundle  of  them  burned 
up.  "  She  must  have  wanted  to  warm  lierself," 
thoy  said.  No  one  guessed  what  splendors  she 
had  seen,  and  in  what  glory  she  had  passed 
away  with  her  grandmother  into  the  bliss  of  a 

New  Year ! 

"»«»«» ■ 

The  Eatcatcher. 

Bats,  though  popularly  supposed  to  know 
when  a  ship  will  sink  and  a  house  fall,  are  no 
favorites ;  a  singular  disregard  of  the  rights  of 
property,  and  a  propensity  to  gnaw  away  wood- 
work that  separates  them  from  a  meal,  array 
mankind  agaiast  them,  and  the  utility  of  their 
skins  in  the  manufacture  of  kid  gloves  for  the 
fairest  hands  of  the  fairest  ladies,  in  some 
plaecs,  gives  a  monetary  zest  to  the  war. 

Our  newspapers  now  teem  with  advertise- 


A  DUTCH  GALA   SLEIGH  OF  THE  SIXTEENTH   CENTUKT. 

ments  of  pills,  powders,  salves,  and  nostrums, 
which,  harmless  as  milk  to  tlie  human  race, 
bear  death  and  desolation  amid  the  kingdom 
of  latopolis.  Poisoning  rats,  thougli,  has  its 
objections.  The  decaying  bodies  of  the  rodents 
are  not  savoiy  filling  for  our  walls.  Traps  do 
better,  though  the  process  is  slow.  A  cat  is 
tometimes  a  thief.     In  old  times  there  were 


THE  BAT  CATCHER. 


professional  ratcatchers,  and  art  has  preserved 
some  of  them. 

Annibal  Carocci  depicts  a  Belogna  ratcatcher 
with  his  pole  and  flag  blazoned  with  rats  and 
mice.  We  give  a  copy  of  a  rare  and  exquisite 
engraving  of  Cornelius  Vis'cher,  of  Harlem,  a 
Dutch  Ratcatcher,  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
It  is  so  lifelike  and  characteristic  that  its  fidelity 
cannot  be  doubted.  An  old  soldier,  with  one 
leg  gone  and  the  other  not  sound,  he  bears  the 
sword,  and  though  his  once  showy  apparel  is 
in  rags  and  tatters,  he  adorns  his  attire  with 
trophies  of  his  art.  Tlie  original  inscription, 
in  Latin,  translated,  reads  thus: 

"Yon  rout  your  mice  with  cats  :  but  folly  'tis 
Small  thieves  with  greater  to  expel.  Give  but  a  few 
Vile  c=ia,  and  of  both  rats  ana  mice  I  free  you." 


PolisHng  Diamonds. 

In  these  days  when  diamonds  are  much 
sought  and  admired,  our  readers  will  take  plea- 
sure in  knowing  something  of  their  source  and 
treatment,  before  tliey  are  ready  to  fparkle 
in  their  golden  setting.  The  first  diamonds  that 
were  known  to  the  European  trade  were  brought 
from  the  kingdom  of  Visapoor  and  Golconda. 
The  discoveiy  of  the  mine  that  has  given  such 
celebrity  to  Golconda,  is  attributed  to  a  poor 
shepherd,  who,  while  attending  his  flocks, 
stumbled  upon  what  appeared  to  him  a  pretty 
pebble:  this  pebble  he  bartered  to  some  one,  a» 
ignorant  as  himself,  for  a  little  rice.  After 
passing  through  several  hands,  it  fell  into 
those  of  a  mercliant  who  knew  its  worth,  and 
who,  after  diligent  search,  succeeded  in  finding 
!he  mine. 

The  discovery  of  the  diamond  mines  of  Bra- 
zil, which  occurred  in  the  year  1730,  was,  like 
that  of  the  East  Indian  mines,  the  result  oJ 
fortuitous  circumstances.  Shortly  after  the 
establishment  of  Villa  del  Principe,  the  aiinenj 


HOLLAND. 


427 


searching  for  gold  ia  t'lie  rivulets  of  Milho 
Verde  and  San  Gonzalez,  in  the  district  of  Serro 
do  Frio,  met  witli  some  singular  pebbles  of 
peculiar  hue  and  lustre,  which  they  carrie  Jhome 
to  their  masters  as  curiosities.  Considered 
merely  as  pretty  baubles,  the  stones  were  given 
to  the  children  and  used  as  counters.  They  at 
last  attracted  the  attention  of  an  officer,  who 


equal   to   the  Golconda  diamonds  of  the  first 
water. 

Tlie  diamond,  when  first  taken  out  of  the 
mine,  is  covered  with  a  thick  crust  that  scarcely 
permits  of  any  transparency  being  visible  ;  and 
even  the  most  practiced  eye  cannot  then  tell  its 
value  with  certainty.  It  usually  resembles  a 
clear,  semi-transparent  pebble,  well-worn  by  tlie 


Bruges,  who  is  said  to  have  constructed  in  1476 
a  polishing-wheel,  which  was  fed  with  diamomi 
dust  instead  of  corundum,  which  the  Chinese 
and  Hindoos  had  been  long  accustomed  t/t 
employ.  Berquen  was  led  to  this  discovery  by 
observing  the  action  produced  by  rubbing  two 
rough  diamonds  together. 
Diamonds  are  cut  in  various  ways,  generally 


sent  a  handful  of  the  singular  stones  to  a  friend 
in  Lisbon,  with  a  request  that  they  would  have 
them  examined.  But  tlie  lapidaries  of  that 
city,  who  never  wrought  diamonds,  and  proba- 
bly had  never  seen  one  in  its  rough  state, 
replied  that  their  tools  could  make  no  impres- 
sion upon  them.  A  few  were  sent  to  Holland, 
where  they  were  cut  as  brilliants,  and  pro- 
nounced   by  the  astonished  lapidaries  to  be 


WOMAN   AND  GIRL  OF  HINDKLOPBN. 

waters,  a  bit  of  unpolished  glass,  or  of  gum-ara- 
bic.  Thus  coated,  it  is  called  a  rough  diamond. 

This  crust  is  so  hard  that  there  is  no  sub- 
stance save  that  of  the  diamond  itself  that  can 
take  it  oflf.  The  diamond  cuts  everj-  substance 
in  nature,  and  can  be  cut  but  by  itself. 

The  discovery  of  the  art  of  cutting  and  pol- 
ishing the  diamond  by  means  of  its  own  dust 
was  loag  ascribed  to   Louis   de   Berquen,  of 


with  great  regard  to  the  shape  of  the  rough 
stone,  and  assume  different  names  in  conse- 
quence ;  as  a  brilliant,  rose,  table,  and  lasqua 
diamond.  Of  these,  the  most  splendid  and 
valuable  is  the  brilliant,  from  its  superior 
sparkle  and  the  number  of  its  reflections  and 
refractions. 

The  brilliant  is  formed  of  two  truncated  pyra- 
mids by  a  common  base ;  the  upper  pyramirt 


428 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


POLISHINQ   DIAMONDS. 


being  much  more  deeply  truncated  than  the 
5ower,  the  upper  side  of  the  stone  prescntin;;  a 
table  of  thirty-three  facets,  inclined  under  differ- 
ent angles,  and  the  under  side  twenty-five  facets. 

The  brilliant  is  the  form  most  esteemed,  as 
exhibiting  to  the  best  advantage  the  peculiar 
lustre  of  the  stone ;  but  while  it  insures  the 
best  possible  effect,  it  also  entails  a  much  larger 
waste  of  the  material.  Brilliants  are  for  the 
most  part  made  out  of  the  octahedral  crystals, 
and  r03e  diamonds  from  the  spheroidal  varie- 
ties. The  rose  diamond  is  the  shape  given  to 
those  stones,  the  spread  of  which  is  too  great  in 
proportion  to  their  depth  to  admit  of  their 
being  brilliant  cut.  It  is  formed  by  covering 
the  rounded  surface  of  the  stone  with  equilat- 
eral triangles,  placed  base  to  base,  making  the 
figure  of  a  rhomb. 

The  art  of  cutting,  sawing,  or  polishing 
diamonds,  requires  great  skill,  practice,  and 
patience.  It  is  seldom  that  the  same  workman 
is  a  proficient  in  all  these  branches,  but  he  gen- 
erally confines  himself  to  one.  In  cutting  and 
polishing  a  diamond,  the  workman  has  two 
objects  in  view  ;  first,  to  remove  any  flaws  or 
imperfections  that  may  exist  on  the  stone,  and 
secondly,  to  divide  its  surface  into  a  number  of 
regulaily  shaped  polygons.  The  removal  of 
:9aws  seems  to  be  the  most  material  object, 
aince  the  smallest  epeck  in  some  particular 
parts  of  the  stone  is  infinitely  multiplied  by 
reflection  from  the  numerous  polished  surfaces 
of  the  gem. 

Whea  the  shnpe  of  the  rough  stone  is  par- 


ticularly unfavorable,  the  -workmen  ha*  to 
resort  to  tlie  hazardous  operation  of  splitting. 
When  the  direction  in  which  it  is  to  be  split  is 
decided  on,  it  is  marked  by  a  line  cut  with  a 
iharp  ;  the  stone  is  afterward  fixed  with  a  strong 
cement  in  the  proper  position  in  a  stick,  and 
then  by  the  application  of  a  fpUUing  knife,  the 
section  is  effected  by  a  smart  blow. 

Sometimes,  when  the  section  must  cross  the 
crystallized  structure  of  the  gem,  recourse  must 
be  had  to  sawing;  this  is  performed  as  follows: 


The  diamond  is  cemented  to  a  small  block  of 
wood,  which  is  fixed  firmly  to  a  table,  and  a 
line  is  made  witli  a  sharp  where  the  division  id 
intended  to  take  place  ;  this  Ime  is  filled  with 
diamond-powder  and  olive-oil :  the  sawing  is 
then  commenced,  and  if  the  stone  is  large,  tlie 
labor  of  eight  or  ten  months  is  sometimes 
required  to  complete  the  section.  The  saw  is 
made  of  fine  brass  or  iron  wire  attached  to  the 
two  ends  of  a  piece  of  cane  or  whalebone,  the 
teeth  being  formed  by  the  particles  of  diamond- 
powder  which  become  imbedded  in  the  wire  as 
soon  as  it  is  applied  to  the  line. 

The  cutting  the  facets  en  the  surface  of  the 
rough  stone  is  a  work  cf  labor  and  skill ;  tha 
polishing  is  performed  in  a  mill. 

The  diamond  trade  is  not  now,  as  formerly, 
entirely  monopolized  by  the  Dutch  ;  but  tlio 
cutting  and  polishing  of  the  gems  is  in  general 
done  in  Holland,  on  account  of  the  lower  price 
of  labor.  The  Amsterdam  diamond  -  cuttem 
have  always  been  renowned.  In  a  Jewish  pop- 
ulation of  twenty-eight  thousand  souls,  ten. 
thousand  devote  themselves  entirely  to  th^t 
trade. 

The  General  Company  of  Diamond  Workers 
possesses  several  engines  of  a  hundred  horse- 
power each,  setting  in  motion  four  hundred 
and  fifty  machines,  and  gives  employment  to 
one  thousand  workmen. 

Our  illustrations  show  the  Great  Diamond 
Cutting  Works,  on  the  Amstel,  in  HoUr.nd,  and 
also  splitters  and  polishers  at  work. 

Diamonds  are  always  weighed  by  carafe, 
carat  being  a  small  seed  in  India,  used  to 
weigh  diamonds.  Four  carats  make  a  grain, 
and  six  carats  a  pennyweight.  Five  diamond 
grains  are,  however,  equal  to  four  grains  troy. 
One  of  our  illustrations  shows  brilliant  and 
rose-diamonds,  from  one  to  ten  carats  weight;. 


Interior  of  an  Orphan  Asylum. 

At  Katwyk-on-the-Sea  the  Khine,  subjected 
by  man,  flows  between  two  solid  walls,  in  a 
channel  framed  by  art,  from  lock  to  lock,  till 
its  last  barrier,  six  colossal  flood-gates,  through 
which  it  peacefully  enters  the  North  Sea. 

It  is  a  quiet  fishing-town,  this  Katwyk  :  ex- 
cept around  the  docks,  there  is  little  Etirrinjj 


BSILUANTS. 


1  Oaiat.         2  Carats.  Z  Carats.  4  Carats. 

SIZES   OF  DIAHOKDe. 


C  Carats. 


10  Carats. 


HOLLAND. 


429' 


■wlthout-doora,  bat  there  is  stcaJy  work  witiiin. 
Take,  for  example,  this  cell  wiiere  Cliarity  trains 
to  a  life  of  industry  tlie  orplian  girls  of  Kitwyk. 
They  are  always  in  threes,  each  room  being  oc- 
cnpied  by  that  number ;  one  to  mark  out  and 
cut  the  work,  and  two  to  sew.  They  may  con- 
Terse  while  working,  providing  it  is  in  a  low 
tone ;  only  the  scissors  and  the  bobbin  have 
the  riglit  of  speaking  out  in  meeting. 

And  of  tliis  bobbin  there  is  a  quaint  story 
told.  Tlirce  orphan  girls,  each  of  whom  had 
lost  her  father  at  sea,  were  working  and  talking 
of  them,  when  the  bobbin  sang  out : 

"  Do  your  duty,  strict  and  true, 
And  la  faith  I  promise  jou 
■\Vlien  the  thread  your  fingers  shall  have  passed 
Your  dear  lost  parents  you'll  see  at  last." 


ambition  among  certain  classes  cf  society. 
Henry  III.,  of  France,  slept  in  a  mask  lined 
with  pommadc.  Later,  persons  of  rank,  re- 
strained by  etiquette  from  mixing  in  popular 
festivals  and  enjoyments,  availed  themselves  of 
the  mask  as  a  disguise.  Charles  II.,  of  Eng- 
land, and  his  queen,  protected  by  masks,  were 
accustomed  to  visit  public  places,  and  mingle 
in  the  dances  of  the  populace  at  fairs  and  otiier 
places ;  glad,  no  doubt,  to  lay  aside  the  irk- 
some etiquette  of  the  court. 


Seaside  Scene. 

Seaside  sketches  and  views  are  often  but 
pictures  of  the  costume  of  the  day,  and  add 


more  repose  ana  shelter,  when  they  come  on* 
of  doors  than  may  be  found  upon  the  hard 
wooden  benches  or  rickety  little  seats  too  oftea- 
provided  for  them  on  the  sea-beach,  or  in  thes 
public  parks  and  gardens  of  American  watering- 
places. 


Albert  and  Isabella,  in  the  Studio  of  Eubens. 

Peter  Paul  Rubens  was  born  in  Westphalia,. 
June  29,  1577,  and  died  in  Antwerp,  May  30, 
1640.  In  his  thirteenth  year  he  was  taken  by 
his  mother  to  Antwerp,  and  ".vas  placed  under 
the  tuition  of  Van  Hacght,  a  landscape  painter. 
After  a  year  or  so  he  was  placed  in  the  studio 
of  a  fine  painter,  Van  Oost,  but  he  completed 


This  startled  them  at  first,  but  still  the  bobbin 
hummed  its  song,  and  their  grief  gradually 
vanished.  They  worked  on  steadily,  but  the 
thread  never  ended ;  they  grew  up,  married, 
but  there  was  always  thread  on  the  bobbin.  At 
List  the  day  came  when  there  was  no  more 
t!;read  for  them  ;  the  bobbin  was  empty.  They 
Lad  gone  to  rejoin  their  loved  and  lost. 


Masks. 
Mases,  in  the  olden  time,  were  confined  to 
the  nobility,  and  prohibited  to  the  common 
people.  Tliey  were  not  used  for  disguise  so 
much  as  to  protect  the  faces  of  the  wearers  from 
the  sun  and  weather,  and  to  preserve  that 
pnrity  of  complexion  which,  then  as  now,  is  an 


DIAHOm)  WORKS  ON  THE  AHSTEL. 

little  to  our  information.  In  the  scene  of  quiet 
and  genteel  enjoyment  shown  in  our  illustra- 
tion, there  is,  however,  something  to  be  learned. 
The  small  town  of  Schevening,  in  South  Hol- 
land, on  the  coast  of  the  North  Sea,  is  a  fashion- 
able watering-place,  much  frequented  in  the 
.season  by  the  Dutch  nobility  and  gentry.  It  is 
but  two  or  three  miles  distant  from  The  Hague, 
the  royal  and  aristocratic  capital  of  the  king- 
dom, where  the  Court  usually  resides.  The 
ladies  who  visit  Schevening  are  fond  cf  availing 
themselves  of  those  peculiarly  shaped  arm- 
chairs, made  of  wicker-work,  several  of  which 
arc  shown  in  our  engraving.  The  chairs,  being 
cheap  and  light,  and  not  likely  to  be  much 
damaged  by  exposure  in  the  open  air,  seem  well 
adapted  to  the  use  of  invalids,  who  require 


his  art  education  in  the  studio  of  Otto  Van 
Veen,  by  whose  advice  he  repaired,  in  1600,  to 
Italy,  furnished  with  letters  of  recommendation 
from  the  Archduke  Albert,  then  Viceroy  of  the 
Netherlands,  and  his  consort,  Infanta  Isabella. 
Our  illustration  represents  those  illustrious  per- 
sons paying  a  visit  to  the  great  painter  in  his 
studio  at  Antwerp.  After  visiting  the  chief 
cities  in  Italy  and  France  he  returned  to  Ant- 
werp, and  in  1G09  married  his  first  wife,  Eliza- 
beth Brants.  In  1620  he  was  commissioned  by 
Maria  de  Medicis  to  decorate  the  gallery  of  the 
Palace  of  the  Luxembourg.  In  1626  the  death, 
of  his  wife  plunged  him  in  the  deepest  sorrow. 
In  1630  he  married  Helena  Formaii,  a  beautiful 
girl  of  sixteen,  with  whom  he  lived  in  the 
greatest  felicity,  despite  the  difference  in  their 


430 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


ages,  he  being  then 
forty-nine,  or  tliirty- 
three  years  her  senior. 
He  died  in  his  sixty- 
third  year.  He  was 
not  only  distinguished 
as  an  artist,  hut  as  a 
diplomatist. 


Pair  at  Eotterdam. 
The  holiday  scenes 
in  Botterdam,  at  the 
annual  fiurs  in  that 
city,  are  truly  ani- 
mated. The  entire 
populace,  abstaining 
from  all  rastomary 
labor,  pour  out  from 
the  narrow  streets 
into  the  broad  avenues 
and  market-places, 
and  indulge  in  the 
utmost  hilarity.  At 
the  Groot  Market, 
the  assemblage  is 
■very  large  during  the 
entire  day.  There  the 
denizens  take  posi- 
tions pretty  much  as 
we  do  on  Broadway, 

watching  each  other  closttly,  and  gathering  all 
the  news  of  the  suburban  villages  possible. 
The  earnest  conversations  of  plain,  mercantile 
gentlemen,  the  giggling,  rollicking  gossip  of 


lUE  JEWS    QUARTER,  AMSTERDAM. 

f.iir  maidens,  the  noisy  prattle  of  little  children, 
the  harsh  clamor  of  fruit-vendors,  and  the 
ludicrous  antics  of  merry-andrews,  are  all  char- 
acteristics of  these  fair  days. 


Dntcli  Scenery. 
Anyone  who  travels 
in  Holland  must 
always  expect  to  come 
across  prairies.  On 
tlie  green  meadows  of 
Over-Yssel  a  clump  of 
trees  grows,  beneath 
wliich  the  cows  rest 
and  enjoy  the  fresh 
air  during  the  heat 
of  the  day.  While 
these  trees  are  still 
young  they  are  pro- 
tected against  the 
teeth  of  the  animals 
by  trellis-work.  This 
foresight  toward  the 
beasts  is  touching, 
and  evidences  a  kind- 
lieartcd  people.  Grad- 
ually the  meadowa 
give  way  to  steppes, 
and  in  the  midst  of 
the  desolate  heath 
tlie  eye  rests  from 
time  to  time  on  a 
natural  prairie,  like 
t'lose  found  in  Texas. 
The  very  landes  of 
Over-Yssel  do  not  remain  unproductive  under 
the  hand  of  the  Dutch  ;  for  heath  is  cut  from 
them  for  fuel,  and  pebbles  obtained  to  mend 
the  roads.     What  was  my  surprise  to  see  the- 


JSIASKE— A  NOBLE  DUTCH   FAMUT   EEIUBSIKa   HOME  AT  NiaHT. 


HOLLAND. 


431 


jBods  of  turf  {plaggen)  removed  to  feed  fires! 
The  strips  of  dry  grass,  or  rather  of  roots,  in 
•which  the  unaided  eye  can  trace  the  delicate 
network,  mixed  with  a  crust  of  earth,  are  car- 
ried to  town  at  the  rate  of  a  florin  a  cartload, 
where  they  are  used  for  baking  bread.  The 
ptiasants  of  Over-Yssel  even  employ  these  sods 
of  moss  and  withered  grass  instead  of  thatch  to 
cover  their  cottages.  Nothing  is  lost ;  but 
what  a  distance  is  there  between  this  savage 
economy  and  the  wealth  cultivation  is  about  to 
develop  before  us ! 

Dedemsvaart   is  a  canal ;    nothing  more  or 
Vjbs.    The  creator  of  this  cana] ,  Mr.  Van  Dedem , 


THK  UTTLB  MATCH-GIEIi  AT  AMSTERDAM. 

died  a  few  years  back,  poor,  heart-broken,  and 
misunderstood  by  the  injustice  of  man.  He 
watched  in  silence  the  birth  of  an  agricultural 
world  for  which  he  had  paved  the  way,  but  his 
fate  was  that  of  all  initiators.  Happy  that 
there  was  still  one  heart  to  appreciate  him,  one 
hand  to  press  his,  he  sat  down  proud  and 
gloomy  by  the  hearth  of  his  few  friends.  The 
truth  is  that  the  Dedemsvaart  has  been  a  useful, 
excellent  work,  not  for  the  undertaker,  alas  ! 
but  for  the  adjacent  colonies  which  have  now 
emerged  from  the  desert.  The  water-way  has 
insured  the  circulation  of  peat,  manure,  and 
produce  created  by  human  industry. 


At  Hoogezand  and  Sappemeer,  we  have  seeai 
old  colonies,  created  by  the  men  of  the  seven- 
teenth century ;  but  Avereest  is  a  rising  colony, 
the  work  of  men  of  our  day.  A  few  years  back 
the  only  tree  that  formerly  grew  on  this  old 
heath  was  pointed  out ;  it  was,  we  think,  a  birch. 
This  tree  has  disappeared  ;  but  rich  plains,  with 
clumps  of  verdure,  orchards,  and  new  planta- 
tions spring  up  as  if  by  enchantment.  On  all 
sides  fields  are  formed  ;  nature,  a  fertile  chrys- 
alis, daily  puts  off  her  larva,  and  displays 
proudly  a  face  embellished  by  art.  The  vital 
action  of  all  this  agricultural  prosperity  is  the 
Dedemsvaart ;   into  this  canal  an  infinity  of 


4S2 


TEE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  old  race  of  Troglodytes  has  disappeared,  to  make  room  fol 
an  ever-growing,  industrious,  well-lodged,  and  well-clotbed 
population. 

In  this  colony  the  visitor  goes  through  a  course  of  political 
economy  in  action.  The  division  of  labor  and  commerce  has 
but  slightly  progressed  as  yet ;  the  same  shop  sells  everything, 
and  a  milliner  keeps,  in  addition  to  bonnets — clocks,  spices, 
flour,  and  feet-warmers.  Moral  development  is  ever  associated 
in  Holland  with  that  of  material  comfort,  and  there  are  four 
schools  in  the  colony.  Such  an  association  of  facts  as  land 
being  reclaimed  and  youth  educated,  is  pleasant  to  look  upon. 
There  is  no  greater  or  more  moral  spectacle  than  that  of  man 
extending  by  labor  the  domain  nature  has  given  him.  When 
we  now  reflect  that  it  is  peat  which  has  done  all  this,  we  ask 
why  the  inhabitants  of  the  Old  World  rush  to  the  deserts  of 
America,  instead  of  coming  to  transform  the  plains  of  Drenthc 
or  Over-Yssel.  The  first  colonists  who  arrived  to  work  this 
great  California  on  the  banks  of  the  Dedemsvaart  were  gener- 
ally foreigners ;  there  were  among  them  Germans,  Poles,  and 
Greeks,  but  the  land  exercises  a  power  of  rapid  assimilation 
over  these  heterogeneous  elements,  and  Avereest  at  the  present 
day  is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  Dutch  colony. 


ALBERT  AJJD  ISABELLA   IN  THE  STUDIO  OF  BTTBENS. 


The  Jews'  Quarter,  Amsterdam. 

It  is  the  custom  to  call  Amsterdam  the  Venice  of  the  North, 
on  account  of  its  canals  ;  with  a  good  reason  might  it  be  called 
Little  JeriLsalem,  on  account  of  its  population.  As  oil  floats 
on  the  water,  so  the  Jewish  population  seems  to  swim  upon 
the  surface.  Kone  else,  api>arently,  is  seen  or  heard.  Its 
twenty  thousand  throats  make  more  noise  than  the  rest  of 
the  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  thousand  Hollanders  ia 
Amsterdam. 

They  are  found  everj'where,  those  children  of  Israel,  gesticu- 
lating, bargaining,  on  the  wharves,  in  the  streets,  doing  all 
kinds  of  work,  selling  and  buying,  touching  anything  and 
profiting  by  everything. 

Our  engraving  represents  the  quarter  iu  Amsterdam  where 
these  active  and  intelligent  denizeng  cf  the  old  city  most  do 
congregate. 


smaller  canals  leading  to  the  peat-beds  debouch, 
in  proportion  as  the  clearings  are  effected.  The 
water  vivifies  everything  in  its  passage  along 
the  banks,  prairies  emerge  from  the  old  heath, 
flocks  spring  into  life,  and  houses  start  up.  The 
canals  trace  the  development  of  all  this  agri- 
cultural prosperity,  just  as  in  the  embryonic 
formation  of  the  human  body  the  blood-vessels 
trace  the  phj'siological  development  of  the 
organs. 

We  visited  a  farm  having  750  acres  of  culti- 
vated land,  on  which  ninety  cows  and  forty 
p'gs  tranquilly  enjoyed  life.  The  stables,  cow- 
houses, and  instruments  of  labor,  all  displayed 
true  rustic  opulence.  When  we  reflect  that  this 
wealth  dates  from  yesterday,  we  recognize  with 
a  feeling  of  sympathy  what  human  industry  is 
capable  of  Twenty  to  twenty-five  years  back, 
only  goats  were  to  be  seen  in  the  colony,  but 
now  farms  and  houses  succeed  each  other,  pos- 
sessing an  air  of  elegance  and  cleanliness.  The 
first  colonists  dwelt  in  holes  dug  in  the  ground  ; 
these  were  followed  by  cabins,  and  these  again 
by  neat  brick  houses.  None  of  the  old  sub- 
terranean abodes  remain,  in  which  the  first  in- 
habitants of  the  colony  hid  their  misery  and 
their  hopes  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago;  very 
few  of  the  cabins,  tlie  monuments  of  the  second 
stage  of  things,  are  left,  but  liouses  are  spring- 
ing up  on  all  sides  with  astounding  rapiditv. 


THE  ANNUAIFAIE   AT  EOTTrKDAM. 


HOLLAND. 


438 


484 


lfl£    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


Peat. 

PBAT-itD>s  are  distributed  over  several  regions 
of  Europe,  but  nowhere  are  they  so  abundant 
as  in  the  Netherlands.  In  digging  canals  or 
laying  the  foundations  of  houses,  veins  of  this 
combustible,  which  lias  been  buried  for  centu- 
ries, are  daily  laid  bare.  The  extraction  of  peat 
supplies  labor  for  thousands  of  arms.  When 
the  owner  of  a  peat-bed  has  resolved  upon 
working  it,  he  must  in  the  first  place  drain 
the  ground  of  the  water,  which  impregnates  it 
like  a  sponge.  Removing  the  water  by  skillful 
and  methodical  tapping  generally  takes  eight 
yeare. 

The  field  being  prepared  and  the  water  dra^vn 
oflf,  the  extraction  of  tlie  peat  matter  is  pro- 
ceeded with.  Division  of  labor  is  the  funda- 
mental principle  of  all  industry.  The  workmen 
are  distributed  in  gangs  of  six  or  seven  men, 
but  the  duties  they  perform  may  be  divided 
among  four.  A  first  workman  divides  the  sur- 
face of  the  peat-bed  with  a  sharp  instrument 
called  in  Dutch  a  stikker.  A  second  workman, 
with  that  certainty  of  eye  which  practice  gives, 
lifts  the  cut  sods  with  a  little  spade.  A  third 
workman  receives  from  the  second  the  divided 
glebe,  which  he  pricks  with  a  species  of  fork 
and  deposits  it  in  a  wheelbarrow.  This  barrow 
is  wheeled  by  a  fourth  man  to  an  open  part  of 
the  field,  where  the  sods,  still  saturated  with 
moisture,  are  piled.  There  is  a  knack  in  up.-et- 
ting  the  barrow,  so  that  the  pieces  of  vegetable 
mud  may  be  arranged  in  a  species  of  wall, 
without  touching  them  with  the  hand. 

So  soon  as  they  have  acquired  sufficient  con- 
sistency to  be  handled,  they  are  arranged  with 
singular  art  so  as  to  be  exposed  on  all  sides  to 
the  sunbeams  and  the  influence  of  the  wind. 
The  workmen  form  mounds,  being  careful  to  lay 
one  sod  sideways  on  every  two  bricks,  much  as 
the  molder  lays  the  liricks  and  exposes  them 
before  baking.  The  lickl  then  disjilays  sym- 
metricil  rows  of  squares,  with  small  paths 
between  them,  along  which  the  women  and 
children,  employed  in  preference  for  this  work, 
walk.  Each  piece  is  moved  several  times,  so 
that  the  air  may  play  freely  over  all  the  sur- 


faces of  the  peat.  When  the  top  sods  begin  to 
dry,  they  are  placed  at  the  bottom,  and  those 
are  raised  which  contact  with  the  earth  has 
prevented  from  obtaining  inflammable  quali- 
ties. When,  after  having  been  several  times 
moved,  the  lumps  of  peat  have  attained  the 
necessary  stage  of  drjness,  they  are  formed  into 
large  square  or  round  heaps,  which  are  covered 
with  reeds,  hay,  or  straw,  to  defend  them  from 
the  rain  and  frost.  They  are  placed  also  in 
sheds  on  laths  or  planks,  so  laid  that  the  wind 
can  freely  circulate  through  them.  The  peat 
does  not  leave  these  sheds  till  it  is  transferred 
to  the  long  barges  that  carry  it  to  market. 

When  all  the  peat  is  extracted,  trees,  gene- 
rally belonging  to  the  pine  family,  are  found  at 
the  bottom  of  the  bed.  The  resinous  branches 
of  these  pines  serve  as  torches  to  illumine  the 
winter  nights.  Enormous  stems,  slightly  black- 
ened, are  also  sometimes  dug  up,  which  may 
still  be  employed  for  industrial  purposes.  This 
is  also  the  period  to  say  a  word  about  the  light, 
porous  substance,  which  acts  as  a  roof  to  the 
peat  bed,  and  which  wa>  at  the  outset  thrown 
away  by  the  workmen  as  unfit  for  burning. 
ITiis  upper  crust  is  now  about  to  play  a  part: 
when  mingle  1  with  sand  it  will  become  the 
basis  of  the  arable  land  in  which  potatoes  or 
wheat  arc  grown.  It  is  interesting  to  see  thus, 
by  the  side  of  the  peat-beds  which  are  in  full 
operation,  others  which  have  been  exhausted 
and  at  once  converted  into  a  fertile  field. 

One  of  the  dangers  incurred  in  extracting 
peat,  is  setting  fire  to  the  peat-beds.  At  the 
works  lighted  coals  are  generally  kept  for  do- 
mestic purposes,  and  they  may  become  the 
cause  of  great  misfortunes.  Not  only  the  peat 
extracted  and  exposed  to  the  air,  but  also  the 
marshy  soil  which  is  drained  by  the  preparation 
it  has  undergone,  is  susceptible  of  being  fired. 

Tlie  fire,  in  such  cases,  spreads  dully,  to  the 
great  injury  of  those  who  live  by  the  peat-beds, 
and  the  great  terror  of  poor  persons  who  dwell 
on  an  inflammable  soil,  for  at  any  moment  their 
cabins  may  be  reduced  to  ashes.  There  are 
instances  of  fires  that  have  lasted  there  for 
from  twelve  to  fourt3en  days  ;  the  earthy  mat- 
ter burned  slowly,  and  the  flame,  incessantly 


finding  nourishment,  advanced  under  the  cfieok 
of  the  ravages  it  committed.  The  sad  and 
lamentable  sight  of  a  Vesuvius  wa«  there 
offered  on  a  flat  soil.  These  fires  in  the  high 
peat-beds  would  la.st  not  merely  for  days,  but 
for  months  and  years,  if  means  were  not  sought 
to  check  their  progress.  In  burning  coal-mines, 
the  flames  are  drowned,  but  here  the  employ- 
ment of  water,  which  besides  is  not  always 
ready  to  hand,  would  prove  but  a  poor  defense. 
The  only  mode  of  stopping  the  progress  of  the 
scourge  is  to  dig  up  the  surrounding  land,  and 
in  this  way  the  fire  is  imprisoned  in  a  circle, 
when  it  must  exhaust  itself. 

History  has  preserved  several  instances  of 
burnt  peat-beds.  In  Friesland,  not  far  from 
the  Zuider  Zee,  you  are  shown  a  rather  deep 
lake  called  the  Jonker  Meer.  Tradition  has  it 
that  in  olden  times  this  lake  was  a  high  peat- 
bed.  The  carelessness  of  a  workman,  who  was 
warming  himself,  produced  such  a  tremendous 
fire,  that  all  efforts  to  suppress  it  were  in  vain. 
The  peaty  matter  was  entirely  consumed,  and 
the  waters  gradually  collected  in  the  vacant 
space,  and  thus  in  time  a  lake  was  formed 
where  sheep  had  formerly  browsed. 

Such  accidents  have  not  always  been  th« 
result  of  negligence.  In  159.3,  the  Spaniards 
had  formed  near  Schoonebeek  a  road  by  which 
to  cross  the  marshes.  The  Dutch  tried  to  stop 
their  passage  by  hurling  on  the  road  trees  they 
extracted  from  the  bottom  of  the  peat^beds. 
They  collected  these  trees  and  fired  them,  but, 
as  the  atmosphere  was  dry.  the  flames  pene- 
trated the  ground,  which  was  rich  in  combusti- 
ble matter.  The  fire  reduced  all  the  peat  to 
ashes  ;  it  hollowed  gulfs  and  ravines,  and  the 
road  became  impracticable  for  the  hostile  army. 
This  perfectly  novel  defense  doubtless  origi- 
nated the  infernal  idea  which  was  attributed  to 
one  of  the  agents  of  Philip  II.  Having  heard 
that  the  soil  of  the  Netherlands  burned,  ho 
resolved  to  destroy  this  rebellious  country  by 
fire.  He  did  not  abandon  his  plan  till  he  learnt 
that  a  portion  of  this  inflammable  earth  was 
buried  under  water,  and  that  the  rest  (the  high 
peat-beds)  could  be  defended  against  flie  bf 
the  spade. 


A   CANAI,  IN  HOLLAND. 


BELGIUM. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL  SUMMARY.^ 

THK  GBEAT  CHnrmTTPIECE  IN  THE    H\LL  OF  MARRIAGES,    ANTWERP— CHURCH    AT    LlEOB— CAVE    IN    ROCHEFORT— BATTLE  ON  STILTS  AT  Tf  AMTTR  — 

View  of  Luxemburg— Inaugueation  of  the  Statue  of  Kino  Leopold,  Antwerp— Fort  and  Port  of  Luxembubo— the  New  AquAs  ( 
Binn-RrBENs-.s  CHAIR— The  stone  Age-Carnival  AT  ANTWERP— BausaELS— Magistrates'  Hall  at  Audenabde— Emtbx  ihio  Bbusssui  . 

) — The  Flemish  burgomasteb.  "^ 


^^^ELGIUM,   the  youngest  kingdom  in 

liV.^   Europe,  is  situated  between  Holland 

'ii&  fi^'id  France.     On  the  downfall  of  Na- 

I      poleon  I.  it  was  united  to  Holland,  a 

uation  to  whom  it  was  utterly  alien  in  manners, 

customs,  religion,  and  even  language,  as  the 

Belgians  spoke  French — their  faith  being,  like 

that  of  France,  Eomaa  Catholic. 

In  1830  they  revolted  from  the  authority  of 
the  King  of  Holland.  France  and  England 
then  interfered,  and  declared  it  an  independent 
kingdom ;  aaid  at  the  instigaticn  of  Lord  Pal- 
mcrston,  the  then  Foreign  Minister  of  Great 
Britain,  Prince  Ixjopold  was  declared  the  king. 

In  order  to  conciliate  the  Catholic  population, 
he  married  the  Princess  Louise,  the  daughter  of 
Louis  Philippe  of  France,  and  soon  afterward 
they  were  crowned  in  Brussels  as  King  and 
Queen  of  the  Belgians.  King  Leopold,  although 
a  Protestant,  acted  with  so  much  impartiality, 
that  lie  endeared  himself  greatly  to  his  sub- 
jects, and  earned  the  reputation  of  being  the 
most  jjopular  sovereign  of  Europe. 

The  surface  of  Belgium  is  very  level,  and 
alt  lOugh  the  soil  is  not  naturally  fertile,  the 
industry  of  the  people  has  made  it  very  produc- 
tive. The  coasts  are  low,  and,  like  Holland,  it 
requires  dykes  to  protect  them  from  the  inroads 
of  tlie  sea.  It  is  also  well-watered  with  small 
streams  and  canalo,  which  are  carefully  kept 
up.  Tlie  climate  is  cool  and  moist,  and  pro- 
duces abundantly  grain,  hemp,  flax,  hops, 
beetroot,  chickory,  cloves,  and  tobacco.  Coal 
and  iron  are  also  found  there  in  g^eat  quanti- 
ties. The  people  are  verv  industrious  and 
export  largely. 

The  Belgians  aro  for  the  most  part  Flem- 
ings, of  German  origin — the  rest  are  Walloons, 
the  descendants  of  the  ancient  Belg£e.  Agri- 
culture and  manufactures  form  their  leading 
pursuits. 

Their  roads,  canals,  and  railroads  are  numer- 
ous and  excellent,  and  the  people  excel  in  mak- 
ing fine  linens,  paper,  and  hardware. 

Their  cities  are  very  admirably  built,  and 
display  much  architectural  elegance  and  de- 
sign. Brussels,  the  capitid,  is  situated  on  the 
Sennc,  and  is  celebrated  for  its  lace,  which  is 
the  finest  in  the  world.  It  is  also  f  imous  for 
its  carriages,  which  are  unequaled  for  beauty 


of  form  and  workmanship.  Printing  and  pub- 
lishing are  extensively  carried  on.  About  ten 
miles  south  of  Brussels  is  the  field  of  Waterloo, 
memorable  for  the  great  battle  fought  there  on 
the  18th  of  June,  1815,  when  the  allied  troops, 
under  the  command  of  Wellington,  totally 
defeated  the  French  army,  led  by  Napoleon 
thl  Great. 

Ostend  is  an  important  seaport,  on  the  coast 
of  the  North  Sea,  whUe  Antwerp,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Scheldt,  carries  on  an  extensive 
trade,  and  is  famous  for  its  historical  recollec- 
tions. Litge,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Meuse, 
being  in  the  vicinity  of  tlie  coal  mines,  is  the 
chief  seat  of  the  ironworks  of  Belgium. 


The  Great  OMmneypiece  in  the  Hall  of 
Marriages,  Antwerp. 

Reader,  knowest  thou  Antwerp,  the  city  of 
the  cathedral  and  of  Charles  V. ,  of  the  steam 
packets  and  the  picture-gallery — of  the  great 
basin  of  Napoleon,  and  of  the  fortifications  of 
the  Duke  of  Alva— and  last,  not  least,  of  the 
magnificent  Town  Hall  ? 

In  this  hall,  this  Hotel  de  Ville  or  Stadt 
Huys — a  monument  somewliat  heavy,  but  not 
wanting  in  originality  or  grandeur,  as  a  French 
writer  declares — there  is  a  so-called  Marriage 
Hall,  and  therein  is  a  chimney  or  mantelpiece, 
wliioh  for  beauty  and  elaborate  workmanship 
is  only  inferior  to  that  of  Bruges. 

Those  were  roaring  old  times,  reader,  when 
they  had  such  mantelpieces  and  chimneys 
as  these — hey  ?  Why,  in  that  of  Heidelberg  you 
might  hold  a  small  caucus ;  but  not  when  it 
rained,  for  looking  upward  there  is  a  patch  of 
clear  sky,  not  only  big  enough  to  make  a 
Dutchman  a  pair  of  breeches,  as  sailors  say,  but 
also  to  shape  a  kirtle  for  his  wife  and  have 
something  left  over  for  the  Kinder. 

The  fireplace  was  an  institution  in  those  days, 
before  the  times  of  stove  coal  grates,  stoves  and 
furnaces.  People  sat  in  them  or  around  them, 
and  sang  in  old  ballads  how  there  went  a  rider 
through  the  land  all  in  the  month  of  May — 
high  hey !  or  told  long  stories  of  fairies  and 
hid  len  treasure.  Now-a-days  the  fairies  wear 
hoops,   and   the   treasure   they  talk  about  is 


hidden  in  Central  Park  lots  aad  railroad  gtockS* 
A  has  relief  representing  the  marriage  of 
Cana  forms  the  main  part  of  this  chimneypiece. 
You  will  remember,  if  you  please,  that  this  is 
the  reason  why  they  call  this  the  Marriage  HalL 
Large  Renaissance  caryatides  at  either  side  8np» 
port  the  great  double  cornice,  which  inclosea 
three  sloping  panels,  on  which  are  carved  Christ 
on  the  Cross,  the  Brazen  Serpent  and  the  Sacri- 
fice of  Abraham.  If  you  reflect  awhile  yon 
will  see  in  all  these  the  connecting  idea  c^ 
sacrifice  and  of  salvation. 

This  chimney-piece  belonged  originally  to  the 
Abbey  of  Tongerloo,  whence  it  was  transferred 
in  1828  to  its  present  situation.  It  was  a  rich 
old  institution,  that  Abby  of  Tongerloo.  16 
owned  nearly  all  the  Antwerpian  Campine  once, 
and  in  1789  equipped,  at  its  own  expense,  a 
regiment  of  cavalry  for  the  Brabant  army. 
After  the  French  invasion  its  Van  Dycks,  Vaa 
Eycks  and  Rubens,  with  its  sculptures,  were 
scattered  far  and  wide,  and  with  them  went 
sc.ittering  a  library  which  Miroeus  compared  to 
that  of  the  Vatican.  "  Madame,  c'est  la  /ortvnt 
de  la  guerre. ' ' 

"Ihe  abbey  is  in  ruins,  fire  and  gunpowder 
have  worn  black  devilish  grotesques  in  its  walls, 
and  of  all  the  glorious  works  of  art  heaped  to- 
gether by  the  disciples  of  Jansenius,  there  only 
remain  rare  relics." 

Such  has  been  the  fate  of  many  a  fine  abbey 
and  fair  maiden.  Oh,  madame,  when  you  sea 
a  red  coat,  or  a  blue  one,  with  military  buttons, 
think  of  the  Abbey  of  Tongerloo,  and  of  its 
fireplace,  which  was  obliged  to  flee  for  refuge  to 
the  headquarters  of  justice,  and  to  the  Town 
Hall  of  Antwerp. 


Church  of  St.  James,  at  Liege,  Belgium, 
Thk  comer-stone  of  this  fine  church  was  laid! 
April  26th,  1016,  by  Bishop  Baldric,  who  built 
a  little  crypt  where  service  was  held  while  lh» 
noble  structure  was  gradually  attaining  its  miv<- 
jestic  proportions.  His  successors,  WallxxJoil 
and  Durand,  carried  on  the  work,  and  Bishop 
Reginard  completed  it,  August  2.'5th,  1030.  A 
Benedictine  monastery  adjoining  it  was  finished 
at  the  same  time.  The  church  stood  the  shock* 
of  time  for  nearly  five  hundred  years,  when  ik 


436 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


was  nearly  all  rebuilt  except  the  spire,  the  im- 
provement being  due  to  the  zeal  of  the  Abbot 
Kicholaa  Polls. 

It  has  three  naves,  the  middle  one,  the  more 
vast  and  lofty,  runs  to  the  choir,  while  the 
lateral  naves  only  extend  to  tlie  transepts. 
These  naves  are  separated  by  rows  of  clustered 
columns.  Like  all  the  churches  of  Liege,  the 
interior  is  remarkal)le  for  the  delicacy,  taste, 
and  airy  grace  of  the  ornamental  work  so  pro- 
fusely lavished  by  the  architect,  embodying, 
Eomewhat  un- 
tisually,  texts 
from  Scripture. 

The  organ  rests 
ra  a  mass  of  little 
c  )lumnB,  niches, 
Biatues,  and  ara- 
besques. It  is  now 
!  ilent,  but  was 
once  regarded  as 
a  masterpiece. 

Magistrate's  Hall 
at  Audenarde. 

The  City  Hall  in 
IMs  place  is 
famous  among 
connoisseurs  for 
the  chimney- 
piece  and  the 
door  in  the  Magis- 
trate's Hall.  They 
are  beautiful 
works  of  art, 
carved  by  a  Flem- 
ish artist,  named 
Paul  Vander 
Schelden. 

The  chimney,  of 
Avesnes  freestone, 
is  a  fine  specimen 
of  the  0  g  i  V  a  1 
style  of  the  early 
part  of  tlie  six- 
teenth centnrj'. 

The  statues  are 
a  Madonna,  with 
Justice  on  one 
Bide  and  Hope 
on  the  other.  They 
are  full  of  grace, 
being  far  superior 
to  the  works  of 
the  period,  in  con- 
ception and  exe- 
cution, due  to  the 
Italian  training  of 
the  sculptor.  Tlie 
ornamental  part  is 
inferior,  and  was, 
perhaps,  the  work 
of  his  pupils.  The  door-case  is,  in  all  its 
details,  extremely  beautiful,  not  only  in  the 
charming  little  figures  at  the  top,  but  in  all 
the  graceful  and  multiplied  details.  It  was 
executed  about  1534. 


one,  a  natural  one,  toward  Beauregard,  and  two 
otliers,  where  Art  seems  to  have  aided  Nature. 
One  of  these  is  called  the  Garden ;  but  if  it 
attracts  you  by  its  title,  it  leads  you  soon  to  an 
almost  unfathomable  abyss,  the  Hollenthal,  or 
lUouth  of  Hell.  On  one  side  is  one  cf  those 
cave  formations  that  seems  the  stitue  of  a 
giant,  and  on  the  other,  a  beautiful  cascade 
seems  bursting  from  the  rocky  wall.  Steps 
then  leid  down  to  the  Arcade,  below  which  is 
a  subterranean  lake,  in  which  an  English  trav- 


idea  how  fir  beneath 
have  wandered. 


the  earth's    surface  von 


GEEAT  CHIMNEY-PIECE   IN  THE  HALL  OF  M.\RRI.VGES,  AT   ANTWEEP. 


Gave  in  Eochefort,  Belgium. 
Not  far  from  Namur,  in  Bel','ium,  is  the  very 
curious  cave  of  Rochetort,  which  well  repays 
the  tourist  for  a  visit.    Jt  has  three  openings — 


eler  resolved  to  try  his  luck  as  an  angler,  and 
soon  drew  up  a  fine  pond-t.out.  A  path  around 
this  leads  to  the  f?abbat  ^aal,  a  beautiful  hall, 
three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  long  by  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  wide,  fdled  with  the  most  curious 
and  beautiful  stalactites  and  stalagmites,  which 
flash  in  the  torchlight  like  crystal,  as  the  trav- 
elers move  among  them.  Returning  hence,  you 
come  upon  the  fire  lighted  by  the  lake,  and 
watch  the  smoke,  seeking,  like  yourselves,  tlie 
outlet,  and,  by  it§  \aH  columa,  giying  you  aa 


Battle  on  Stilts,  at  Namur. 
The  city  of  Namur  was  famous  for  its  ath- 
letic gimes.  The  city  was  divided  into  two 
factions — the  Melans  and  the  Avresses— repre- 
senting the  old  and  new  towns.  On  the  day- 
fixed  for  the  battle,  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred 
young  men  divided  into  brigades,  attired  ia 
costumes  of  differ- 
ent colorti,  ad- 
vanced upon  e>ch 
other  to  the  found 
of  military  music, 
drums,  fifes,  cym- 
bals and  trumpets. 
T"lie  stilts  were 
about  four  feet 
high.  The  battle- 
ground -was  the 
square  before  the 
town-liall.  Each 
a  r  m  y  was  well- 
formeii,  with 
lipavy-wcigbts  in 
Iront,  to  bear  the 
first  onset,  and 
bodies  in  reserve 
to  retrieve  the 
day. 

The  combatants 
had  no  arms,  and 
were,  indeed,  for- 
bidden to  carry 
any.  They  could 
use  their  hands 
and  aims,  and  trip 
each  other  up,  if 
they  could. 

Wrestling  oa 
foot  is  bad  enoughi 
but  wTcstling  on 
stilts  is  a  feat  in- 
deed. The  battle 
would  last  some- 
times for  two 
hours  ;  the  com- 
batants reeling- 
from  side  to  side, 
leaning  over, 
staggering,  but  re- 
c  o  V  e  r  i  n  i:  their 
erect  position  with 
wonderful  agility. 
Some,  of  course, 
went  down  ;  now 
and  then,  two 
would  go  down 
together. 

The  women  were 
there,  encouraging 
their  si'e  by  gestures,  and  cries  of  joy,  and 
cheers,  and  rushing  into  the  miUe  to  assist  the 
fallen  to  rise  again,  and  save  their  heads  from 
lieing  crushed  in  the  rush  of  this  strange,  but 
hot  and  furious  contest,  in  which  life  wag 
rarely  lost,  though  bruises  were  plentiful 
enough. 

The  frequent  inundations  of  the  Sambre  and 
Meuse  made  the  use  of  stilts  a  necessity  in  tha 
neigborhood  of  Nnmur,  and  hence  every  voung 
jaau  was  an  adept  in  their   use,  and  it  was 


BELGIUM. 


4S» 


CHUECH    OF    ST.    JAMES    AT    LIEGE, 


438 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


LUXEMBCRG— VIEW   FROM  THE  FORT   DBS  HOULINS. 


accordingly  not  without  an  object  that  public 
tri  lis  of  skill  were  thus  maintained.  Stilts  do 
not  seem  to  be  in  much  favor  with  us,  as  we 
.hear  of  no  races  or  games  on  theni. 

Here  is  certainly  a  new  field  for  our  young 
iftthletes. 


Inauguration  of  the  Statue  of  King 
Leopold,  at  Antwerp. 

A  COLOSSAL  bronze  equestrian  statue  of  Leo- 
'pold  I.,  the  late  King  of  the  Belgians,  was 
publicly  unvailed  at  Antwerp,  on  Sunday, 
August  2d,  18G8.  The  monument  was  erected 
by  a  subscripiion  from  the  citizens  of  Antwerp, 
jUnder  the  patronage  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
Imerce.  llie  municipal  council,  owing  to  an  ill- 
, feeling  toward  the  kte  king,  not  only  refused 
to  grant  a  site  in  the  public  square  for  the 
statue,  but  caused  large  placards  to  be  posted 
.about  the  city,  urging  the  citizens  to  abstain  from 
any  demonstrations  on  the  day  of  the  inaugural 
ceremony.  The  day  appointed  for  its  inaugura- 
tion was  the  anniversary  of  the  lib -ration  of 
the  Scheldt — that  memorable  act  of  the  reign 
of  Leopold  I  ,  which  blotted  out  forever  the 
Btigma  inflicted  upon  Antwerp  and  Belgium  by 
the  treaty  signed  at  Munster,  in  lG-18.  The 
festivities  commenced  on  Saturday,  on  the  quay 
of  the  Place  St  Walpurga,  where  thousands  oi 
patriotic  spectators  had  assembled  On  Sunday, 
the  day  of  the  inauguration,  neither  the  bells 
of  the  cathe'.ral,  nor  those  of  the  Hotel  de 
Ville  were  allowed  to  be  rung ;  but  the  city 
was  full  of  other  festive  tokens.  Multitudes  of 
people  came  in  from  Ghent,  from  Brussels, 
li&ge,  and  Verviers,  with  official  deputations 
from  those  towns  After  an  oration  by  the 
Venerable  Baron  Nottebohm,  the  statue  was 
unvailed,  amidst  the  cheers  of  t!ie  people,  and 
the  National  Anthem  was  played  and  sung.  A 
musical  cantata,  specially  composed  f  jr  the  oc- 
casion, was  performed,  after  which  the  Civic 
Guards  defiled  past  (he  st.itue,  each  man  salut- 
ing, and  heaps  of  bouqi:.'ts  and  g.irlands  were 
thrown  upon  it,  to  lo  picked  up  afterward  by 
the  ladies  and  girls. 


Luxemburg. 

LrxEMBURO,  formerly  a  Grand-Duchy  in  the 
kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  but  now  divided 
between  Holland  and  Be'gium,  is  bounded  East 
by  Prussia,  North  by  Li&ge,  West  by  Namur, 
and  South  by  France.  Dutch  Luxemburg,  the 
possession  of  which  gives  the  King  of  Holland 
the  title  of  Grand  Duke,  and  a  voice  in  the 
German  Confederation,  lies  East  of  Belgian 
Luxemburg,  and  h  is  an  area  of  nine  hundred 
and  eighty-six  square  miles,  with  a  population  in 
1848  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  thousand 
and  sixty-two.  Belgian  Luxemburg  is  the  largest 
and  more  western  part  of  the  former  Grand- 
Duchy  ;  it  has  an  area  of  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  ninety-four  square  miles,  with  a  popu- 
lation, in  1846,  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-six 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-four.  The 
principal  rivers  of  Luxemburg  are  the  Moselle, 
the  Sure,  and  the  Our,  which  form  the  boundary 


between  Dutch  i^uxemnurg  anil  Frrgja  ;  the 
Elze  or  Alzette,  a  feeder  of  the  Sure ;  the  Sc- 
mois,  which  rises  near  Arlon,  and  flows  West 
into  the  Maas  ;  the  Ourthe,  which  rises  near 
Bastogne,  and  falls  into  the  Maas  near  Lifege  ; 
the  Lesse,  which  rises  near  Neufchfiteau,  and 
falls  into  the  Maas  near  Dinant. 

Luxeinlairg  is  crossed  from  South-west  to 
North-ease  by  a  range  o(  high  ground,  part  of 
the  Ardennes,  which  separates  the  valley  of  the 
Maas  from  that  of  the  Moselle.  The  soil  of 
this  elevated  region  is  calcareous,  and  is  princi- 
pally occupied  as  pasturage.  The  lower  lands 
are  productive,  and  yield  abundant  harvests  of 
wheat,  rye,  flax,  hemp,  mangel-wurzel,  etc. 
Such  of  the  high  lands  as  are  tilled  rarely  yield 
anything  but  rye,  oats,  and  potatoes.  Luxem- 
burg contains  many  large  forests.  Agriculture 
is  in  rather  a  backward  state  all  through  Lux- 
emburg. The  vine  is  cultivated  on  the  banks 
of  the  Moselle  and  the  Sure.  The  quality  of 
the  wine  is  inferior.  In  Dutch  Luxemburg 
there  is  a  great  number  of  distilleries,  and  soms 
iron-works.  Horses,  horned  cattle,  swine,  and 
sheep  are  numerous.  In  Belgian  Lirxemburg 
there  ai"e  iron-works,  slate-quarries,  potteries, 
tanneries,  cloth,  and  paper-mills.  Iron  and 
lead  mines  are  worked ;  copper  is  found  in 
Dutch  Luxemburg. 

<l«»r» 

The  New  Aquarium  at  Brussels. 
An  aquarium  has  been  recently  constructed 
in  the  Royal  Zoological  Garden  of  Brussels, 
which  is  quite  novel  in  its  leading  features.  It 
is  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  into  the  side  of 
which  excavations  have  been  made.  Beneath 
this  hill,  artificially  arranged,  fresh  and  salt 
water  reservoirs  are  built.  In  these  preserves 
fish  of  almost  every  variety — from  the  river, 
the  lake  and  the  sea — worthy  of  cultivation 
for  the  table,  are  placed,  and  rapidly  propagate. 
These  reservoirs  are  nurseries  for  the  waters  of 
the  kingdom  of  Belgium  The  basins  are 
supplied  by  cascades,  and  thus  the  useful  is 
subserved  by  the  ornamental.  The  Garden  of 
Zoology  is  a  favorite  resort  for  the  citizens. 


FORT  AND  PORT   OF   LUXEMBURG. 


BELGIUM. 


440 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Eubens's  Chair  at 
Antwerp. 

At  Antwerp  all 
breathes  of  Eubens. 
i'Tom  the  cathedral  to 
the  smaller  chapels,  all 
have  paintings  from 
his  hand,  and  one  par- 
ades an  altar-piece  in 
which  the  artist  has 
introduced  not  only 
the  two  wives  whom 
he  successively  mar- 
ried, but  some  of  his 
mistresses.  Fewartists 
have  passed  through 
life  with  such  magnifi- 
cence ;  his  only  trouble 
seems  to  have  been  the 
religious  troubles 
which  drove  him  from 
his  obscure  W  e  s  t  - 
phalian  home  to  fame 
and  fortune  at  Ant- 
werp. Handsome,  ac- 
complished, dignified, 
he  was  a  courtier  and 
diplomatist,  as  well  as 
a  most  untiring 
painter.     A  friend   of 

the  Archduke  Albert  and  the  Infanta  Isabella, 
through  their  favor  he  won  a  cordial  reception 
from  the  Italian  princes,  and  proceeding  to 
Spain  as  ambassador  was  successful  both  in 
diplomacy  and  in  art. 

Returning  to  Antwerp,  he  filled  his  elegant 
home  with  the  richest  collection  of  curiosities 
and  worlvs  of  art  yet  gathered.  He  then  visited 
Paris  to  lend  his  pencil  to  the  embellishment 
of  the  Luxembourg ;  and  was  again  twice  em- 
ployed ill  negotiations  with  England, 
distinguishing  himself  in  that  uncon- 
genial climate  both  by  his  diplomatic 
finesse  and  by  masterpieces  of  art,  which 
made  him  extremely  popular.  King 
Charles  1.  knighted  him,  and  for  a  new 
coat-of-arms  gave  him  some  of  the  royal 
arms.  He  was  also  ambassador  in  Hol- 
land. He  died  at  Antwerp,  in  1G40,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-three,  and  the  chair 
which  Antwerp  still  preserves  with 
reverence,  was  accordingly  one  made  for 
him  in  his  later  years,  when,  with  a 
world-wide  fame,  he  was  surrounded  by 
the  affection  and  respect  of  his  country- 
men. 

<i*>i» 

A  Battle  in  the  Stone  Age. 

JIosT  of  our  readers  have  seen,  or  per- 
haps turned  up,  stone  arrow-heads,  axes, 
and  other  implements.  They  are  re- 
mains of  the  Indian  tribes  who  preceded 
ns  in  the  land.  It  may  be  new  to  some 
that  such  relics  are  found  .also  in  Europe, 
showing  that  the  predecessors  or  ances- 
tors of  the  present  inhabitants  of  those 
countries  were  once  no  higher  in  the 
grade  of  civilization  than  the  Indians 
whom  our  ancestors  found  on  these 
shores. 

Ibis  period  is  called  the  stone  age,  ana 
research  has  been  carried  on  with  zeal 
sad  QQ  littlQ  wild  enthusiaeia  to  recall 


INAUGUBATION  OP  THE  STATUE  OF  KING   LEOPOLD,  AT   ANTWERP. 


this  European  of  the  stone  age,  and  show  us 
the  animals  he  hunted,  the  home  lie  lived  in, 
his  wars,  his  plcisures,  his  death  and  burial. 

Belgium  contains  rude  stone  forts,  of  a  very 
early  period  of  human  history ;  those  of  Fur- 
fooz,  Pont  de  Bonn,  Jcmelle,  and  Poilvache, 
enable  us  to  form  some  idea  of  the  wars  of 
those  days,  when  more  sedentary,  and  hence 
agricultural,  tribes  required  defense  against  the 
lawless,  roving  hordes,  that  relied  on  the  chase 


and  plunder.    These 

camps  have  the  suma 
character.  They  ar* 
generally  on  rocky 
promontories,  c  o  n  - 
nected  with  the  adja- 
cent plateau  by  a 
narrow  tongue  of  land. 
A  deep  ditch  intersecta 
this  narrow  pass,  and 
a  thick  wall  of  rough 
stones,  piled  up  with- 
out mortar,  surrounds 
the  camp. 

Doubtless  a  palisade, 
as  a  second  line  of  d» 
fense,  stood  within 
this,  within  which 
were  the  rude  huts  of 
the  tribe.  Such,  at 
least,  our  American  re- 
ma  i  n  s  induce  us  t»> 
imagine. 

The>e  walls  haye 
been  found  still  stand- 
ing to  the  height  of 
nine  feet,  and  from 
them,  in  case  of  attack, 
the  besieged  hurled 
down  stones  on  their 
assailants  When  the  arrows  and  javelins  were 
invented,  they,  too,  were  launched  from  this 
height  ;  an  earthen  step  within  the  wall  afford- 
ing a  standing-ground  for  the  warriors,  and 
thus  giving  them  the  protection  of  the  wall,  oa 
which  only  the  rash  and  •  defiant  actually 
mounted. 

So  well  were  these  positions  chosen,  that,  as 
in  the  case  of  Poilvache,  a  Roman  titatlel  finally 
grew  up  within  the  ancient  circle  fif  stone,  and 
on  the  ruins  of  the  cit.ndel  finally  rose 
the  castle  of  a  medieval  baron,  whicli 
now,  too,  mingles  its  debris  with  thos» 
of  the  earliest  races. 

Excavations  reveal  remains  of  early 
pottery,  stone  arrows,  knives  and 
hatchets,  rude  ornaments,  all,  in  fact, 
that    serves  to    characterize   primitive 


BUBESS  S  CHAIB,  AT  ANTWEBP. 


Tie  Carnival  at  Antwerp, 

What  a  mass  of  grotesque  figure* 
meets  the  gaze  of  the  puzzled  reader 
on  referring  to  our  engraving  on  page 
443. 

The  carnival  procession  in  Antwen 
begins  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  marches  on  a  route  through  the 
city. 

The  masked  forms  of  male  and  female 
participants  add  to  the  unique  aj.pear- 
ance  of  the  whole. 

The  Animil  Kingdom  is  well  rspre- 
sented  in  these  processions;  bears, 
wolves,  dogs  and  hor.ses  form  no  sm.all 
feature  of  this  merry  scene.  The  at  five 
members  of  the  throng  are  not  the  only 
ones  who  enjoy  the  mirth  of  the  day. 
Brieht  smiles  and  ple.nsant  laughter 
indicate  plainly  tliat  lookei-s-on  from 
windows  and  balconies  appreciate  tia>i. 
frolic  ia  no  less  a  degree. 


BELGIUM. 


4.41 


Brussels. 

A  RECENT  traveler  in  Belgium  says:  "  Brussels 
is  very  favorably  situated,  being  partly  built  on 
the  plain  crossed  by  the  Seune  (a  small  tribu- 
tary stream  of  the  Scheldt  at  Antwerp),  and 
partly  on  the  side   of  irregular   hills,   ■which 


MAGISTRATES    HALL   AT   AUDENAEDE. 

border  the  shore  of  the  same  river,  and  extend 
toward  the  Field  of  Waterloo.  When  viewed 
from  the  west,  the  city,  with  its  lofty  cathedral 
and  fine  old  churches  towering  up  above  the 
antique  dwellings  of  the  lower  town,  would 
remind  one  of  Genoa  or  Naples. 

"  In  the  lower  part  of  the  town  are  the  pic- 


turesque, lofty  old  houses,  with  gable  fronts, 
and  seven  or  eight  stories  high,  a  great  manf 
of  which  were  formerly  occupied  by  the  Bra- 
l)ants.  In  this  quarter  also  may  be  seen  the 
Grand  Place,  which  is,  with  the  exception  of 
St.  Mark's  at  Venice,  second  in  interest  to  none 
in  Europe,  as  far  as  tragic  and  romantic  hiatorj' 


442 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT     NATIONS. 


A  BATTI^  IN  THE  STONE  AGE. 


is  concerned.  No  other  has  probably  remained 
60  entirely  unchanged  in  its  prominent  features. 
The  massive  Hotel  da  ViUe,  admired  chiefly  for 
its  graceful  gotbic  spire,  the  Maison  du  Eoi, 
opposite  to  it,  in  front  of  which  a  fountain  has 
■been  erected  to  commemorate  the  execution,  in 
1508,  on  the  spot,  of  the  Counts  Egmont  and 
Home,  and  the  other  surrounding  edifices,  all 
very  well  pre;ierved,  present  the  curious  style 
of  architecture  characteristic  of  the  old  Dutch 
and  Flemish,  and  full  of  interest  and  quaintness, 
as  compared  with  the  more  modern  styles  of  the 
present  day. 

"  llie  upper  and  comparatively  new  portion  of 
the  city  contains  the  park  (in  which  the  Dutch 
were  intrenched  at  the  tim»  of  tlie  comhats  of 


1830,  many  trees  still  bearing  the  traces  of 
shot),  the  Royal  palaces,  the  largest  and  finest 
squares,  hotels,  and  the  residences  of  the  richer 
class. 

' '  A  curious  fact,  and  one  I  have  noticed  here 
and  wondered  at  more  than  a  little,  is  that  the 
magnificent  and  stately  mansions  of  Counts, 
Barons,  Dukes,  and  royalty  of  all  kinds,  are 
mixed  in  with  the  bouses  of  shopkeepers  and 
working  people.  For  example,  from  where  I 
am  now  writing  I  can  see  opposite,  on  the  left, 
the  palace  of  the  wealthy  Countess  de  Jung, 
and  adjoining  it  a  public  driiiking-house.  On 
the  right  hand  can  be  seen  a  stove  store,  and 
the  next  door  the  large  pahiHal  residence  of 
Baron  de  Viuck,      Many  oth:r  illustr.iti.ons  of 


the  same  character  go  to  show  that  people  live 
on  more  equal  ground  here  than  in  tngland  or 
other  European  countries,  where  a  title  entirely 
separates  its  owner  from  the  common  poopie, 
and  shuts  his  mansion  up  from  their  gaze  by 
high  walls  and  wooded  drives. 

"The  Belgians  are  a  hot-headed,  fiery  class  of 
beings,  having,  like  the  French,  a  passionate 
fondness  for  equality  and  social  liberty,  always 
displaying  a  most  restless,  luimanageable,  tu- 
mult-loving nature — an  impatience  of  restraint 
that  is  forever  the  cause  of  politiciU  broils  and 
commotion.  Tliey  are  perfectly  satisfied  with 
their  king,  though  if  he  in  any  way  disiileased 
them  trouble  would  ensue  at  once. 

'  •  In  the  disturbance  here  some  time  since,  a 
large  party  assembled  in  front  of  the  Hoyal 
Palace,  and  in  their  usual  impetuous  manner 
even  went  so  far  as  to  loudly  cry  out,  within 
his  Majesty's  hearing — if  he  didn't  ccme  out 
they  would  fetch  him  out,  and  that  they  might 
as  well  have  a  pasteboard  king  ;  and  threatening 
him,  if  he  did  not  accede  to  their  demand, 
which  was  to  dismiss  a  certain  official  from  the 
Ministry,  that  they  would  compel  him  to  leave 
Belgium. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  impulsive  nature  of 
the  Belgians,  they  are  kind,  social,  obliging, 
exceedingly  polite,  and  ever  ready  to  extend 
the  hand  of  friendship  to  all  strangers. 

"  The  French  language  is  generally  spoken  ; 
the  Court,  the  nobility,  and  the  wealthy  portion 
of  the  middle  class,  employ  no  other.  Flemish 
or  Walloon  is  used  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
city,  where  a  greater  part  of  the  operative  class 
of  people  live.  Now,  however,  they  are  nearly 
all  beginning  to  speak  French,  and  it  is  taught 
in  all  the  schools,  together  with  the  rudiments 
of  English. 

"Leopold  II.,  King  of  the  Belgians,  is  a 
solid,  substantial-looking  man,  about  thirty- 
seven,  and  called  by  the  ladies  very  handsome, 
l>erliaps  because  he  flourishes  such  a  long,  dark 
and  massive  beard,  and  has  such  a  military  air 
and  swing  about  him.  The  Queen,  Maria  Hen- 
rietta, who  was  a  Princess  of  Austria,  is  one 
year  younger  than  her  husband — large,  queenly, 
yet  slightly  masculine  In  general  appearance, 
and  very  independent-looking.  Slie  is  a  great 
lover  of  horses  and  dogs,  especially  of  the  for- 
mer, of  which  she  has  a  great  number  ot 
various  breeds.  She  runs  a  large  building 
roofed  with  glass,  called  the  Queen's  Circus,  in 
which  she  trains  her  favorites,  teaching  them 
numerous  antics,  and  frequently  gives  a  private 
exhibition  to  her  friends,  acting  a.s  ring-master 
herself.  Very  often  she  can  be  seen  driving 
furiously  through  the  Boulevards  with  her  four- 
in-hand  pony-team,  managing  the  '  ribbons'  full 
as  skillfully  as  an  old  experienced  horse-jockey, 
and  unaccompanied  by  any  servant  except  one 
in  saddle,  who  follows  on  at  some  distance 
behind.  In  warm  weather  s'.ie  rises  very  early,', 
and  is  out  before  6  a.m.,  taking  her  morning* 
ride,  which  she  often  extends  long  into  the 
forenoon.  Then,  of  course,  she  must  t;ike  her 
airing  in  the  afternoon,  by  driving  out  into 
the  country,  or  to  '  Bois  de  la  Cambre,  a  resort 
similar  to  the  '  Bois  de  Boulogne'  at  Paris,  and 
yielding  nothing  to  that  wood  in  respect  to 
beauty.  This  queen  has  been  known  to  tire  out 
fourteen  horses  in  one  day  by  fast  driving. 

"The  rluldren  of  Iieopr.ld  are  both  girls  '"  e 
son  having  died  some  yer.r.>  a~o,  transferring 


BELGIUM. 


i43 


g 


s 


444 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


ENTET  INTO  BEUSSELS  OF  THE  COUNT  OF  FIANDEES   AMI  THE  PRINCESS  MARIE  DE   IIOHENZOLLERN. 


the  heirship  of  the  throne  to  the  Count  de 
Flanders,  brother  to  the  present  king. 

"  A  great  many  English  and  American  fami- 
lies reside  here  in  Brussels. 

"  The  fortifications,  which  existed  half  a 
century  ago,  have  all  been  razed  to  the  ground, 
and  on  their  site  liave  been  made  beautiful 
boulevards,  extending  six  or  seven  miles  around 
the  city  in  an  octagonal  shape.  Being  planted 
with  several  rows  of  stately  linden-trees,  and 
lined  with  the  elegant  mansions  of  the  '  upper- 
ten,'  they  form  a  promenade  resembling  the 
Champs- Elys^es  of  Paris,  and  not  to  be  excelled 
even  by  the  'Unter  der  Linden'  of  Berlin. 

"  Brussels  is  more  extensively  known,  and  es- 
pecially to  the  ladies,  for  the  celebrate!  lace 
which  bears  its  name.  The  flax  use  1  in  its 
fabrication  is  of  the  finest  and  most  delicate 
cjuality,  and  is  grown  mostly  near  Hal,  a  town 
not  far  south  of  Brussels.  After  being  gathered 
it  is  packed  up  and  sent  to  England,  there  to  be 
converted  into  the  lace  thread,  Nottingham 
producing  the  finest  quality,  and  command- 
ing a  higher  price. 

"  The  spinning  is  done  in  darkened  rooms, 
with  a  beam  of  light  admitted  only  upon  the 
work,  through  a  small  aperture.  The  manu- 
factories of  lace  wo  found  not,  as  one  would 
naturally  suppose,  large,  busy-looking  factories, 
full  of  gills  and  machinery,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
the  tirst-class  ones  have  the  appearance  of  mag- 
nificent private  dwellinis,  with  stone  fronts, 
large  entrances  and  massive  oaken  doors.  Step- 
ping in  from  the  street,  you  find  yourself  in  a 
spacious  front  hall,  paved  and  trimmed  with 
marble  and  overhung  by  stucco  decorations. 
From  here  you  are  shown  up  stairs  into  the 
parlors,  where  every  variety  of  lace,  from  the 
smallest  pattern  of  a  collar  to  the  most  elaborate 
and  expensive  shawl,  are  displayed  to  their 
best  advantage  by  fashionable  ladies,  who  are 
not  wanting  for  words  to  magnify  the  superi- 
ority of  their  goods,  and  to  induce  you  to  make 
a  purchase. 

"  After  selecting  what  you  intend  to  buy,  an 
attendant  conducts  you  down  stairs  and  through 
a  long  corridor  to  another  part  of  tlie  building, 


into  a  good-sized  room  where  the  lace  is  manu- 
factured. In  one  we  recently  visited,  th;re 
were  about  twenty  females  employed,  some  witli 
the  work  in  their  laps,  making  the  bobbins  fly 
with  wonderful  rapi  !ity,  and  some  who  were 
working  on  shawls  and  large  patterns,  had  it 
spread  out  upon  a  table,  while  others  were 
straining  their  eyes  over  the  fine  "  pMnt  lace." 
This  kind  of  lace  requires  the  most  experienced 
and  patient  workers,  it  being  made  entirely  by 
hand,  with  the  very  finest  of  common  cambric 
needles  that  can  be  made !  It  is  worked  over  a 
1,'lue  paper  pattern,  and  very  often  it  takes  a 
month  to  finish  a  single  collar,  so  delicate  is 
the  work  and  such  care  needs  to  be  exercised 
upon  it.     The  cost  of  the  thread  used  in  this 


kind  of  lace  (which  is  the  most  expensive),  iP, 
for  the  first  quality,  about  tliree  liundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars  a  pound,  and,  for  inferior 
qualities,  down  as  low  as  seventy-five  dollars. 

"We  were  told  by  the  attendant  that  nearly* 
lifetime  was  required  to  learn  the  trade,  and 
that  most  of  the  women  there  wore  put  to  work 
when  very  young,  and  kept  constantly  at  it 
until  they  were  thirty  or  thirty-five  years  of 
age,  all  this  time  working  up  cheap  sorts  of 
lace  ;  they  were  then  deemed  sufficiently  skillful 
to  busy  themselves  on  fine  work. 

"  The  wajres  paid  to  those  f  oor  lace-makers  are 
very  trifling,  and  hardly  worthy  of  credit  or 
belief  when  we  think  of  the  enormous  prices 
for  which  the  article  is  sold:  We  learned  that 
the  average  amoimt  earned  by  tliem,  per  day, 
was  about  one  franc,  but  that  a  few  of  the 
oldest  and  most  experience!  could,  by  steady 
application  and  diligence,  reap  the  prodigious 
sum  of  thirty  cants!  But  few  ever  acquire 
that  amount,  most  of  them  being  contented 
with  their  common  pay,  and  not  caring  to  exert 
themselves  for  more. 

"Out  of  tliis  insignificant  sum  they  board  and 
clothe  themselves  as  well  as  possible,  though, 
of  course,  never  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  wear- 
ing any  of  their  productions. 

"  The  price  of  lace,  of  cour»e.  v.iries,  though  it 
is  much  cheaper  than  in  America.  A  good  lace 
collar  costing  but  five  dollars  here  would  be 
considered  cheap  at  home  for  ten  dollars,  while 
a  1  ice  shawl  costing  twenty -five  dollars  in 
America,  costs  only  ten  dollars  here. 

"The  city  contains  about  one  hundred  and 
forty  lace  manufactories,  without  counting 
seventy  rotail  morchants.  and  twenty  houses 
that  only  do  preparing,  bleaching  and  mending 
the  lace,  which  is  sent  here  even  from  Eussia. 

"I  can't  say  that  actual  living  is  much 
cheaper  here  than  in  America.  House  rent  may 
be  a  little  less,  but  provisions  are  the  same,  if 
not  a  little  higher.     White  sugar  and  eggs  and 


THE  NEW   AQUARIUM   AT   UKUSSELS. 


BELGIUM. 


445 


CAVE    NEAR    BOCHEFORT. 


446 


THE     WORLD'S     GREAT     NATIONS. 


PORTRAIT  OF  A   FLEMISH  BITROOMASTER,  BY  REMBEAKBT. 


butter  are  considerably  higher.  We  have  our 
dinners  sent  in  from  an  establishment  that  fur- 
nishes .about  two  hundred  families,  and  a  good 
dicmer  can  be  had  for  fifteen  cents  a  head,  con- 
sisting of  tliree  or  four  courses.  By  payinot 
twenty-five  cents  you  can  have  dinner  in  '  table 
d'iiOte '  Btjle,  with  a  great  variety.     These  din- 


ners are  about  the  only  thing  we  have  found 
cheap,  except  clothing,  which  is  amazins^ly  so. 
A  good  traveling  suit  that  would  cost  thirty-five 
dollars  at  home  can  be  bought  here  for  twelve 
or  tliirteen  dollars.  An  overcoat  costing  fifty 
dollars  in  America  can  be  had  for  twenty-five 
dollars.    Boots  and  shoes  cost  about  one-half  of 


what  they  do  at  home,  and  every  other  descrij*' 

tion  of  wearing  apparel  in  about  the  same  ratio, 
21.  lady  can  buy  a  very  good  dress  for  but  very 
little  more,  if  any,  than  what  it  would  cost  to 
have  it  made  in  America.  A  good  set  of  furs, 
of  most  any  kind,  can  lie  got  for  half  the  money 
here  that  it  would  cost  in  the  States." 


PORTUGAL. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,   INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

BOUTH  Front  of  the  MoNASTERy  of  Santa  Maria  de  BELEsr— Saldanha  iv  Lisbon — Toldo  Boat  of  the  Docro Lisbon- 
Portuguese  Language  and  Literature, 


MlIS  small  kingdom  of  South-western 
Europe  occupies  about  one-sixth  of 
the  Iberian  Peninsula.  It  is  agreeably 
diversified  and  gradually  slopes  toward 
the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  soil  is  rich,  and  the 
climate  mild  and  healthy.  The  productions 
are  like  those  of  Spain.  The  vine  flourishes  in 
the  northern  provinces.  The  olive,  orange, 
citron,  and  other  fruits  in  the  southern.  Iron 
ore  and  fine  marble  and  building-stones  atiound. 

The  inhabitants  are  of  the  same  lineage  as 
those  of  Spain,  and  belong  to  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church.  Agriculture  is  in  a  backward  state. 
The  making  of  wine  forms  the  chief  branch  of 
industry.  The  traveling  facilities  are  poor. 
There  are  no  canals  or  railroads  at  present  in 
the  kingdom,  and  the  navigation  of  the  rivers 
is  sometimes  prevented  by  droughts.  Manu- 
factures are  not  extensive.  The  exports  are 
mainly  wines,  salt,  cork,  drugs,  and  various 
kinds  of  fruit. 

Lisbon,  the  capital,  on  the  right  hank  of  the 
Tagus,  stands  first  in  commercial  importance  ; 
and  Oporto,  noted  for  its  trade  in  port  wine, 
ranks  second.  Coimbra,  on  the  high-road  be- 
tween these  cities,  is  noted  for  its  university — 
the  only  one  in  Portugal. 

Portugal  possesses  the  Azores,  Madeira,  and 
Cape  Verde  Islands  ;  some  small  settlements  on 
the  coast  of  Senegambia,  in  Africa,  together 
with  Mozambique,  three  small  islands  in  the 
Gulf  of  Guinea,  and  a  few  settlements  in  the 
West  Indies. 

The  coast  line  is  about  five  hundred  miles  in 
length,  and  is  not  indented  by  any  great  bay. 
At  some  points  it  rises  into  cliffs  of  considera- 
ble height,  but  the  greater  part  is  low  and 
marshy.  The  principal  harbors  are  those  of 
Lisbon,  Oporto,  Setubal,  Figueras,  Averd,  and 
Viana.  The  principal  rivers  of  Portugal  flow 
from  Spain,  and  of  these  the  Tagus,  the  Gua- 
diana,  the  Douro,  the  Minho,  and  the  Limas 
are  the  largest.  The  Tagus  separates  the  prov- 
inces of  Beira  and  Alemtejo,  and  passing 
through  Estramaduro  falls  into  the  Atlantic  by 
a  mouth  so  wide  that  it  is  rather  the  arm  of  a 
sea  than  a  river.  Its  estuary  forms  the  spa- 
cious and  convenient  harbor  of  Lisbon.  The 
river  is  navi:.:able  to  Abrantcs,  eighty  miles 
obove  its  mouth.   There  are  many  lakes  on  the 


sea  coast,  but  none  of  much  magnitude.  Min- 
eral springs  abound,  and  there  are  thirty-four 
hot  springs,  many  of  which  are  celebrated  for 
their  medicinal  qualities.  The  mountain  chains 
of  Portugal  ar3  chiefly  prolongations  of  a  West 
or  South-west  direction  of  the  Spanish  Pyrene'es. 
Near  the  northern  frontier  is  a  lofty  range  called 
the  Sierra  de  Montezeulo,  one  of  whose  peaks, 
Gavariane,  is  seven  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  higli,  and  is  always  covered  with 
snow.  The  mountain  scenery  of  Portugal  is 
exceedingly  fine,  and  few  places  in  the  world 
equal  in  natural  beauty  the  region  around  Cin- 
tra,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lisbon.  Cintra  is 
celebrated  for  the  Convention,  concluded  August 
30th,  1803,  between  Sir  How  Dalrymple,  who 
commanded  the  British  troops  in  Portugal,  and 
Marshal  Junot,  the  French  commander,  who, 
when  defeated  at  Vimeira,  surrendered  his  army 
to  the  British,  on  condition  of  being  allowed  to 
evacuate  Portugal  in  British  ships,  carrying 
with  them  all  their  spoils.  In  its  geological 
character,  Portugal  resembles  Spain — much  of 
the  mountainous  regions  in  the  West  being 
formed  of  crystalline  rocks.  In  tliis  district  is 
the  coal-field  of  Vallongo,  which  yields  anthra- 
cite coal. 

In  the  days  of  the  Romans,  gold  and  silver 
were  found  in  Portugal,  and  gold  is  still  col- 
lected from  the  sand  of  the  rivers.  There  are 
mines  of  lead,  plumbago,  antimony,  copper, 
and  iron — the  last  being  very  abundant.  Beau- 
tiful marbles  abound,  and  there  are  quarries 
of  limestone,  gypsum,  slate,  free-stone,  mill- 
stone, and  black  agate,  together  with  vast  beds 
of  potter's  and  porcelain  clay,  and  common 
salt. 

There  is  a  great  inequality  in  the  soil  of  Por- 
tugal, but  much  of  the  land  is  exceedingly 
fertile,  and  well  adapted  to  the  gro\vth  of  all 
the  productions  of  the  Temperate  Zone. 

Among  the  trees  are  the  cork-tree,  and  the 
kermas  oak,  the  bay-tree,  Portugal  laurel, 
Spanish  chesnnt,  carob-trec,  myrtle,  pomegra- 
nate, rosemary,  lavender,  and  a  variety  of  other 
botanical  productions.  Tlie  orange,  the  fig, 
sugar-cane,  and  rice  grow  luxurifintjy,  and  the 
beet,  grapes,  and  olives  of  Portugal  are  unsur- 
passed. Among  the  wild  animal?  of  the  coun- 
try,  wolvei,   wild  cats,  wild  goats,  wild  boars, 


and  deer  are  the  principal,  though  none  of 
these  are  numerous.  There  are  few  birds  ;  the 
most  common  are  the  partri<lge,  and,  in  the 
mountains,  vultures  and  eagles.  The  coast  and 
the  rivers  abound  with  fish,  but  the  trade  ia 
very  imperfectly  carried  on. 

Tlio  northern  provinces  are  the  best  culti- 
vated. The  great  staples  of  tlie  country  are 
wheat,  wine  and  olive  oil.  The  milk  chiefly 
consumed  is  that  of  goats. 

Tlie  common  bread  of  the  people  is  made  of 
Indian  meal,  the  soil  and  climate  being  well 
adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  maize.  Hemp 
and  flax  are  extensively  grown,  and  vegetables 
are  raised  in  abundance.  The  wines  of  Portugal 
have  long  been  celebrated,  the  most  famous 
being  port. 

The  Government  cf  Portugal  is  a  limited 
monarchy,  under  a  constitution  framed  in  1826. 
The  legislative  power  is  vested  in  a  Cortes, 
consisting  of  two  houses — one  of  Peers,  and  the 
other  Deputies.  The  Peers  are  named  for  life 
by  the  Crown,  and  the  Deputies,  chosen  by  t'.;e 
electors,  must  at  least  have  a  yearly  income  of 
one  hundred  dollars.  The  administration  is 
conducted  by  seven  Ministers,  who  form  the 
Cabinet. 

The  population  of  Portugal  in  1878  was  three 
million  four  hundred  and  twelve  thousand 
five  hundred,  and  is  now  supposed  to  be  Bouic- 
where  about  four  millions.  The  Portuguese 
ditfer  considerably  from  the  natives  of  Castile 
and  Leon,  both  in  their  manners  and  character, 
and  the  difference  has  forcibly  struck  most  trav- 
elers who  have  crossed  the  enstcrn  frontier  of 
Portugal,  which  in  some  places  is  not  marked 
by  any  geographical  boundary.  On  the  Portu- 
guese side  of  the  line  the  villages  are  wretched 
in  the  extreme  ;  the  inhabitants  are  filthy  both 
in  their  houses  and  their  persons,  and  the  pea- 
sants seem  dejected,  indolent,  and  spiritless. 
The  foreign  trade  is  principally  in  the  hands 
of  English  merchants.  Most  of  the  Portuguese 
wines  and  other  produce  are  consumed  in  Eng- 
land. Internal  commerce  suffers  from  tiie  want; 
of  good  roads.  There  are  no  c.mals,  and  the 
few  rivers  which  are  navigable  are  not  so  at  all 
seasons.  M  ;nuf  ;ctures  aie  in  a  very  b.ickward 
state.  The  whole  Portuguese  nation  professes 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion. 


US 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


beautiful  niche-like  window,  -vr/iich  is  sur- 
rounded by  statues  in  a  series  of  gothio  pilaster* 
of  great  beauty  and  symmetry,  forming  to  tb« 
eye  a  most  charming  coup  d'ceil. 


Saldanha  m  Lisbon. 
Opb  illustration  represents  a  political  exato- 
ment  in  the  chief  city  of  Portugal,  following^ 
the  coup  d'ilal  of  Saldanha.  Tlie  engraving 
shows  one  of  the  most  recent  demonstrations  in 
favor  of  Saldanha  in  the  streets  of  Lisbon.  It 
was  held  in  1870,  and  took  the  form  of  a 
kind  of  torchliglit  assembly,  accompanied  by  a 
band,  for  the  purpose  of  serenading  the  chief  in 
whom  the  people  were  invited  to  put  their  trust. 


THE  POETCarBSB  PAVILION  AT  THE  PARIS  EXHIBITION. 


South  Front  of  the  Monastery  of  Santa 
•     Maria  de  Belem. 

The  Monastery  of  Betlilehem  is  one  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  the  revival  of  architecture 
in  Portugal,  and  is  a  noble  monument  on  a 
famous  spot,  for  here  stood  a  little  chapel  dear 
to  mariners,  built  by  the  great  navigator  Prince 
Henry,  and  in  the  walls  of  which  the  com- 
manders and  crows  of  all  those  great  naval 
exi)editions  assembled  to  ask  God's  blessing 
before  they  bore  the  standard  of  Portugal  to 
unknown  seas. 

Here,  with  a  heart  swelling  with  gratitude, 
Vasco  de  Gama  knelt,  after  returning  from  his 
great  voyage.  The  monastery  which  now  occu- 
pies the  spot  was  begun  January  6,  1500,  by 
the  architect  Boytaca,  who  was  succeeded  in  the 
great  work  by  Joao  Castilho  and  Rodrigo  de 
Pontezylha,  the  last  of  whom  reared  the  splendid 
south  front  shown  in  our  illustration.     Unfor- 


tunately we  know  nothing  of  him  beyond  the 
fact  that  he  achieved  this  work. 

It  is  built  of  hard  liais,  so  common  near  Lis- 
bon, so  durable  and  so 
agreeable  to  the  eye. 

Tlie  circular  arch  is  so 
softened  by  gothic  work 

and  relievos  that  it  grad- 

ually  divides  into  two 
portals,  separated  by  a 
column  supporting  a 
statue  of  Prince  Henry 
in  complete  armor.  On 
the  sides  are  the  twelve 
apostles,  of  the  same 
size.  The  main  arch 
has  a  gothic  summit 
crowned  by  a  statue  of 
Our  Lady  of  Kings, 
which  stands  out  from 
a  very  peculiar  but  very 


Toldo  Boat  of  the  Douro. 
This  boat  is  perfectly  fiat-bottomed  ;  the  sides 
slope  out,  and  the  after-end  is  round  and  low, 
but  it  rises  at  the  bow  into  a  sharp  point,  wide, 
however,  above,  where  there  is  a  little  deck,  on 
which  one  of  the  rowers  stands.  It  is  covered 
with  a  wooden  or  canvas  awning,  supported  on 
stanchions,  something  after  the  fashion  of  the 
Venetian  gondola.  The  oars  used  are  long,  with 
very  broad  blades ;  the  rowers  stand  up,  and 
push  against  the  oars.     One  stands  aft,  and 


rORnJQDBS:^  DEPAETMEJiX  AT  IHT   PARIS   EXHIBITION. 


TOLDO  BOAT  OF  THE  DOTTBO. 

steers  the  boat,  sometimes  shifting  his  oar  right 
aft  for  steering,  and  sometimes  rowing.  One  or 
two  men  row  in  the  bow  ;  when  there  are  two, 
they  cross  oars — that  is,  the  man  who  rows  the 
starboard  oar  stands  on  the  port  side,  and  the 
man  who  rows  the  port  oar  on  the  starboard 
side.  A  long,  thin,  rough  pole  is  used  as  a 
mast,  on  which  a  spreetsail  is  set.  The  toldo 
behaves  very  well  under  sail.  The  passengers 
sit  along  the  sides,  as  do  those  in  a  gondola, 
ITie  roof  is  fiat  and  painted  green ;  it  is  used 
by  all  classes.  The  commoner  sort  of  toldo  has 
merely  a  white  canvas  awning,  stretched  over 
a  semi-circular  framework. 

The  wine-boat  of  the  Douro  is  shaped  like  a 
toldo,  but  very  much  larger ;  some  carry  eighty 
pipes  of  wine.  The  crew  row  forward,  standing 
up,  and  pushing  against  very  large  oars.  At 
the  after-part  of  the  boat  a  high  platform  is 
raised,  on  which  the  helmsman  stands,  with  the 
captain,  and  one  or  two  other  men.  The 
rudder  is  a  great  beam,  extending  a  long  way 
astern,  with  a  wide  blade,  shorter  than  that  of 
an  oar.  It  works  on  a  pivot  at  the  end  of  the 
stem-post,  while  the  inner  part  rises  to  the 


POETUGAL. 


449 


29 


MONASTERY    OF    SANTA    MARIA    DE    BELEM     LISBON. 


450 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


plaWbrm.  The  object 
erf  the  long,  oar-like 
mdder  is  to  steer  the 
boat  while  she  passes 
down  the  rapids,  which 
are  to  he  found  in 
the  upper  parts  of  the 
river  Douro  ;  the  blade 
is  thus  beyond  the 
eidy,  which  would 
otherwise  twist  rouni 
ths  boat. 


Lisbon. 

This  capital  of  the 
kingdom  of  Portugal, 
Is  situated  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the 
Tagus,  about  nine 
miles  above  the  bar 
or  entrance  of  the 
river,  in  38  deg.  42 
min.  N.  lat.,  and  9 
deg.  5  min.  W.  long. 

It  rises  in  the  form 
of  an  amphitheatre 
from  the  bank  of  the  river,  being  built  on  a 
succession  of  hills,  the  highest  of  which  are 
the  hill  of  Buenos  Ayres,  or  Estrella,  to  the 
west,  and  the  Castle-hill  to  the  east. 

Most  of  the  streets  are  steep,  irregular,  and 
tortuous,  besides  being  ill-pave  I  and  dirty. 
The  new  town,  built  in  a  valley  between  the 
hills,  after  the  earthquake  of  175-5,  contains, 
however,  many  fine  streets.  At  the  river's  edge 
is  a  fine  square  called  Praga  de  Commercio,  one 
side  of  which  is  formei  by  the  Tagus,  and  the 
other  sidei  by  the  arsenil,  the  custom-house, 
the  exchange,  royal  library  and  other  public 
buildings.  Other  open  places  are  the  Praoa  da 
Figueira,  or  market-place,  the  Prago  do  Kocio, 
and  the  Passeio  Publico,  or  promenade.  The 
oldest  part  of  Lisbon,  east  of  the  ca«tle,  con- 
sists of  narrow  streets  of  lofty  houses.  West- 
ward of  the  new  streets  the  town  ascends  a  slope, 
where  are  massive  buildings,  chiefly  convents 
and  churches,  which  crown  the  summits  of  the 
hHls,  and  tower  above  all  the  rest.  The  ex- 
treme limits  of  Li.sbon  extend  about  four  miles 
by  one  and  a  half ;  but  many  parts  of  the  in- 
cluded area  are  occupied  by  extensive  gardens, 
plantations,  and  by  ruins  and  rubbish. 


DEMONSTUAIION   IN   F.IVOE   OF  SAIB.4NHA,  IN   LISBON,  IN    1870, 


Portuguese  Language  and  Literature, 

The  language  of  Portugal,  like  those  of  other 
kingdoms  in  the  Peninsula,  originated  in  a  mix- 
ture of  the  Latin,  Teutonic,  and  Arabic.  The 
separation  of  Portugal  from  Spain,  their  wars, 
and  the  little  commercial  intercourse  which  ex- 
isted between  them  during  the  Middle  Ages, 
combined  in  course  of  time  to  make  the  Portu- 
guese a  different  language.  The  Spanish,  like 
the  Portuguese,  has  many  words  borrowed  from 
the  Arabic.  Their  wars  with  the  Moors  of 
Africa  and  the  Mohammedans  of  India  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  introduced  into  it  many 
others  from  the  languages  spoken  in  those  coun- 
tries. As  a  conversational  language,  the  Por- 
tuguese is  considered  superior  to  the  Spanish. 
It  is  more  concise,  easy,  and  simple,  but  not  so 
rich.  The  pronunciation  is  difficult  for  a  for- 
eigner, more  particularly  the  nasal  sounds,  in 
which  it  abounds.  The  gutturals,  however,  are 
neither  so  strong  nor  so  common  as  in  the 
Spanisli. 

The  literature  of  Portugal  is  complete  without 
being  very  rich.  In  all  branches  there  have 
been    happy  attempts ;  in   none  is  there  an 


abundance,  except  iu 
lyric  end  bucolic 
poetry,  in  both  which 
branches  the  Portu- 
guese are  richer  than 
their  neighbors  of  the 
Peninsula.  Poetry 
comprises  the  most 
important  part  of 
their  literature  ;  prose 
and  eloquence  have 
been  very  little  culti- 
vated, owing  to  the 
intolerance  of  the 
Government. 

After  the  fifteenth 
century,  poetry  in 
Portugal  became  and 
remained  bombastic 
and  affected,  rnd  its 
ancient  power  and 
natural  grace  were 
completely  lost.  In  the 
time  of  Louis  XIV., 
the  French  were 
copied,  and  many 
Gallicisms  were  ad- 
mitted. Under  Pombal,  Portuguese  literature 
revived,  and  poets  strove  to  give  elevation  to 
the  language.  Prose,  too,  became  more  simple 
and  pure  by  the  imitation  of  the  classics.  Iliat 
minister  was  the  first  who  banished  the  schol- 
astic logic  and  metaphysics  from  the  lecture- 
rooms  of  Coimbra.  The  study  of  the  ancient 
languages  was  always,  and  still  continues  to  be, 
neglected. 

Among  the  most  distinguished  poets  of  Por- 
tugal, given  in  chronological  order,  are — Gon- 
zalo  Hermiguez,  Egaz  MoBiz,  King  Dinis,  the 
authors  of  the  "  Cancioneiros  Geraes,"  Bernar- 
dim  Ribeyro,  Cliristovao  Falcao,  Jor;;e  de 
Montemayor,  Saa  de  Miranda,  Antonio  Ferreyra, 
Jeronymo  Cortereal,  Diego  Bernaldez.  Pedro  de 
Andrade  Caminha,  and,  above  all  others,  Luys 
de  Camoens,  whose  poem  "  Os  Lusiadas,"  has 
been  translated  into  every  language  of  Europe. 
With  the  sixteenth  century  the  brilliant 
period  of  Portuguese  literature  passed  away,  and 
tlie  connection  with  Spnin,  and  the  influence 
produced  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century  by  the  fantastic  school  of  the  Gongor- 
istas,  almost  entirely  naturalized  Spanish  litt;:- 
ature  in  Portugal. 


BRmOE  AT  rORTO. 


BARBARY    STATES. 

^lOROCCO,  ALGERIA,  TUNIS    AND    TRIPOLI. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

"YADACE,"  a  MOOEIBH  lady— SUNKISE  O^  the   DESEET— Tub   TKREBINTn,  OB   TCBPENTlNE-TBEi;— NEGUO  DAXCE  IX   THE  STKEETa  OF  ALCIEltS— 

A  Panthee-ulnt  in  Algeria— The  Aloekiax  Races— A  Cadi's  Court  in  Algiers— Scenes  in  Ar,i-.iEu.s— Negbo  Medicine  DANCf>-Ilow 
A  Great  Lady  Travels  in  Tunis— Types  of  Tunisian  PEASANxaY- Xuii  ai'o:iuii  Tiiade  inJIeh-oli— Sanj>  \ViiiBi<WiNi>s— Adventuilb 

IN  NOETUEKN  AEEICA— ALUElilA— KUISS  01'  CARXaAUli 


ARBARY  is  the  general  title  given  to 
the  northern  part  of  Africa,  which 
extends  along  the  coast  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  as  far  inland  as  the 
Great  Desert,  from  the  frontiers  of  Egypt  to  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  The  appellation  of  Barbary  is 
derived  from  Berber,  thj  name  of  the  people 
-who  inhabited  those  regions  before  the  Sara- 
cen conquest.  It  comprise;  fjur  rreat  States 
or  divisions  —  Morocco,  Algiers,  Tunis,  and 
Tripoli.  The  length  of  Barbary,  from  East  to 
West,  Is  about  two  thousand  miles,  from  Bom- 
bay, the  eastern  frontier  town  of  Tripoli,  to  the 
coast  of  Mogadore,  in  Morocco.  The  breadth 
v.iries  greatly.  It  is  greatest  in  Morocco,  where 
the  extreme  breadth  is  about  four  hundred  ond 
seventy  miles.     Tlie  religion  is  Islamism. 

Morocco  is  the  most  western  part  of  the 
Birbary  States,  forming  the  southern  coast 
of  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar.  Its  surface  has 
been  estimated  at  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
f  jur  thousand  square  miles.  The  population  is 
variously  estimated — some  placing  it  at  five 
millions,  and  some  as  high  as  twelve  millions. 
They  consist  of  various  races.  The  empire  is 
•divided  into  two  kingdoms  —Fez  and  Morocco. 

Fez,  or  Fas,  the  most  industrious  and  com- 
mercial town  of  the  empire,  is  situated  in  a 
valley  which  is  drained  by  one  of  the  upper 
branches  of  the  Saboo  river.  It  contains  up- 
ward of  a  hundred  mosques  and  seven  public 
schools,  with  numerous  pupils.  The  imperial 
palace,  with  thabuildings  and  gardens  annexed 
to  it,  occupies  a  great  space.  The  number  of 
persons  employed  in  manuiactures  is  considera- 
ble. Every  trade  i.s  earried  on  in  a  separate 
street ;  generally  only  one  kind  of  goods  is  sold 
in  each  shop.  The  commerce  of  this  town  -with 
the  seaports  is  very  great.  The  streets  are 
narrow,  and,  owing  to  the  groat  hcnght  of  the 
houses,  also  dark  :  there  are  numerous  extensive 
caravansaries,  or  public  inns,  where  the  travel- 
ing merchants  find  lodgings. 

Mekinez,  or  Miknas,  west  of  Fez,  is  a  large 
manufacturing  town,  containing  an  imperial 
palice.  Tefza  and  Demnet  are  considerable 
manafacturinT  and  commercial  towns. 


Morocco,  the  capital  (jf  the  empire,  and  the 
residence  of  the  sultan,  is  situated  on  level 
ground,  four  miles  South  of  the  river  Tensift, 
and  is  surrounded  by  a  strong  wall  thirty  feet 
high,  with  square  turrets  at  every  fifty  p;vces. 
The  streets  are  narrow  and  irregular.  Several 
open  places  are  used  as  market-places.  The 
houses,  which  ar«  only  of  one  story,  have  Hat 
roofs  and  terraces.  Largs  canals,  which  convey 
the  water  of  the  river  Tensift  to  the  city,  sur- 
round it,  and  some  of  them  arc  ten  or  twelve 
feet  deep.  On  the  South  of  the  town,  but  with- 
out the  walls,  is  the  imperial  palace,  a  wall  of  a 
quadrangular  form,  inclosing  a  space  about  fif- 
teen hundred  yards  long  by  six  hundred  wide. 
The  inclosed  space  is  divided  into  squares,  laid 
out  in  gardens,  round  which  are  detached  i>T,vil- 
ions,  forming  the  imperial  residences.  There 
are  nineteen  mosques,  two  colleges  or  me- 
drasses,  and  one  hospital  in  this  town.  The 
principal  mosque,  El  Kontubfa,  is  distinguished 
by  a  lofty  tower,  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
higli,  a  master-piece  of  Arabic  architecture. 
There  is  a  fine  bazar,  and  a  few  manufeictories. 

As  the  inhabitants  dress  chiefly  in  wool,  the 
manufacture  of  woolen  cloth  is  general,  but  the 
material  is  principally  coarse.  In  some  places, 
however,  there  are  manufactories  on  a  large 
scale,  which  supply  articles  of  export.  A  few 
silk  goods  are  also  woven.  The  inhabitants  of 
Fez  are  distinguished  as  goldsmiths,  jewelers 
and  cutters  of  precious  stones  ;  many  of  them 
are  also  occupied  in  making  Morocco  leather, 
and  different  kinds  of  earthenware.  Tanning 
and  leather-dressing  are  carried  on  extensively  ; 
and  carpet-weaving  is  also  much  practiced. 

The  Moghribins  carry  on  a  very  active  com- 
merce with  Soud,in  or  the  interior  of  Africa, 
and  with  Egypt  and  Arabia,  by  caravans,  and 
with  several  parts  of  Europe  by  sea.  From 
Timbuctoo,  as  a  central  point,  the  merchants 
traverse  the  adjacent  countries,  exchanging 
their  .^oods  for  those  of  Soudan.  The  caravans 
whicl  go  to  Mecca  are  chiefly  composed  of  pil- 
grims, and  are  much  more  numerous  than  the 
trading  caravans.  They  depart  only  once  in  the 
year,  vnd  follow  two  routes. 


European  vessels  visit  the  harbors  of  Tetuan, 
Bibatt,  Saffi,  and  Mogadore,  and  export  the 
proiluce  of  the  empire  to  Italy,  France,  Spain, 
England,  and  Holland,  bringing  in  return  tho 
produce  of  European  and  other  countries. 

The  government  is  absolutely  despotic,  even 
more  so  than  in  the  Turkish  empire  ;  the  people 
are  much  oppressed,  and  the  Christian  mer- 
chants much  exposed  to  great  losses  by  ca- 
pricious ordinances. 

Tripoli,  which  is  called  by  the  natives  Tara- 
bul,  U  a  country  of  North  Africa,  forming  one 
of  the  Barbary  States,  and  nominally  dependent 
on  the  Turkish  Empire.  It  is  bounded  North. 
by  the  Mediterranean,  East  by  the  State  of 
Barci,  South  by  Fezzan  and  the  Desert  of  Sa- 
hara, and  Tunis.  Its  extreme  length  is  about 
eight  hundred  miles,  and  its  breadth  from  one 
to  two  hundred  miles.  Its  area  is  one  hundred 
and  five  thousand  square  miles,  and  its  popula- 
tion about  one  million  fiv3  hundred  thousand. 
It  only  possesses  o;ie  good  harlx)r,  namely,  Tri- 
pjli.  The  soil  is  tolerably  fertile,  and  much 
grain  is  raised.  On  the  sides  of  the  hills  are 
vines,  olives,  figs,  almonds,  and  other  fruits. 

Heavy  rains  fall  ia  the  northern  part  of  tha 
country  from  November  to  March,  but  during 
the  rest  of  tho  year,  months  often  pass  without 
a  single  shower,  and  the  heat  becomes  very 
oppressive,  especially  when  the  sirocco  blows. 

Domestic  animals  of  every  kind  are  numer- 
ous. The  horses  are  distinguished  for  their 
beauty — so  much  so,  as  to  have  passed  into  a 
proverb. 

Tho  Arabs  of  Tripoli,  who  compose  the  bulk 
of  tho  people,  are  of  the  same  stock  as  th^ 
Bedouins  of  Ar.ibia.  There  are  two  tribes,  or 
bodies,  of  them  :  one  wanderer.?,  and  tho  other 
fixed  residents  in  villages  and  sm;ill  towns. 
Jews  are  very  numerous,  especially  in  the  towns 
and  villages.  The  Jloors,  generally  speaking, 
are  mostly  landed  proprietors  or  merchants. 

The  Pashalic  of  Tripoli,  like  the  other  Barbary 
States,  is  a  despotism,  and,  whether  ruled  by  a 
Turkish  or  Moorish  chief,  is  chiefly  conducted 
with  the  single  object  of  extorting  money. 


452 


THE    WOELD'S    GKEAT    lUTIONS. 


"Tadace"— A  Moorisli  Lady. 

In  giving  this  slietcli  of  ii  Moorish  woman, 
wscaauot  better  illustrate  life  in  Algiers  than 
by  a  story.  The  game  of  yadace  consists  solely 
in  ahstaining  from  receiving  anything  whatso- 
ev3r  from  the  person  with  whom  you  play.  '  At 
the  commencement  of  the  game,  each  player 
takes  by  the  en  1  a  piece  of  straw,  a  slip  of 
paper,  or  even,  it  may  be,  a  blade  of  grass, 
whic'.i  is  broken  or  torn  in  two  pieces  between 
th3:u,  the  sacramental  formula,  "  YaJace," 
Tseing  pronounced  at  the  same  time.  After  this, 
the  law  of  (lie  game  is  in  full 
force — that  is  to  say,  the  opposing 
pirties  are  at  full  liberty  to 
cheat,  swindle,  deceive,  and  take 
advantage  of  each  other  at  the 
earliest  opportunity.  If  a  Euro- 
pean takes  part  in  the  game,  ho 
IJ  Burc  to  be  quickly  beaten  ;  but 
v.ith  two  Moors,  or  Jews,  or 
Moorish  ladies,  a  struggle  of 
mutual  astuteness,  caution,  and 
circumspection  begins,  which  ia 
prolonged  for  days,  weeks, 
months,  and,  in  many  cases, 
3'ears. 

"  Hassan- el -Djeninali  v/aa 
Tizier,  and  chief  favorite  to  the 
Tasha  of  the  Oudjah  of  Constan- 
t'.ne.  He  v.'a3  the  fattest  man  i:i 
tl'.c  pashalic ;  and,  more  than 
•ihat,  was  reckoned  the  most 
jealous  husband  in  all  Barbary. 

"Gay  young  Mussulmans 
trembled  as  they  saw  Hassan-el- 
Djeninah  waddle  across  the  great 
square  of  Constantine,  or  issue 
from  the  barber's  shop.  He 
walked  slowly,  for  his  breath 
•was  short ;  but  his  yataghan 
1V.1S  long,  and  he  could  use  it. 
Hassan  had  four  wives — a  very 
moder.ite  and  respectable  number 
for  a  Moor.  The  name  of  the 
j'oungest  was  Lelia  Kbanoum. 
Now,  if  Hassan-el-Djeninah  was 
jealous  of  his  wives,  tliey,  you 
may  bo  sure,  were  jealous  of 
each  other ;  save  poor  little 
Lelia,  who  was  only  sixteen,  and 
not  at  all  of  a  jealous  disposi- 
tion ;  but  between  the  envy  of 
her  Bister-wives,  who  hated  her, 
and  the  unceasing  watchfulness 
of  her  husband,   who  loved  her  '~, 

■with  most  inconvenient  fondness, 
she  led  a  terrible  life  of  it.  Lelia 
Khanoum  was  Hassan's  favorite  . 

■wife.     Ho  would   suffer  her,  but 
no   cm  else,  to  fill   his  pipe,  to  adjust  the 
jeweled  mouth-piece  to  his  lips,  and  to  tickle 
the  sob;  of  his  august  feet,  when  he  wished 
t.)  be  lulled  to  sleep. 

"  He  would  loll  for  hours  on  the  cushions 
of  his  divan,  listening  while  she  sang  monoto- 
nous love-songs— rocking  herself  to  and  fro 
the  while,  and  accompanying  herself  upon  the 
guitar,  in  the  manner  of  Moorish  ladies.  He 
gave  her  rich  suits  of  brocade  and  oloth-of- 
gold ;  he  gave  her  a  %vhite  donkey  from  Spain 
to  ride  on,  je'n'els,  scented  tobacco  to  smoke, 
henna  for  her  eye.\ids  and  finger-nails — in  short 


he  paid  her  every  little  delicate  attention  that 
he  could  think  of ;  and,  finally  he  condescended 
to  play  with  her  for  a  princely  stake — nothing 
less  than  the  repudiation  of  tlie  other  three 
wives,  and  the  settlement  of  all  his  treasures 
upon  her — at  yadace. 

"At  the  same  time,  as  I  said  before,  he  wa^ 
tiiribly  jealous  of  her — watched  her  day  and 
night.  He  kept  spies  about  her,  bribed  her 
attendants,  cime  home  at  day-break  after  a 
night  of  watching,  silent  and  unobserved.  He 
studied  the  language  of  flowers,  which,  in  the 
East,  is  rather  more  nervous  and  forcible  tliLm 


TADACiS  ' 


-A   M00KI3II   LADY   IM    WALKING  COSTUME, 


with  us  ;  finally,  he  took  a  lodging  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street,  that  he  might  sit 
and  watch  who  went  in  or  out  when  he  was 
supposed  to  be  far  away. 

"One  day,  while  employed  in  his  dignified 
pursuit,  he  saw  his  wife's  female  negro  slave 
emerge  from  his  house,  look  round  cautiously, 
and  beckon  with  her  hand.  Then  from  a  dark 
passage,  a  figure  habited  as  a  Frank  followed 
the  slave  into  the  house,  and  shut  the  door. 

"This  was  quite  enough.  Up  Jumped  Has- 
san, rushed  across  the  street,  and  into  his  wife's 
apartment,  where  the  beautiful  Leila  was  in 


the  act  of  bending  over  a  large  chest  that  stood 
upon  the  ground.  Hassan-el-Djeninah  saw 
the  state  of  affairs  in  an  instant.'  The  Giaour 
must  be  in  the  chest  1  He  knocked  over  the 
wretched  black  slave  like  a  ninepin,  rushed  to 
the  chest,  and  tried  to  raise  the  lid. 

•'  'The  key,  woman  !  the  key  !'  he  cried. 
"  'My  lord,  I  have  it  net.     It  is  lest;  it  is 
gone  to  be  mended.' 

"Has.san  was  not  a  man  to  le  trifled  witli ; 

the  trembling  Leila  knew  it,  r.nd  seen  handed 

him  the  key.     He  rushed  to  the  chest,  i,nd  toro 

open   the  lid.     There  was   certainly   some   one 

inside,    habited    as     a     Giaour ; 

but    beneath    the    Frank     halit 

were    discovered    the     face    and 

form  of  Sulee,    Leila   Kahnoum's 

f.ivorite  Georgian  slave. 

"'What — what  weans  this?' 
asked  Hassan,  looking  very 
foolLsh. 

"' Yadace \  Oh,  my  lord;  fcr 
you  took  the  key  !' 

"'Yadace!'  repeated  the 
Georgian  sl-ave. 

"'Yadace!'  screamed  the 
negress. 

"'Allah     akbar !'     exclaimed 
the  vanquished  Hassan  ;   '  Allah 
akbar!   I've  lost  my  wives''  " 
. — ^ <4^ > 

Sunrise  on.  the  Desert. 
SuNKiSE  by  the  seaside  is  grand  ; 
still  grander  on  the  ocean  itself, 
where  man,  with  the  land  he 
clings  to,  are  both  lost  to  sights 
and  the  great  orb  surges  up  from 
the  very  bosom  of  the  ocean. 
But  it  is  terrible  on  the  desert, 
whether  of  Asia,  Africa,  or 
America.  Our  sketch  is  a  sun- 
rise on  the  desert  of  Mongolia. 
Its  chilling  effect  seems  to  deaden 
the  very  suniays.  Far  r.s  the  eye 
can  reach,  no  grass,  no  water,  no 
tree  ineets  the  eye,  and  these 
must  be  reached  after  bearing 
all  the  he.at  yet  to  le  poured 
down.  After  galloping  for  hours, 
tufts  of  grasi  will  at  last  meet 
the  eye,  with  yellow  and  purple 
flowers,  hailed  more  gladly  than 
the  balmiest  roses.  Ihey  are 
si,gns  of  liope,  and  pushing  on 
the  traveler  will  find  some 
valley,  at  the  base  of  which 
the  silver  ribbon  aimounces  the 
desired  liquid. 

Horse  and  man  gather  new 
strength,    and,    rapidly    exerting 

it,  push  on  to  the  Irank,  to  s^.vallow  with  delight 

and  thanksgiving  the  gracious  born. 


The  Terebinth,  or  Turpentine  Tree. 

Thb  Wed  al  rlsa,  is  an  Algerian  river,  travers- 
ing the  territory  of  Mzab,  and  finally  disappear 
ing  in  the  Scbkhra,  a  Bandy  basin  of  Ngousa. 
In  its  bed,  from  time  to  time,  you  find  reser- 
voirs dug,  where  the  rain  is  collected  for  the 
dry  season.  In  February  all  is  in  flower  on  tlio 
banks  of  the  Wed  el  Nsa,  and  the  eye  rests 


EAEBARY    STATES. 


ins 


§ 


o 


I 


454 


THE    WOELD'3    GREAT    NATIONS. 


MOOEISU   DALCONr. 

with  pleasure  on  the  tamarinds,  the  rose-lau- 
rels, and  the  Terebinth,  or  Turpentine  Trees, 
Bome  of  which,  lilic  that  shown  in  our  illustra- 
tion, attain  gigantic  proportions,  and  the  most 
capricious  forms.  The  Pistachia  terebinthus  is 
the  tree  that  furnislics  the  article  known  as  Ve- 
netian turpentine.  It  grows  to  a  lieight  of  fifty 
feet,  bears  leaves  and  flowers  that  are  highly 
resinous,  and  a  fruit  which,  when  ripe,  is  of  a 
blue  color,  and  is  enten  I'y  the  Moors. 


Uegro  Dance  in  the  Streets  of  Algiers. 

On  holidays  and  special  occasions,  Algiers 
boasts  as  an  attraction  its  negro  minstrels,  or 
rather  dancers.  Each  group  of  dancers  consists 
of  six,  eight,  ten,  or  a  dozen  men  and  boys, 
whose  complexions  range  from  the  deepest 
black  to  the  lighest  variation  from  the  fair 
flesh-color  of  the  European  race,  most  of  them 
wieMng  in  each  hand  a  huge  pair  of  iron  cas- 
tanets, which  in  their  language  are  called  hara- 
keuh;  whilst  others  beat  lustily  witli  a  curved 
stick  upon  the  ass's-skin  parchment  of  a  small 
drum.  They  all  sing  in  a  monotonous,  nasal 
tone,  a  very  unmusical  and  disagreeable  ditty, 
and  at  the  same  time  perform  the  wildest  and 
most  frantic  gesticulations,  often  whirling  round 
upon  one  leg,  or  bending  forward  and  backward 
almost  to  the  ground,  as  the  excitement  of  the 
dance  leads  them  to  increase  their  violent  exer- 
tions. 'ITiese  festive  capers  are  rewarded  gen- 
erally by  liberal  donations. 


A  Panther  Hunt  in  Algeria. 

One  day  in  July  the  little  town  of  Setif, 
Algeria,  was  roused  to  the  highest  point  of  ex- 
citement by  the  announcement  that  a  lion  had 
attacked  an  Arab  shepherd  at  Fermatou,  a 
neighborin'j  village,  and  that  the  poor  wretch 
barely  csoaped  with  his  life,  his  shoulder  being 
badly  torn  by  his  ferocioiM  assailant. 

Some  Frencn  rhasseurs  were  stationed  at  the 
place,  anl  the  chtuice  of  ;;  lion  l;unt  was  too 


great  a  diversion,  amid 
the  emiui  of  garrison 
life,  not  to  be  seized 
upon  with  avidity  by 
all  the  officers  who 
made  any  pretext  of 
being  chasseurs  in  fact 
as  well  as  in  name. 

Great  was  the  sym- 
pathy for  the  poor 
Arab,  and  for  those 
who  might  at  any 
moment  fall  a  prey 
to  the  beast,  which 
was  still  prowling 
around. 

Lieutenants  Bedot 
and  Moinot,  of  the 
Sixty-third  Foot,  and 
Quartermaster  M  i  r  a  - 
val,  of  the  Third 
Chasseurs,  were  the 
first  to  reach  a  ravine, 
which  was  already 
surrounded  by  Arabs. 

The    three  officers 
dismounted    and    en- 
tered   tlie    ravine     in 
search     of    the     lion. 
After  an  hour's    search,  Moinot  saw,  within 
twenty  paces  of  him,  an  immense  panther,  at 
which  he  fired. 

The  animal,  severely  wounded,  bounded  away, 
and  crouched  lower  down  in  the  ravine.  Bedot 
and  Moinot,  to  prevent  his  escape,  mounted 
quickly  and  pursued  him,  while  Miraval,  still 
on  foot,  kept  in  pursuit,  and  sent  another  ball 
into  him.  As  Moinot  was  crossing  the  end  of 
the  ravine,  a  start  of  his  horse  showed  him  the 
animal,  quite  near  and  on  the  spring ;  he 
fired,  but  tliough  the  ball  struck  the  animal  in 
the  air,  it  jilanted  itself  on 
his  horse,  one  fore-paw  on 
the  saddle,  the  other  on 
the  horse's  haunch.  Moi- 
not drew  back  his  leg,  and, 
aiming  coolly,  sent  a  ball 
throiigh  tlie  panther,  which 
fell,  as  did  the  horse  and 
its  rider,  almost  simul- 
taneously. Bedot  was 
afraid  to  fire,  so  near  was 
the  animal's  head  to  his 
friend's,  but,  aiming  well, 
ended  the  contest. 


first  (lay  of  the  races,  European  riders,  mounted 
on  native  horses,  display  their  horsemanship  and 
compete  for  the  prize ;  on  the  second,  the  native- 
agas  have  the  course  ;  and  on  the  third  day  the 
horses  that  have  Iwaten  in  the  two  preceding 
contend  for  the  prize  of  five  thousand  francs,  or 
one  thousand  dollars.  At  intervals  the  Aral> 
riders  execute  their  wild  feats  of  horsemanship 
upon  the  plain,  to  the  great  delight  and  enter- 
tainment of  the  European  spectators. 


A  Cadi's  Court  in  Algiers. 

When  the  traveler  enters  the  great  bay  of 
Algiers,  and  sees  the  town  standing  like  a  whito 
pyramid  against  the  richly-adorned  hills  of  the 
Sahel,  backed  by  the  lofty  snow-clad  range  of 
Atlas,  he  must  confess  that  the  prospect  is  a. 
fair  one.  The  aspect  of  the  town,  from  a  dis- 
tance, is  quite  Moorish. 

We  land  in  Maltese  boats,  fall  into  the  hands 
of  Bishri  porters  .and  hotel  commissioners,  thei» 
ascend  a  long  flight  of  steps  from  the  quay,  and 
enter  a  "  Place"  thoroughly  p'rench,  excepting 
at  the  angle  to  which  we  ascended,  where  stands 
the  large  mosque  Djami  el  Djedid.  Three  sides 
of  this  "Place  du  Gouvernment,"  or  "Plac9 
Ivoyale,"  by  both  of  which  names  it  is  called, 
are  occupied  by  houses  four  stories  high,  with 
arcades  under  their  front.  Along  the  remaining 
side  runs  a  stone  balustrade,  open  to  the  port  -, 
and  nearly  in  the  Cd^'je  of  the  square  is  a 
statue  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans  on  horseback,  by 
Morochctti,  made  out  of  cannon  taUen  at  Al- 
giers. The  inhabitants  seem  to  pass  most  o*- 
their  time  in  this  place,  dawdling  up  and  down, 
or  leaning  over  the  balustrades,  where,  unde- 
terred by  driving  gale  and  drenching  rain,  they 
congregate,  and  stand  three  or  four  deep,  to 
watch  the  advent  or  exit  of  each  steamer,  nnl 
see  the  latter  pitch  her  bows  under  as  she  tuxis 


The  Algerian  Eaces. 

SoMKWUAT  different  from 
tlio  aspect  of  our  Eclipse 
and  Fasliion  Course  is  that 
of  the  raceground  apper- 
taining to  the  Franco - 
Moorish  city  of  Algiers. 
Racing  is  one  of  the  in- 
novations by  the  French 
conquerors  which  has  been 
most  willingly  adopted  by 
the  native  population,  and 
for  many  years  past  a 
course  has  been  annually 
attended  by  multitudes 
from  the  city  and  the  rur- 
I'ounJin'T  countr<'.    On  the 


MOORISH   I)O0!;W  .1. 


BAEBAEY    STATES. 


4r.5 


ALGEaiNE   MOOR. 

the  end  of  the  mole,  and  speculate  -whether  she 
will  continue  her  voyage,  or  be  forced  to  return 
after  an  hour  or  two's  cruise.  In  this  "  Place" 
a  military  band  plays  thrice  a  week  for  an  hour 
each  day  in  fine  weather.  In  the  provincial 
towns  the  music-loving  population  is  treated 
more  liberally,  and  bands  play  every  day,  the 
weather  permitting,  and  for  a  longer  period. 
From  the  Place  Royale  run  the  thrt-e  French 
streets— the  Eue  de  la  Marin,  the  Hue  Bab  el 
Oued,  and  the  Eue  Bab  Azoun — each 
of  them  to  one  of  the  three  gates  cf 
the  lower  town.  Tliey  have  arcades 
on  each  side,  under  lofty  houses ;  and 
imder  these  arcides  French  wares  are 
sold,  in  French  shops,  by  French  people. 
In  the  Hue  de  la  Marin  everything  is 
French,  except  the  great  mosque,  the 
Djami  el  Kehir,  half  way  down  it. 
The  French  have  restored  its  faoado, 
which  con-sists  of  a  long  line  of  lofly 
Moorish  arches,  supported  on  marl  lo 
columns,  with  a  fountain  in  the  centre. 
In  the  Djami  el  Djedid,  at  the  comci 
of  t'.ie  square,  is  the  court  of  the  Hanci'i 
Cadi,  who  dispenses  justice  to  tho 
members  of  his  own  sect.  We  give  a 
view  of  the  interior  of  his  court.  lie 
himself  is  seated  in  the  centre,  and  on 
the  left  a  dwarf  is  pleading  a  cause. 
with  violent  gesticulations  and  loud 
and  acrid  tones.  His  witnesses  are 
behind  him.  The  defendant  and  his 
witnesses  are  seated  on  the  floor,  wait- 
ing their  turn  for  screaming  and  gesti- 
culating. On  each  side  of  the  room  sit 
two  or  three  inferior  judges.  From 
the  courts  of  £ach  of  tlie  Cadis  there 
ii  an  apical  to  a  court  which  sits  each 
Thursday  in  the  Great  Mosque,  and 
i ;  composed  of  both  the  Cadis  and  two 
p;;:icip?.l  menil:crj  cf  the  Ulema. 


Scenes  in  Algiers, 

A  MODBKN  traveler  gives  some  amusing  anec- 
dotes of  the  Algerines,  some  of  which,  to  our 
notions,  appear  almost  incredible,  but  which 
are  undoubtedly  true.     He  says  : 

"Algiers  is  a  noble  city,  wholly  inclosed  by 
an  embattled  wall.  It  is  built  somewhat  in  the 
style  of  an  amphitheatre,  on  the  commanding 
slope  of  Mount  Boiijaria,  and  bears  a  -aost  Im- 


VEILED   WOHAN   OF  AlOIEIU. 


ALGERINE   JEW. 

posing  appearance  when  seen  .rom  the  bay. 
The  ancient  streets  are  nearly  all  narrow  and 
gloomy,  but  new  and  spacious  squares  and 
thoroughfares  are  still  being  constructed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  numerous  mosques,  syna- 
gogues, and  fine  public  buildings,  so  that  Al- 
giers will  be  one  of  the  finest  cities  of  the  East. 
Its  commerce  is  great ;  it  is  also  the  headquar- 
ters of  the  cavalry  and  infantry  of  Algeria,  and 
being  the  healthiest  of  any  city  in  the  colony 
its  population  increases  with  every  year. 
The  next  day  we  strolled  out  beyond 
the  city  gates,  and  were  delighted  with 
the  beautiful  scenery  around  Algiers. 
A  lively  and  pleasant  Portuguese  sur- 
geon of  our  acquaintarce,  who  had  lived 
here  for  some  year<,  was  our  companion, 
and  amused  us  very  much  with  his 
anecdotes  and  conversation.  At  length, 
wearied  with  p:issing  through  fragrant 
groves  of  orange  trees  and  under  the 
shadow  of  fine  old  palms,  we  sat  down 
to  rest  on  a  spreading  rock. 

"We  had  not  enjoyed  this  repose 
long,  when  a  white-bearded  eld  Moor 
came  hobbling  past,  leaning  on  his 
staff.  He  was  such  a  picturesque  spe- 
cimen that  Walker  'mmediately  took 
out  pencil  and  tablets  to  sketch  him, 
and  the  surgeon  called  out,  as  to  aa 
old  acquaintanci',  '  Stand  still  a  mo- 
ment, Sofi,  and  the  American  will  make 
you  immortal !' 

"  Tlie  old  man  nodded,  smiled,  and 
stopped  for  my  friend  to  complete  his 
sketch.  When  it  was  finished  he  in- 
spected it  with  a  critical  air,  r.nd  pro- 
nounced it  '  pretty  good.' 

"'Well,  Soft,' said  the  Portuguese, 
'how are  you  getting  along?' 

"  'Very  badly — very  poorly,'  muttered 
the  eld  man.     'My   ungrateful,  Yuscf 


456 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Bcoids  and  upbraids  me  continually,  and  yester- 
day he  even  beat  me!' 

" '  He  lives  wit'.i  his  son,  who  pays  liim  no 
manner  of  attention,  and  they  figlit  from  morn- 
ing till  night,'  whispered  the  sargeon  to  me. 
'But,  Sofi,'  he  continued,  aloud,  'why  don't 
you  get  married  ?  You  are  rich,  and  there  are 
many  women  who  would  take  good  care  of  you, 
and  make  you  much  happier. ' 

"  'I  want  neither  wife  nor  poultry?'  said  the 
old  man,  testily  ;  '  they  cost  too  much  to  feed.' 
And  off  he  went. 


you  well !'  I  must  say  that  I  was  rather  taken 
aback  at  this,  but  I  soon  recovered  my  self-pds- 
session.  'Why,  what's  the  matter?' said  I; 
'  don't  you  and  your  father  agree  ?'  '  Oh,  none 
can  agree  better !  he  is  a  fine  old  fallow,  and 
made  a  good  father  to  me — got  me  a  wife,  gave 
me  .all  he  has,  and  we  live  together,  and  I  sup- 
port him  without  a  word  ;  but  he  is  so  old  that 
he  can't  work,  and  yet  ho  won't  die!'  I  wish 
I  could  give  you  an  idea  of  the  injured  air  with 
which  the  Moor  pronounced  these  last  words. 
"'Well,  what  answer  did  you  give  him?' 


seemed  better.  '  Don't,  however,  give  up,' 
said  tliis  good  son  ;  '  try  all  your  skill,  and 
give  me  something  that  shall  finish  him !'  1 
compounded  a  third  healing  mixture,  and  gave 
it,  laughing  in  my  sleeve.  Nothing  more  was 
heard  of  the  Moor,  until  I  met  him  in  the 
street,  and  inquired  as  to  the  s'locess  of  my 
drugs.  ITie  man  put  on  an  air  of  religious  solem- 
nity. '  He  is  in  good  health,'  he  replied  ;  '  God 
has  made  him  survive  all  we  gave  him  ;  with- 
out doult  he  is  a  saint !' 

"This  anecdote  seemed  at  first  perfectly  iiv 


"  The  stirgeon  laughed  he.artily.  '  A  regular 
old  raiser,'  said  he.  'By  his  squalid  appear- 
ance you  would  think  him  sunk  in  the  deepest 
poverty,  hut  he  has  laid  up  a  very  nice  little 
sum.' 

"  'But  how  does  it  happen  that  his  son  can 
be  so  brutal  and  unfeeling  ?'  I  asked. 

"'Parental  tenderness  and  filial  love  seem 
utterly  omittel  in  the  Moorish  composition. 
Not  long  ago  a  handsome  Algerine  Moor  came 
into  my  shop,  and  accosted  me  in  the  coolest 
wanner:  'Christian  barberos,'  said  he — that  is 
their  way  of  addressing  foreign  surgeons — '  give 
an  ioaxe  drugs  to  kill  my  father,  and  I'll  pay 


THI  TEREBINTH,  OR  TUBPENTINE  TREE,  OF  ALGIERS. 

"  I  reflected  a  moment,  and  finally  replied, 
'  'Tis  a  hard  case — you  shall  have  what  you 
want.'  So  I  prepared  a  cordial  drug  that  would 
be  rather  beneficial  than  otherwise  to  the  poor 
old  man,  and  gave  it  to  him,  knowing  very  well 
that  if  it  did  not  satisfy  his  wants,  the  savage 
brute  could  get  medicaments  elsewhere.  The 
Moor  paid  me,  and  set  off.  In  eight  days,  he 
came  back  to  tell  me  that  his  father  was  not 
dead  yet. 

"  'Not  dead?'  cried  I;  'but  he  shall  die!' 
and  I  gave  him  another  soothing  draught.  In 
a  fortnight,  back  came  my  Moor,  and  assured 
me  that,  so  far  from  dying,  bis  perverse  parent 


credible,  but  the  surgeon  assured  us  that  thLs 
was  by  no  means  a  solitary  instance  of  the  way 
in  which  filial  duties  are  here  discharged. 

' '  Several  times,  in  the  course  of  our  strolls 
around  Algiers,  we  met  dark-browed  Bedouins, 
in  their  curious  Oriental  costume.  These  wan- 
dering people  encamp  at  will  in  the  deserts, 
and  whenever  displeased  with  the  treatment 
they  meet  from  neighboring  tribes  fold  their 
tents  in  the  dead  of  night  and  steal  noiselessly 
away  like  a  flock  of  birds,  taking  with  them 
whatever  they  can  lay  their  hands  on.  Haunt- 
ing the  neighborhood  of  Algiers,  no  one  knows 
whence  they  appear  or  where  they  dwell. 


BARHARY    STATES. 


457 


THE    TALACii    0¥   THE    GOVEIlNOll    OF    MEQUINE2. 


458 


THE    WOBLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


V       OrJ'  ;'^;\(  V|^^\['„ 


"The  Jews  form  another 
prominent  feature  of  Algerini) 
life.  The  Israelitish  population 
is  very  large  indeed,  and  moft 
of  the  bazars  and  stores  of 
Algiers  are  owned  and  stocked 
by  Jews.  But  notwithstanding 
their  great  wealth,  they  live 
in  the  most  abject  submission 
to  the  Mohammedans.  They 
are  even  pelte  1  by  children  in 
the  streets,  without  daring  to 
retaliate.  An  Algerine  Jew 
dare  not  approach  a  well  or 
fountain  if  a  Moor  or  Moham- 
medan happen  to  be  drinking 
there,  and  it  is  the  business 
of  Jews  to  execute  all  crimi- 
nals, and  afterward  to  bury 
their  bodies. 

"1  became  acquainted  with 
a  worthy  old  Jew,  a  man  of 
tapes,  parchments  and  wafers, 
whose  services  I  happened  to 
require  in  some  slight  law- 
matter,  and  observed  with  pain 
the  many  slights  and  insults 
to  which  he  was  subjected. 

"'How  can  you  remain 
where  you  suffer  so  much  ?'  I 
inquired  of  him. 

"  He  shrugged  his  phoulders. 
'It  is  true,'  said  he,  'but  then 
the  money  we  make  !' 

"  On  one  of  my  visits  to  his 
house  I  saw  his  daughter,  a 
splendid  girl  with  large  black 
eyes,  and  a  rich  olive  com- 
plexion. Like  most  of  the 
Algerine  Jewesses,  she  was  one 
of  the  loveliest  of  her  sex,  but 
she  wore  a  subdued  and  timid 
air,  and  hardly  dared  to  lift  up 
her  eyes  in  the  presence  of  a 
Christian.  She  was  dressed  in 
a  silk  skirt  and  black  velvet 
jacket,  with  sleeves  of  tlie  fineet 
linen ;  a  jewel  of  immense  size 
and  value  sparkled  in  her 
bosom,  and  a  velvet  cap  with 
a  long  drooping  tasfel  com- 
plete! her  attire.  Everything 
which  wealth  could  purchase 
surrounded  her,  yet  there  was 
not  an  Arab  serving  -  woman 
in  Algiers  that  would  have 
changed  places  with  this 
daughter  of  a  despised  race. 

"  We  had  the  good  fortune 
to  secure  pleasant  and  airy 
lodgings  in  a  quiet  street, 
soon  after  our  arrival.  Oui 
tenement,  like  all  the  dwell- 
ing-houses of  the  city,  which 
are  built  with  reference  to 
earthquakes,  boasted  only  one 
story  above  the  basement,  and 
was  adorned  with  a  flat-roof 
and  water-tank.  It  was  a 
brilliant  and  dazzling  white, 
and  its  narrow  court-yard  was 
full  of  pomegranate  and 
oleander  trees,  which  affcrcVd 
a  grateful  shade.  Our  native 
servant,  Mulcy,  was  a  fiaithfiu 


BAEBAEY    STATES. 


tJjtf 


fellow,  and  marvelously  skilled  in 
every  art  from  tliat  of  liair-drcsscr 
and  valet-de-cliambro  to  that  of 
butler  and  chief  cook.  Tlie  dinnerj 
which  he  contrived  to  get  up  aro 
beyond  praise.  He  particularly  ex- 
celled in  the  manufacture  of  deli- 
cious ices,  which  he  molded  and 
colored  to  represent  grapes,  peaches, 
and  every  variety  of  fruit." 


ITegro  Medicine  Dance. 
A  iiVDY  who  spent  some  lime  la 
Algiers  thus  describes  what  we  mr.y 
■well  call  a  negro  medicine  dance: 

-"Learning  that  a  negro  dance 
-was  going  on,  we  were  led  to  tho 
spot  where  the  performance  was 
taking  place,  in  a  small  and  dilapi- 
dated courtyard  of  a  Moorish  house. 
Tho  ceremony  was  something  .so 
peculiarly  African  as  to  merit  de- 
scription. 

-"A  large  ring  was  formed  of 
intending  performers,  who  were  all 
squatted  on  the  ground.  In  the 
centre  were  two  old  Africans  with 
huge  drums,  on  which  they  played 
p.  rat-a-tat  with  ever-increasing 
vigor.  Facing  them  were  some 
younger  negroes,  with  brass  instru- 
ments of  a  nondescript  kind,  which 
they  clashed  together,  in  time  if 
not  in  tune,  responsive,  adding 
considerably  to  the  din.  Behind 
them  sat  two  or  three  rows  of  im- 
potent folks  —  maim,  halt,  and 
suffering  in  various  ways — -who 
had  come  to  be  touched  on  this 
auspicious  occasion.  In  the  outer 
circle,  which  included  lookers-on  of 
every  description,  we  found  our- 
selves watching  the  strange  pro- 
ceedings with  very  painful  interest, 
mingled,  perhaps,  with  scientific 
curiosity.  A  small  balcony  looked 
into  this  court,  which  was  crowded 
■with  Moorish  women,  who,  1  sup- 
pose, had  received  special  permis- 
sion to  witness  this  grand  affair. 

"As  soon  as  the  music  began, 
first  one,  then  another  negress 
began  swaying  and  rocking  her- 
self about,  each  as  if  winding 
herself  up  to  the  right  pitch  of 
excitement.  At  length  one  after 
another  arose  and  began  makin,' 
a  few  solemn  and  uncouth  stcpj 
in  time  to  the  jingling  instruments, 
and  then  usually  sank  down  ex- 
hausted into  tho  arms  of  her 
sympathizing  sisterhood,  who  ru'>- 
bed  and  chafed  her  till  she  w.is 
able  to  resume  the  exercise. 

"Strengthened  by  their  kind 
ofBces,  she  would  soon  begin  again 
with  greater  vigor,  and  becomin'; 
more  and  more  excited,  would  take 
off  first  one,  and  then  another  (  f 
her  many  scarfs  and  coverings,  till 
she  got  into  a  kind  of  frenzy. 

"  Wc  noticed  one  in  particular- 
most  cf  the  performers  y/evi  cid 


Si!lli!ii||i|ili|ii!'iliiili''" 


100 


THE    WOSLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


KEQRO  MEDICINE  DANCE,  ALGIEBS. 


•women,  with  hands  and  feet  as  like  the  web- 
foot  of  an  ostrich,  or  an  old  ti?rkey-cock,  as 
anything  to  which  I  can  compare  them— but 
this  was  a  brawny  specimen  of  a  strong, 
healthy  young  Africaness,  with  arms  mus- 
cular enough  to  serve  as  a  model  for  a  Her- 
cules. As  soon  as  she  had  sufficiently  disrobed, 
and  her  discarded  wardrobe  had  been  care- 
fully received  by  other  negresses,  she  made  her 
way  to  the  infirm  patients  opposite,  and  began 
seizing  on  their  limbs  and  pulling  them  about 
most  unmercifully ;  finishing  off  in  each  case 
■with  the  head,  which  I  expected  occasionally  to 
see  dislocated  from  the  neck.  However,  the 
rBufferers  looked  not  only  resigned,  but  most 
grateful  for  the  attentions  bestowed. 

' '  The  whole  affair  was  clearer  to  us  than  I  sus- 
pect it  was  to  themselves,  for  the  beneficial 
results,  if  any  such  ensued,  were  evidently, 
though  perhaps  unknown  to  the  actors,  obt.iined 
l>y  animal  magnetism. 

"I  remember  a  mesmerist  in  London  telling 
i;g  that  on  one  occasion,  after  he  had  been  (!e- 
livering  a  lecture  on  arfimal  magnetism,  an 
African  came  up  to  him  and  said: 

"  '  Well,  I  dare  say  this  may  be  new  to  you, 
I  ut  in  my  country  wo  have  always  knoivn  all 
.t'jout  it.' 

"'Where  did  you  iSara  it?'  asked  the 
lecturer. 

'•  'Ob,  wo  never  l.amt  it.     V/c  always  ha  J  it 


in  our  tribes.     Whenever  any  one  is  ill  among 
us,  we  send  for  a  man  who  has  tliis  power, 

you 


and    he    comes    and     makes  what 


call 


'  passes,"  and  then  he  gets  \7oll  again. 


"  In  Sweden  so  highlyis  kinesipathyestimatafl, 
that  a  professorial  chair  at  Gottenburg  rewards 
.the  attainment  of  this  art;  and  certainly  if 
ever  at  a  loss  for  a  practical  kinesipathist,  gome 
powerful  ones  might  be  secured  from  the  negro 
dancers  of  Medeah.  The  worst  is,  that  amongst 
the  ignorant  and  uninformed,  it  is  always 
mixed  up  with  much  superstition." 


;  How  a  Great  Lady  Travels  in  Tunis, 
,  The  lady  of  the  Lieut.-Governor  of  tlie  tribe 
of  Oulaad  Ayaar  mounted  on  a  camel  ?  Tlicse 
words,  unless  explained,  are  likely  to  convey  a 
very  erroneous  idea  to  the  general,  reader's 
mind.  He  will  at  once  picture  to  himself  some 
majestic  female  in  one  of  our  parks,  or  some 
belle,  manipulating,  with  great  skill  and  mar- 
velous dexterity,  the  bridle  of  her  prancing 
steed.  But  there  is  no  affinity  between  tliese 
and  the  lady  of  the  Lieut.-Governor  of  the 
Oulaad  Ayaar,  except  that  she  is  a  female,  and 
so  are  tliey,  and  that  she  was  seated  on  a  quad- 
ruped, and  so  are  they.  The  lady  of  the  Lieut.- 
Governor  of  the  tribe  Oulaad  Ayaar  might  pasa 
and  repass  Fifth  Avenue  a  thousand  times  with- 
out it  being  discovered,  even  by  the  most  scru- 
tinizing observer,  whether  she  belongs  to  the 
fair  sex  at  all.  How  she  looked,  whether  she 
was  young  or  old,  whether  she  came  up  to  the 
complete  standard  and  criterion  of  Barbary 
beauty  —  extreme  obesity  —  whether  she  aj)- 
proached  nearer  the  classic  dimensions  and 
lines  of  gracefulness,  and  whether  her  drcsa 
was  gaudy  or  otherwise,  we  are  unable  to  tell, 
and  for  this  simple  reason,  we  never  saw  her.  A 
fine  camel,  led  by  two  servants,  had  on  its  back 
a  kind  of  machine  resembling  the  hood  of  a 
cabriole,  Imving  a  curtain  carefully  closed  in 
front.  Within  this  hood,  and  behind  the  C!;r- 
tain,  we  were  told  was  seated  this  veritable  lady 
of  the  Lieut.-Governor  of  the  Oulaad  Ayaar. 
The  being  in  the  hood  we  saluted,  and  the  only- 
proof  wg  had  of  the  real  presence  c/  life  within 
was  the  shrill  reply,  "Bidama"— go  in  peace. 

We  know  we  were  guilty  of  an  act  of  great 
indecency  in  saluting  a  laJy  within  her  cage ; 


INUNDATIO.N   OF  THE  PLAIN   OP   EELIZANNE,  AIGEKIA. 


BAEBAEY    STATEa 


m 


f^ 


o 


o 
o 
c 


> 

b 


to 


«S2 


THK     WOELD'S    GKEAT     NATIONa 


?>ut  we  could  not  help  it,  nor  canM  tlic,  as  \ras 
apparent  f:om  acknowledging  our  jioliteness. 
But  certainly  an  Arab  would  never  have  been 
guilty  of  such  a  breach  of  etiquette— etiquette, 
do  we  call  it  ?  We  ought  rather  to  have  said  a 
breach  of  a  religious  precept,  based  on  the 
■outhority  of  Mohammed  himself. 


Typss  of  Tunisian  Peasantry. 

Tunis,  which  li  boundel  on  the  north  and 
'east  by  the  waters  of  the  Mediterranean,  has  an 
area  of  about  seventy  thousand  square  miles, 
and  a  population  of  two  million  five  hundred 
thousand,  an  overwhelming  majority  of  whom 
are  bigoted  Mohammedans.  The  Tunisians  are 
Arabs,  with  a  strono;  inclination  for  the  desert. 
Necessity,  however,  compels  them  to  cultivate 
<he  Boil,  but  in  iv  most  slovenly  manner,  anJ  ia 


A    MIILATTO    GIEL   IN    TUNIS. 

the  towns  follow,  in  a  rude  way,  certain  me- 
chanical pursuits. 

The  higher  and  governing  classes  are  polite, 
but  haughty,  and  all  are  courageous,  Viut  offen- 
sively boastful,  regarding  as  on  a  level  with  the 
brute  creation  those  who  refuse  to  accept  Mo- 
hammed as  the  only  and  true  prophet  of  God. 
Kothwithstanding  the  shiftless  lives  led  by  the 
larger  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  interior, 
and  the  crude  system  of  agriculture  pursued, 
the  annual  yield  of  wheat,  barley,  maize, 
olives,  etc.,  is  large,  and  the  duties  derived  from 
these  and  the  exportation  of  mc*als — principally 
silver,  lead  and  copper — are  quite  sufficient  to 
provide  the  government  with  means  to  enforce 
the  laws  which  the  boy,  a  wholly  irresponsible 
officer,  of  his  own  motion  may  make.  Tunis 
is*iominally,  tributai-y  to  the  Bnltan  of  Turkey, 
but,  in  reality,  independent  of  every  exterior 
inllaenco. 


The  Tunisians  are,  in  the  agricultural  and 
mountainous  districts,  of  Arabian  origin  ;  while 
in  the  towns,  particularly  on  the  coast,  they  are 
not  without  negro  and  European  blood  in  theii 
veins. 


The  Sponge  Trade  in  Tripoli. 
It  has  long  been  a  disputed  point  whether 
sponges  are  animals  or  vegetables.  Agassiz  and 
Gould  think  they  belong  to  the  vegetable  king- 
dom, but  others  decide  in  favor  of  their  anim.d 
nature.  The  common  sponge,  so  familiar  to 
all  of  us,  consists  of  a  soft  gelatinous  mass, 
porous  and  elastic,  supported  on  a  fibro-cor 
neous  skeleton.  Tlicy  have  no  organs  or  ves^ 
sols,  are  capable  of  absorbing  great  quantities 
of  fluid,  which  is  given  out  again  on  pressure. 
They  are  also  incapable  of  irritation  and  con- 
traction.   The  jelly  v.hijh  tils  the  porcj  of  ths 


BAR  BAR  Y    STATES. 


463 


Xiving  sponge,  and  covers  its  surface,  is  Eccn 
nniler  the  microscope  to  be  filled  with  numer- 
ous transparent  spirical  granules.  Sponges 
vary  much  in  form,  and  are  fixed  l>y  a  kind  of 
root  at  the  base.  They  are  most  abundant  in 
the  Australian  seas.  In  the  Mediterranean  a 
jTroat  trade  is  carried  on  in  them,  of  which  we 
give  several  illustrations  of  the  manner  in 
-which  they  are  gathered. 


Sand  Whirlwinds. 


We  were  crossing  the  desert  which  extends 
south  of  Tripoli,  a  traveler  says. 

There  was  a  large  company — one  might  have 
c.illed  it  a  caravan  in  Egypt,  for  we  had  waited 
eomc  time  for  an  expedition  which  was  going 
out  under  the  charge  of  several  Arab  chiefs. 

The  old  chief,  intj  whose  hands  we  had 
poured  a  liberal  shower  of  roubles,  felt  that  his 
honor  was  called  in  question,  and  he  determined 
to  carry  out  his  promise,  come  what  might. 

Instead  of  making  any  great  efforts  to  teach 
the  unwilling  steeds  their  duty,  he  ordered  out 
more  horses.  They  brought  six  other  children 
of  the  desert,  apparently  wilder  and  more  un- 
tamable than  those  already  attached  to  the 
tarantas. 

Deaf  to  our  expostulations,  they  hitched 
t.icse  six  on  ia  front  of  the  others,  and  we 
jictually  mounteJ  into  the  vehicle  behind  those 
twelve  wild  creatures,  every  other  one  having  a 
half-nakei  native  clinging  to  his  back. 

That  time  we  diil  start — to  the  left,  to  the 
Tight,  backward  and  forward,  the  horses  neigh- 
ing, the  men  shouting  till  the  confusion  became 
inJescribable,  and  why  we  were  not  thrown  out 
and  dashed  in  pieces  is  a  mystery  I  have  never 
solved. 

At  length,  after  almost  superhuman  efforts, 
wj  started  ;  the  twelve  horses  da.shed  out  in  a 
inad  gallop,  amid  the  fierce  cries  of  their  riders, 
not  less  untamable  and  savage  than  they. 

How  we  retained  our  seats,  my  companion 
.anl  I,  neither  could  tell  any  more  than  one 
•could  keep  track  of  the  impossible  means  on 
v.!i;ch  a  bad  dream  hinges  itself. 

When  we  reached  the  end  of  our  journey,  an 
.affair  of  several  hours,  the  horses  were  abso- 


TTPES   OF  TUNISIAJt  PEASANTRY. 


lutely  white  with  foam,  trembling  in  every 
limb,  though  with  quite  life  enough  to  dash  out 
the  brains  of  any  person  that  came  within  reach 
of  their  hoofs  in  the  attempt  to  unharness 
them. 

We  had  ridden  since  early  morning  without 
meeting  the  slightest  adventure  of  any  sort. 
The  sky  was  somewhat  overcast,  so  that  wo  were 
not  troubled  by  the  reflection  of  the  sun  upon  the 
sand,  and  had  altogether  been  able  to  congratu- 
late ourselves  upon  the  good  fortune  which  at- 
tended us.  My  companion  and  I  had  loitered  a 
little  behind  tho  general  cavalcade,  and  were 
talking,  not  of  the  sceno  in  which  we  found 
ourselves,  or  of  any  subject  of  thought  to 
which  a  journey  like  ours  might  be  expected 
to  give  rise,  but  of  the  distant  home  across 
de.=:ert    and    sea,   wondering    about    the    dear 


now   A   GKEAT   LADY  lliAVIiLS  Ul   IL'MIS. 


ones  so  v.idely  separated  from  us,  and  inclined 
to  marvel  at  the  odd  fancy  which  had  led  us  so 
far  from  all  which  ought  to  make  the  chief 
interest  in  men's  lives. 

Suddenly  we  heard  ourselves  summoned  ty  a 
dozen  voices.  TTie  guides  were  beckoning  and 
calling  to  us  to  hasten  on. 

My  friend  was  pointing  to  the  right,  and  as  I 
turned,  my  eyes  caught  the  strange  spectacle 
which  had  excited  the  wonder  and  the  fears 
of  the  party,  made  more  wise  than  we  by  ex- 
perience. 

A  light  wind  had  sprung  up  siiddenly  ;  the 
hillocks  of  sand  began  to  blow  together,  and  to 
twist  themselves  into  columns,  rising  into  the 
air  with  s'larp  hisses,  like  immense  serpents 
roused  into  sudden  life  by  our  approach. 

On  they  swept  like  lightning,  till  there  were 
at  least  thirty  of  those  spiral-shapes  looming 
down  upon  us,  the  smallest  reaching  to  a  height 
of  twenty,  and  the  largest  cf  at  least  one  hun- 
dred feet,  groaning  and  hissing,  while  the  air 
grew  dark  with  the  clouds  of  6  md  which  blew 
from  their  summits. 

All  this  passed  in  a  few  seconds  ;  the  cries  of 
those  in  advance  rang  out  afresh  ;  we  put  spurs 
to  our  horses  and  joined  them,  and  the  guides 
ordered  all  to  dash  off  toward  the  left,  their 
knowledge  of  the  desert  making  them  to  decide 
unerringly  in  which  course  tlie  wind  would  lead 
those  giant  forms,  which  menaced  a  death  so 
speedy  and  horrible. 

Arrived  in  a  place  of  safety,  we  turned  again 
to  watch  the  strange  spectacle,  fuller  of  a 
frightful  majesty  than  any  sight  I  ever  beheld. 

On  sped  the  gigantic  pillars,  assuming  all 
rorts  of  fantastic  shapes,  one  instant  looking 
nice  great  trees,  with  numberless  branches 
stretching  out  on  every  side,  then  turning  into 
spiral  columns,  immense  towers,  and  all  rushing 
madly  before  the  wind. 

At  last  one  mass  rose  to  a  height  that  towered 
far  above  any  of  the  rest,  whirling  tJong  with 


4!!4 


THE    WOELDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


a  sp3od  which  laaJo  all  the  others  socm  to  ztaad 
motionless,  absorbing  into  itsolf  every  ona  that  it 
i'.pproached,  wliilo  tho  air  grow  darker,  and  the 
moans  and  liisses  wero  redoubled,  till  t>.e  sounds 
were  lilce  tliose  of  Pandemonium  itself. 

I  conld  not  havo  told  whether  I  halted  mo- 
ments or  hours,  fascinated  by  tho  scone,  but  ia 
reility  tho  time  was  very  brief. 

The  -wind  lulled  suddenly  ;  tho  columns  tot- 
tered afid  crumbled,  tho  air  tlcure  1,  and  sooa 
no  trace  was  left  of  tho  whirlwind- -the  mounds 
cf  sand  lay  quiet  and  tmrippled  as  if  they  had 
r.ever  been  stirre.!,  and  no  dangerous  power  lay 
hidden  in  their  shining  depths. 

We  spuiTed  on  our  horses  again,  and  socD- 
overtook  our  companions,  all  of  whom  were 
more  impressed  by  our  good  fortune  in  esaiping: 
than  occupied  with  tho  grandeur  of  the  sight. 


Adventure  in  Nortliem  Africa. 

A  TRAVELER  givcs  the  following  thrilling 
narrative  : 

"I  had  been  for  some  months  leading  th& 
wild,  excited  life  of  an  African  hunter,  ameng'  - 
tho  plains  and  forests. 

"  It  was  tho  second  expedition  I  had  made, 
and  though  on  my  return  from  my  first  voyage 
I  promised  myself  that  nothing  should  ever 
tempt  mo  to  undertake  similar  hardships  and 
psrils,  hero  I  was,  back  again  in  less  than  five 
years  after  sailing  toward  home  and  the  pleasure 
of  civilized  life. 

'•  We  had  met  with  sucli  ill-luck  for  ceveral 
clays,  that  W3  had  absolutely  no  meat  left  in  the 
camp  ;  each  of  u  i  had  gone  out  in  different 
v/ays  la  search  of  something  eatable,  and  we 
had  reached  that  stage  of  necessity  where  our 
ideas  took  a  range  that  would  have  made  us 
accept  anytliing,  from  an  elephant  to  a  rabbit, 
as  legitimate  prey. 

"I  had  been  riding  for  several  hours,  and 
was  disconsolately  turning  my  horse's  head 
toward  the  camp,  vexed  to  think  I  should  be 
the  one  to  go  back  empty-handed,  for  the  report 
of  several  lifles  at  intervals  had  warned  mo 
that  my  companions  had  met  with  letter 
success. 

"Just  then  I  saw,  some  distance  in  advance, 
an  immense  ImffLdo,  feeding  tranquilly  upon  the' 
short  grass,  and  evidently  as  unconscious  and 
heedless  of  any  danger  as  his  ancestors  might 
have  been  In  the  days  when  the  foot  of  no' 
European  adventurer  had  trodden  these  desert 
wilds. 

"  I  took  aim  and  fired,  wounamg  Ihe  beast 
slightly  in  tho  left  shoulder.  The  sting  of  the 
wound  seemed  to  cause  him  more  rage  than 
pain.  He  began  running  about  in  a  circle,  toss- 
ing his  head,  pawing  the  ground  and  bellowing" 
in  tlio  most  outrageous  manner. 

"  I  was  seized  with  a  desire  to  drive  the  animal 
into  camp,  and  I  spurred  my  horse  toward  hira, 
brandishing  my  rifle,  supposing  that  he  would 
take  flight  without  delay,  and  that  I  should  be 
able  to  make  him  pursue  the  direction  which  I 
desired  him  to  take. 

"Not  a  bit  of  it!  The  instant  ue  caught 
sight  of  me  he  gave  another  bound  that  flung- 
a  cloud  of  dirt  into  the  air,  uttered  a  bellow- 
fiercer  than  before,  and  darted  toward  me. 

"  My  faithful  liorse  started  on  a  ;r.ad  gallop, 
and  for  a  Imndrcd  yards  the  infuriate  1  buffiiio- 
fDllowed  in  a  chase  that  had  assumed  o  very 


BARBART    STATEa 


466 


different  aspect  from  the  one  I  had  anticipate(i. 
We  dashed  through  a  thicket  of  bushes  covered 
■with  sharp  thorns,  that  cut  my  horse's  sides 
and  literally  tore  the  clothes  from  my  hack,  but 
there  was  nothing  else  for  it. 

' '  When  the  animal  was  not  more  than  eight 
feet  behind,  I  turned  suddenly  upon  the  saddle 
and  fired,  sending  another  ball  through  his 
right  ear  and  grazing  his  hip  without  wounding 
him  more  seriously  than  the  first  had  done. 

"  But  this  time  fear  overcame  his  rage  ;  he 
rtopped  short  and  showed  symptons  of  fight. 
I  sprang  from  my  horse,  the  admirably  trained 
creature  stopping  motionless  as  a  statue  at 
my  command,  and  reloaded  my  rifle  with  all 
BpeeJ. 

"  I  took  a  more  deliberate  aim  and  fired 
again  :  this  time  my  sight  was  surer  ;  the  hall 


me  that  the  lion  had  been  discovered  several 
miles  down  the  river. 

' '  I  left  him  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  back 
to  the  camp,  and  dashed  along  the  bank  with 
all  speed,  anxious  to  arrive  upon  the  scene  of 
conflict  before  the  forest  king  should  have 
fallen. 

"  ^Vhen  I  reached  the  group  I  found  that  they 
had  missed  the  lion,  and  that  they  stood  debat- 
ing ;  I  rode  on  in  advance  for  perhaps  a  quarter 
of  a  mile. 

"  I  began  to  fear  that  the  beast  had  escaped 
us  altogether,  and  was  on  the  point  of  turning 
back  to  rejoin  my  companions,  when,  at  a 
BudJen  turn  in  the  path,  I  caught  sight  of  the 
object  of  our  search. 

"  The  lion — the  largest  I  had  ever  seen — 
lx)unded  across  the  path,  and  plunged  into  a 


an  immense  ant-hill ;  I  counted  the  chances  of 
being  able  to  reach  that  elevation,  and  spurred 
my  horse  closer  to  him  to  tal^e  a  surer  aim. 

"  Suddenly,  with  a  frightful  roar,  the  lion 
sprang  up,  made  a  bound  forward ;  my  horse 
leaped  back  and  darted  off  with  the  speed  of 
the  wind. 

"But  fast  as  he  flew,  the  infuriated  beast  fol- 
lowed still  faster.  But,  forward  in  the  saddle, 
with  my  spurs  buried  in  my  horse's  flanks,  I 
looked  back.  On  dashed  the  lion,  making  two 
bounds  to  one  of  my  faithful  steed — a  frightful 
cliase,  a  repetition  of  which  no  man  would 
desire.  Could  I  turn  in  the  sadJle  and  fire  while 
my  horse  was  galloping  at  such  a  fearful  pace? 
Doubtful  as  was  the  chance-.- 1  must  say  it — iw 
a  few  more  of  those  terrible  leaps  and  the  crea,« 
ture  would  be  upon  me 


THE  FISHERMEN   TnAMPLl>0  Tn.J   GELATIJJOUS   MAITEB   OCT   OP  THE  SPONGE. 


i»ssed  through  his  lungs,  and,  with  a  last  bellow 
of  pain,  the  enormous  creature  fell  in  an  un- 
wieldy mass,  never  to  rise. 

"  This  happened,  as  I  siid,  during  mysecond 
expedition,  and  not  f-ir  from  the  place  of  r.jy 
first  encounter,  so  that  I  began  rca'.ly  to  be  a 
little  superstitious,  and  to  think  that  if  a  third 
arrived,  it  was  to  bo  the  end  of  those  wild  ad- 
ventures which  caused  so  much  anxiety  to  the 
few  who  loved  me. 

"  The  guides  had  told  me  when  I  rose  in  the 
morning  that  tliey  ho/\  found  the  trades  of  a 
lion,  wlio  had  evidently  been  amusing  himself 
during  the  night  by  promenading  as  near  our 
fires  as  he  considered  prudent. 

"  We  had  all  been  out  ia  search  of  him.  I 
lost  my  way,  and  wlicn  I  found  myself  once 
more  in  a  known'latitude  I  overtook  my  servant, 
whose  horse  was  lamed  by  a  fall,  and  he  told 


thicket  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  in  ad- 
vance of  me. 

"  I  rode  up  and  dismounted  from  my  horse. 
Peering  into  the  thicket  I  could  dimly  see  his 
immense  form  crouched  among  the  dried  grass 
and  weeds. 

"  I  fired,  and  he  fell  so  instantaneously,  with- 
out a  single  groan,  that  I  supposed  I  had  struck 
him  to  the  very  heart. 

"I  reloaded  my  rifle,  got  on  my  horse,  de- 
scribed a  half  circle,  raised  myself  ia  my  stir- 
rups, and  took  a  closer  view  of  my  victim.  A 
single  glance  sent  the  blood  in  a  torrent  to  my 
heart — I  had  missed  him. 

"There  lie  lay,  crouched  upon  the  ground  ; 
no  sign  of  life  except  in  the  Tiptumed  ears  that 
quivered  slowly,  and  tlie  terrible  fire  of  his  eyes 
fastenei  menacingly  upon  me. 

"  I  was  quite  near  him  ;  in  front  of  me  was 


"  To  take  aim  was  impossible.  I  was  crouch 
ing  forward  on  the  horse's  neck  upon  my  left 
fide  ;  my  right  hand  held  the  rifle  above  my 
head  in  a  last  wild  instinct  of  self-preservation. 

"Another  Bu'.len  roar — a  still  wilder  leap — 
and  the  lion  passed,  one  paw  striking  my 
shoulder  with  such  force  that  I  nearly  fell  to 
the  ground.  But,  as  he  sprang,  my  horse 
bounded  to  the  left  with  a  force  which  sent  our 
pursuer  rolling  over  upon  the  ground.  Before 
he  could  rise  I  had  reached  the  hill,  managed 
to  dismount,  and  fired  with  an  aim  which  it 
seemed  to  me  must  have  been  directed  by  some 
good  angel. 

"  I  broke  the  left  paw  of  the  brute,  just  at 
the  joint. 

"  He  darted  aside  t„.id  made  for  the  thicket, 
roarin™  till  the  very  air  shook,  and  even  my 
trained  anJ  courageous  horse  trembled  ia  eveiy 


466 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


limb,  though,  through  all  his 
fright,  he  obeyed  my  slightest 
word  or  signal. 

"  At  that  moment  the  rest  of 
the  party  rode  up ;  they  had 
followed  me,  and  the  sound  of 
my  rifle  had  warned  them  of  my 
adventure. 

"I  could  not  think  of  danger 
now  ;  the  hunter  instinct  was  at 
its  height.  I  could  only  remember 
that  my  prey  might  escape.  The 
men  surrounded  the  thicket.  I 
rode  wildly  over  the  trampled 
bushes  across  which  he  had  taken 
flight.  I  saw  him  again  cowering 
for  another  spring,  while  he  yelled 
with  rage  and  pain.  I  had 
snatched  a  gun  from  somebody's 
hand.  I  fired  once  mere,  and  a 
deeper  groan  told  with  what  suc- 
ce  s.  Again  the  trusty  bullet  hissed 
out ;  the  gisantic  animal  rolled 
over  upon  his  back ;  there  was  a 
last  roar,  a  fierce  struggle,  then 
he  lay  quite  still. 

"When  we  came  to  examine 
the  carcass  we  found  that  it  was 
an  old  lion,  very  fat,  and  enorm- 
ous in  size,  his  great  yellow 
claws  worn,  broken  >  and  reduced 
to  four  upon  the  forward  paw. 

"As  we  rode  back  to  camp, 
and  I  received  the  congratula- 
tions and  praise  of  my  com- 
panions, I  felt  no  thrill  of  exulta- 
tion —  nothing  but  a  deep  sense 
of  thankfulness  at  having  escaped 
that  horrible  peril.  Even  to  this 
day,  when  I  look  at  the  glossy 
skin  which  lies  in  my  library,  and 
which  my  children  regard  with 
such  pride,  I  only  wonder  at  the 
daring  spirit  which  could  have 
made  me  brave  such  hardships 
and  dangers  in  that  far  off  land." 


Algeria. 

Aloekia,  which  is  now  a  colony 
of  France,  was  formerly  one  of 
the  Barbary  States,  and  was  for 
three  centuries  a  nest  of  blood- 
thirsty pirates. 

In  181G  it  was  bombarded  by  a 
British  fleet,  under  Lord  Exmouth, 
who  compelled  the  Dey  to  sign 
a  treaty  abolishing  Christian 
slavery.  On  July  5,  1830,  it  was 
conquered  by  the  French,  and  the 
whole  country  around  it  made 
into  a  French  colony.  It  extends 
along  the  Mediterranean  about  six 
hundred  miles;  the  surface  is 
mountainous,  the  inhabitants  are 
mainly  Berbers,  Jews,  Moors, 
Turks,  Arabs,  and  Negroes,  with 
many  French,  and  a  few  other 
Europeans.  Their  manufactures 
and  exports  ar  much  the  same 
as  the  other  Barbary  States 
already  mentioned. 

A  little  to  the  east  of  Algier* 
j(  Tunis,  prindpallj  famous   for 


13ARBARY  STATE& 


467 


^*;:**ilii!li».,. 


1 

> 

OQ 


ffi 


468 


THE    WOELD'S    GBEAT    NATIONS 


being  the  site  of  the  far-famed  Carthage,  the 
rival  of  ancient  Bome. 

The  climate,  productions,  and  inhabitants  are 
much  the  same.  The  territories  of  Tunis  and 
Tripoli  formed  part  of  the  Carthaainian  State, 
which  was  totally  destroyed  by  the  Romans  one 
hundred  ani  forty  years  B.  c.  Tunis  was  be- 
siegel  by  Louis  IX.,  who  died  before  this  place 
in  1270  A.  D.  It  remained  under  African  liings 
till  takcin  by  Birbarossi,  who  was  expelled  by 
Charles  V.  of  Spain,  in  1585,  when  ten  thou- 
sand Christian  slaves  were  set  at  liberty.  In 
1653,  that  scourge  of  tyrants,  Oliver  Cromwell, 
sent  Admiral  Blake  to  chastise  the  Bey  for 
holdins  in  bondaic  some  British  subjects.  The 
Bey  delivered  them  up,  and  made  a  treaty  not 
to  capture  any  more  Englishmen. 


The  Kuins  of  Carthage, 

A  DKBP  and  melancholy  interest  attaches  to 
the  site  ol  the  capital  of  that  famous  empire 
which  once  disputed  with  nascent  Bome  the 
Bovereianty  of  the  world,  but  which  has  been 
obliterate!  from  living  history  for  nearly  two 
thousani  years.  The  wonderful  prosperity  and 
pow3r  of  the  all-ambitious  city,  its  commercial 
magnificence,  its  heroic  death-struggle,  and  the 
mournful  silence  that  has  so  long  brooded  over 
its  scircely  remembered  site,  fill  the  mind  that 
contemplates  them  with  a  feeling  alike  of  pity 
and  regret. 

The  mournful  lament  of  Byron,  "Assyria, 
Rome,  Greece,  Carthage,  where  are  they?"  is 
perhaps  one  of  the  mos-t  melancholy  lines  in 
the  English  laniruajre — silently  hinting,  as  it 
does,  at  the  decay  and  annihilation  which  are 
the  destiny  of  all  earthly  things.  The  "firmly 
rooted  grandeur  overthrown,"  which  is  so  me- 
lancholy a  spectacle  on  the  shore  where  once  fo 
great    a    commonwealth   existed,   is  a   lesson 


pregnant  with  sadness.  The  present  aspect  of 
the  site  of  Carthage  is  one  of  exceeding 
desolation.  For  centuries  the  great  harbor  has 
remained  unvisited,  save  by  the  galleys  of  the 
Tunisian  and  Algerine  navigators  and  pirates  ; 
and  the  only  habitations  in  the  neighborhood 
were,  within  a  few  years,  those  of  a  few  Arabs, 
who  pursued  the  avocations  of  fishermen  and 
cultivators  of  the  soil.  Of  late,  however,  some 
of  the  ministers  of  the  Bey  of  Tunis  have 
established  their  palaces  and  gardens  on  the 
banks  of  the  old  port,  which  is  now  partly 
filled  up.  Beyond,  in  the  bay,  is  the  anchor- 
age, which  extends  to  La  Goletta,  where  is  the 
entrance  of  the  Lake  of  Tunis,  over  which,  in 
the  far  distance,  is  seen  the  Mountain  of  Zawau, 
fifty  miles  away  from  whose  springs  Carthage 
was  supplied  with  water  ;  and  in  the  plain,  at 
our  feet,  huge  shapeless  masses  of  masonry  here 
and  there  break  the  surface  of  the  soil,  where 
stood  of  yore  some  gorgeous  temple  or  vast 
palace.  The  hill  on  which  we  stand  is  crowned 
by  a  walled  garden  containing  the  Chapel  of 
St.  Louis,  built  over  the  remains  of  that  ill-fated 
monarch,  who  ended  here  his  career  in  A.  n.  1270. 
In  the  plain  are  the  outlines  of  a  circus  and 
amphitheatre.  Half  a  mile  to  the  north-west 
is  the  village  of  Moalkah,  constructed  in  and 
upon  the  greater  cisterns,  which  were  supplied 
by  an  aqueduct  stretching  for  fifty  miles  to  the 
Mountain  of  Zawau,  and  whose  vast  masses  now 
lie  prostrate  in  a  long  line  across  this  plain.  In 
two  of  the  plains  which  it  crosses  beyond 
Tunis,  hundreds  of  its  arches  are  still  erect, 
the  greatest  number  being  in  the  plain  of 
Oudina,  two  hours  south  of  Tunis,  with  the 
jagged  outline  of  Djebel  Zawau  rising  beyond, 
where  stood  a  temple  over  the  copious  source 
that  supplied  the  aqueduct.  The  broken  ground 
at  the  opening  of  the  plain  is  the  further  bank 
of  the  Mileean,  over  whose  deep  bed  the  water 
is  carried  on  two  rows  of  arches. 


There  are  eighteen  dstems,  each  ninty-thret 
feet  long,  twenty  feet  wide,  and  twenty-sevea 
feet  high  ;  and  a  gallery  runs  down  the  build- 
ing on  each  side,  and  communicates  with  th» 
end  of  each  cistern.  These  cisterns  were 
supplied  by  rain-water  collected  on  the  roof. 

The  British  Government  has,  for  some  years 
past,  maintained  an  agent  at  Carthage,  whose 
excavations  have  been  rewarded  by  the  dis- 
covery of  magnificent  statues  and  architectural 
remains.  They  are  shipped,  as  discovered,  to 
England,  and  placed  in  that  grand  collection  of 
the  art  and  science  of  every  age — the  British 
Museum. 

Near  the  cisterns  are  the  remains  of  a  theatre  ; 
and  below,  near  the  shore,  is  the  greatest  of  all 
the  piles  of  ruin.  On  the  beach,  at  the  foot  of 
the  next  hill,  are  the  remains  of  the  water 
gate ;  beyond  which  again,  on  a  high  cape, 
stands  the  pretty  village  of  Sidi  Bon  Said, 
whose  sacred  precincts  till  within  the  last  few 
years  no  Christian  foot  was  permitted  to  enter. 
Groves  and  gardens  sweep  down  the  hill's 
western  face  to  Marsa,  where  are  the  Summer 
palace  of  the  bey  and  the  villas  of  some  of 
his  ministere,  and  of  the  consuls  of  foreign 
powers. 

The  Punic  city  probably  reached  as  far  as  this. 
Tlie  Roman  town  was  not  so  extensive.  Th» 
ruins  we  have  enumerated  are  all  that  remain 
on  the  vast  extent  Carthaqre  formerly  covered, 
and,  with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  the  cisterns 
and  aqueducts,  nothing  is  Punic.  All  the  re- 
mains above  ground  are  Roman.  Far  below 
the  soil  there  are  traces  of  its  earlier  masters. 
The  Greek  and  the  Arab,  the  Spaniard  and  the 
Moor,  each  in  turn  used  as  quarries  those  ruing 
which  the  storms  of  war  had  spared,  and  Africa 
and  Europe  have  alike  adorned  their  cities  with 
the  spoils  of  Tyre's  fair  dauerhter.  All  tho.-« 
who  know  her  past  history  will  feel  Bome  inr 
terest  in  her  present  state. 


mW  or  TKTDAN. 


ABYSSINIA. 


GT50GRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND   HISTORICAL    ?UMMART. 

VIOBIEfl  OP  ABTSSINIA— TIEWS  IN  ABYSSINIA— TEIEFSMELLINO  IN  ABYSSINIA— SWOED-HUNTER  KILLING  AN  ELEPHANT— PALM  STTTTOAY  IS  ACTS 
SINIA— CHURCH  AND  SHBINE  OF  ST.  ROMANUS,  NEAB  SENAFE— A  NATIVE  PLOWING  IN  ABYSSINIA— A  WOMAN  GBINDINO  COEN— FnNEBAL  OS 
THI  WIDOW  OF  KlNQ  THEODORE,  AT  AIKHnLLET— VILLAGE  UNDER  THE  ANTALA  "AMBA"— AN  ABYSSINIAN  1?AW-MEAT  FEAST— AN  ABTS> 
BINIAN  HonSE-THE  LATE  KING  THEODORE— GKOUP  OT  ShOHOS  AT  HAMHAMO  SPBINO,  TEKONDA  PASS— ABY88IMIAN  SOLDIBB8— AN  ABSS. 
SUUAM  UVtM—LlUi  AaiSamLiJi  UMiO—THH  BA:!lQUiU  A\A1UA— ABUitiLtiiAJi   Mr-JHOIt  UJf  ItUU/UitJUlSa  UBOCS. 


THIS  African  country  is  an  elevated  table- 
land lying  between  8  deg.  30  min.  and  15 
deg.  40  min.  North  Lat.,  and  between  35 
«md  42  deg.  East  Long. 

The  northeastern  edge  of  the  table -land  is 
directed  toward  the  Ked  Sea,  and  is  from  thirty 
-to  sixty  miles  from  its  shores;  the  other,  or 
inland  edges,  slope  away  to  a  lower  level  on 
•every  side,  so  that  if  the  surrounding  part  of 
Africa  were  covered  with  water  to  the  depth  of 
•a  few  hundred  feet,  the  whole  of  Abyssinia 
-would  form  an  island.  Though  Abyssinia  is 
•Bituated  between  the  Tropics,  its  productions 
rather  resemble  those  of  the  Temperate  than  of 
"the  Torrid  Zone.  There  are  some  small  plant- 
ations of  coffee,  and  cotton  is  grown  in  the 
Jower  parts  of  the  country. 

The  domestic  animals  consist  of  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  goats,  mules,  and  asses.  The 
Sanga  oxen  are  found  in  the  countries  south  of 
Antalo,  and  are  remarkable  for  the  great  size 
of  their  horns,  which  sometimes  are  nearly 
four  feet  long. 

Wild  animals  are  very  numerous ;  there  are 
lions,  elephants,  buffaloes,  leopards,  lynxes,  and 
other  ferocious  beasts.  There  are  also  eagles, 
^vultures,  ravens,  parrots,  geese,  ducks,  etc. 
'Hippopotami  are  abundant  in  Lake  Zana,  and 
-the  larger  rivers,  where  many  are  killed  annu- 
•ally  for  their  flesh  aud  hides.  Bees  are  so 
•common  in  that  country  that  honey  is  used 
instead  of  sugar. 

Gold  has  occasionally  been  found  in  Abys- 
;sinia,  as  well  as  iron. 

The  population  has  been  estimated  at  three 
millions.  The  bulk  of  the  people  belong  to  the 
Caucasian  race,  and  in  features  do  not  differ 
from  the  Bedouin  Arabs.  Another  race  is 
mingled  with  those,  more  resembling  the  negro. 
There  is  also  a  third  race,  called  the  Gallas. 

The  southeastern  portion  of  Abyssinia  con- 
•stitutes  the  kingdom  or  district  of  Shoa.  The 
Jamma,  one  of  its  rivers,  is  the  largest  tributai-y 
which  the  Abai  receives  on  the  table-iand  of 
Abyssinia;  it  drains  a  wide  extent  of  country, 
and  brings  a  great  volume  of  water  to  the  Abdi. 
Hie  valley  of  tije  Jamma  appears  to  ^R  inciosed 


on  the  north  as  well  as  on  the  south  by  high 
mountains,  which  rise  from  four  to  five  thou- 
sand feet  above  its  level ;  the  ascent  is  precipi- 
tous, but  there  is  usually  a  terrace  between  two 
steep  acclivities.    The  number  of  rivers  which 
join  the  Jamma  from  the  south  is  very  great. 
Though  their  course  toward  the  interior  of  the 
table-land   is  not  rapid,  they  run  with  great 
velocity  as  they  approach  its  northern  edge, 
and  most  of  them  fall  precipitously  several 
hundred  feet  into  a  ravine,  in  which  they  con- 
tinue to  flow  to  their  receptacle ;  thus  the  edge 
of  the  table- land  is  cut  by  narrow  valleys  into 
a  great  number  of  comparatively  narrow  ridges, 
which  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  very  mount- 
ainous  country.     The  southern  edge  of  this 
table-land  is  not  well  known ;  but  the  eastern 
edge  descends  by  a  slope  from  an  elevation  of 
eight  thousand  to  one  of  two  thousand  feet. 
This  steep  descent  is  much  broken,  consisting 
of  a  succession  of  valleys  and  hills,  which  are 
partly  wooded  and  partly  cultivated.     The  vil- 
lages are  small,  but  numerous  ;  they  consist  of 
a  few  houses,  which  have  a  circular  form,  with 
a  conical  roof,  and  are  perched  on  the  sides  or 
summits  of  the  hills.     At  the  edge  of  the  slope 
is  the  town  of  Ankobar,  elevated  no  less  than 
eight  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight 
feet  above  the  sea ;  a  few  miles  from  Ankcibar 
are  mountains  eleven  thousand  feet  in  height. 
The  country  which  lies  contiguous  to  the  steep 
ascent  of  the  table-land  (from  9  deg.  30  min. 
to  11  deg.  North  Lat.  'i  on  the  west  continues  for 
a  short  distance  to  preserve  the  elevation  of  the 
edge,  and  then  slopes  gently  to  the  west.     The 
surface  is  generally  level,  forming  plains  inter- 
spersed with  small  hills  or  short,  low  ridges,  and 
is  distinguished  for  the  deep  depressions  in 
which  the  rivers  run  ;  they  fall  down  in  cata- 
racts several  hundred  feet  high  into  deep  ba- 
sins, and  below  these  basins  they  continue  to 
flow  between  steep  and  lofty  banks ;  the  descent 
to  them  is  frequently  five  hundred  or  even  one 
thousand  feet.     The  valley  through  which  the 
Eachena,  an  affluent  of  the  Wanchit,  runs,  Is 
three  thousand  feet  below  the  upper  edge  of  its 
banks-  and  the  general  level  of  the  country. 


These  valleys  are  generally  well  wooded :  but 
the  table-lands  between  them  are  destitute  of 
trees  and  bushes,  and  are  only  used  as  pasture- 
ground. 

O'  the  manners  of  the  Abyssinians  of  Groa> 
dar  we  have  an  elaborate  picture  by  Bruce ; 
which  has,  however,  always  been  received  with 
some  doubt.  He  describes  a  feast  of  the  higher 
classes,  in  which  a  cow  or  bull  is  brought  to 
the  door  ;  the  feet  are  tied  ;  the  skin  is  stripped 
off  the  hind  quarters,  aud  the  flesh  is  cut  off 
from  the  buttocks  in  solid  square  pieces.  Thaft 
the  Abyssinians  eat  raw  flesh  occasionally  has 
been  proved  by  Pearce,  who  once  saw  soma 
brutal  Lasta  soldiers,  on  a  marauding  expedi. 
tion,  while  driving  a  cow,  cut  two  steaks  from 
the  rump,  which  they  devoured  raw,  to  satisfy 
their  craving  hunger,  the  animal  was  then 
driven  on  to  the  camp  and  killed.  But  Pearce, 
who  had  been  several  years  in  Tigre,  never 
heard  of  such  feasts  as  Bruce  describes ;  nor 
did  Salt  meet  with  any  corroboration  of  the 
more  highly  colored  portions  of  Brace's  narra- 
tive. Salt,  who  lived  three  weeks  at  Chelicut, 
saw  the  Has,  or  chief,  daily,  and  was  often  in- 
vited to  his  evening  repasts,  saw  none  of  the  in- 
decencies  and  grossness  which  Bruce  portrays: 
intoxication,  however,  is  common  at  feasts. 

Abyssinians  even  now  are  not  without  their 
authors  and  painters,  and  they  are  generally 
fond  of  pictures,  with  which  they  line  the 
inside  of  their  churches,  and  de'.,orate  their 
chief  apartments. 

Of  the  languages  of  Abyssinia,  ont.  frJled 
the  Geez  or  Ethiopian,  resembles  the  Sanscrit 
of  India  in  being  a  dead  language,  in  which  the 
sacred  books  are  written.  The  spoken  languages 
are  derived  from  it,  and  constitute  four  dialects, 
namely,  the  languages  of  Amhara,  Tigre,  Shoa, 
and  of  the  Yejjoos.  They  are  comprehended 
under  the  name  of  Amharic  languages;  and 
differ  considerably  ,  but  the  people  understanc/ 
one  another,  and  do  not  need  an  interpreter. 
The  language  of  Gondar  is  considered  to  be  the 
purest  Amharic.  The  language  of  the  Grallas 
is  radically  different.  There  are  also  three 
other  languages  spoken  in  Abyssinia. 


470 


THE     WORLD'S     GREAT    NATIONS. 


WOMEN  OF  ABYSSINIA. 


Women  of  Abyssinia. 

The  women  of  high  rank  wear  a  taube  of 
brilliant  white,  with  a  broad  scarlet  band. 
Silver  bracelets  adorn  their  wrists  and  ankles. 
The  nails  are  died  red  with  henna ;  and  their 
frizzled  hair  is  kept  stiff  with  butter  !  which  in 
the  heat  streams  down  on  the  bronzed  neck  and 
shoulders. 

The  dress  of  the  women  of  lower  rank  differs 
but  little,  diminishinjj  only  in  quantity  and 
quality, 

■*  «  * 

Views  in  Abyssinia. 

In  our  engraving  of  the  priests  and  villagers 
of  Wadella,  singing  the  Song  of  Moses  before 
Sir  Robert  Napier,  we  represent  a  little  musical 
cntert  linment  got  up  by  the  natives  of  that 
district  to  express  their  tkanks  for  their  deliver- 
ance from  the  yoke  of  Theodorug. 

The  Fair  at  Antala,  which  is  one  of  our 
Abyssinian  subjects,  ii  held  every  Wednesdiy. 
All  the  inhabitants  within  twenty  mibs  then 
congregite  at  Antala  to  dispose  of  their  grain, 
vegetables,  DuUocks,  and  other  agricultural 
produce,  returnin-;;  with  bricks  of  salt,  which 
are  the  current  coin  of  the  realm. 

In  connection  with  our  engraving  of  the 
seen?  where  the  mangled  remains  of  the  victims 
of  tho  last  massacre  of  Theo.iorus  lay  at  the  foot 
of  the  precipice,  the  following  narrative  is  so 
interestini,  that  we  publish  it  in  full,  as  the 
most  terrible  and  revolting  episode  of  the 
Abyf  i.iiau  expaditioa: 


The  native  captives  were  formed  in  line  before 
the  quarters  of  the  imprisoned  Euiopeans. 
King  Theodorus  arrayed  himself  in  his  state 
robes  and  donned  his  imperial  crown,  and  rode 


to  where  the  captives  stoo<l  in  two  parallel 
lines,  surrounded  by  his  soluiers.  After  dis- 
mounting, the  king  walked  backward,  up  and 
down  the  line,  eyeing  us  sternly,  and  a  sort  of 
barbaric  majesty  pervaded  every  motion.  Seem- 
ingly satisfied  with  his  inspection,  he  strode 
quickly  and  nervously  to  the  centre  of  the  line, 
and  impatiently  throwing  his  silken  togti  over 
his  left  shoulder,  and  pushing  his  crown  from 
his  brow  backward,  probably  so  as  to  have  a 
clearer  \ie\v  of  hia  victims,  he  hirscd  through 
liis  closed  teeth  to  the  native  captives,  saying: 

"  Behold,  I  am  going  to  slay  you,  because  I 
called  you,  and  you  refused ;  1  stretched  out 
my  hand  i:nploringly  to  you,  and  you  regarded 
me  not ;  you  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof.  Now  I  will  laugh 
at  your  calamity ;  ha,  ha  !  I  will  mock  as  your 
fear  comes  ;  when  your  fear  comes  as  destruc- 
tion and  your  destruction  comes  as  a  whirlwind  ; 
when  distress  and  anguish  comes  upon  you." 

Then,  turning  to  his  sok'icrs,  he  ordered 
them  to  separate  those  whom  he  named,  and 
after  ninety  men,  women  and  boys  had  been 
separated  from  the  rest,  cocking  his  pistols,  ho 
shouted  out: 

"  Now,  who  shall  I  destroy  first  ?" 

No  answer. 

"■What!"  said  he,  sarcastically  ;  "  are  thera- 
none  of  these  princes  and  warriors  of  Ethiopia 
desirous  of  dying  by  the  hand  of  Theodorus  f 
have  you  all  turned  women  when  the  hour  of 
death  is  ni^h?" 

"  Hold  1"  shouted  Eas  Ingerta,  a  Galla  chief  r 
"I  and  my  fellows  are  i:i  your  power  new  ^ 
but,  Kassai,  why  did  you  lie  to  me  ?  Why,  oh, 
why  was  I  such  an  ass  as  to  listen  to  your  sublla 
words?  Wliy  did  I  come  and  put  my  head  ia 
the  lion's  jaws?  Oh,  for  one  minute  neck  to 
neck  with  you,  Kassai  I  I  would  show  you  how 
a  Galla  warrior  meets  his  enemy.  Give  me  ,1. 
spear  and  a  horse,  and  meet  me  fairly  r.nd 
equally  here  only  for  two  minutes  ;   I  woulj- 


KASSAl.  PKxKOB  09  TtOajt,  8EAIED  Ui  8IAXB. 


ABYSSINIA. 


471 


kill  you  and  curse 
you.  You  dare  not. 
Prisoner  as  I  am,  with 
chains  on  my  limbs, 
I  would  fight  you  if 
you  dared  to  meet 
me." 

"No,"  returned 
Theodoras,  with  in- 
cre;ising  warmth  in 
his  countenance  ; 
"you  tried  to  betray 
me  to  my  enemies  ; 
spy  and  traitor,  you 
phall  be  food  for  the 
jackal  to-night.  On 
the  heads  of  all  those 
who  have  compassed 
me  about,  the  mis- 
chief of  their  own 
lips  shall  curse  them. 
Let  them  be  cast  into 
the  tire,  into  the  f'eep 
pit,  that  they  rise  not 
up  asjain.  Strip  these 
fellows,"  said  he, 
"and  let  them  behold 

each  other's  shame,  and  give  me  their  exact 
number." 

Their  rags  were  torn  from  them,  and  each 
man,  woman  and  boy  stood  bofore  him  naked. 
The  number  of  those  whom  he  had  ordered  for 
execution  was  three  hundred  and  eight — two 
hundred  and  seventy-tive  men,  five  women  and 
twenty-eight  boys.     He  then  said: 

"  Spear  the  Galla  dog,  Ingerta !  Spear  him, 
I  say!" 

And  Eas  Ourary  Eurie,  ever  ready  to  obey 
Theodorus,  leveled  a  spear  and  flung  it  at  his 
breast. 


A  NATIVE  PLOWrua   IV    ABYSSINIA. 

"  Thou  hast  done  well."  said  the  king,  as  he 
saw  the  weapon  had  gone  deep  into  his  bosom ; 
but  Eas  Ingerta  plucked  it  out  of  the  wound, 
and  flung  it  contemptuously  at  Theodorus's 
feet.  "  Another  one,"  shouts  Tlieodorus,  "  spear 
him  again  ! ' '  -and  six  chiefs  immediately  sank 
their  weapons  into  his  body. 

The  wounded  chief  stood  up  bravely,  and 
drew  them  out  one  after  anotlier,  the  blood 
spurting  from  his  wounds  in  crimson  streams, 
when  he  fell  down  and  died.  Impatient  at  the 
slow  progre.5s  of  the  execution,  the  king  shot 
ten  dead  with  his  own  hand,  and,  throwing  his 


revolvei  away,  he 
drew  his  sword,  and 
leaped  toward  the 
tremb".ing  prisoners. 
Eyeing  them  a  mo- 
ment, he  seemed  to 
choose  one  for  whom 
he  entertained  a  per- 
fect hatred,  for  he 
said  to  him: 

"  Ah,  your  hour  has 
come.  I  am  going 
to  drink  your  blood," 
and,  raiiiing  his 
sword,  he  cut  hisliead 
off  at  one  blow,  and 
then  lie  drew  it  again 
across  his  abdomen. 

Theodorus's  fac« 
and  clothes  were 
covered  with  gore, 
and,  like  a  tiger  who 
had  tasted  blood,  this 
seemed  to  Increase 
his  fury.  He  foamed 
at  the  lips,  and  his 
eyes  became  blood- 
shot. After  stabbing  and  cutting  about  fifty 
with  his  own  hand,  he  rested,  and  ordered  that 
his  chiefs  should  try  their  hands.  Many  of 
them  had  personal  hatred  against  t'icir  captives, 
and  they  proceeded  with  an  astonishing  alacrity 
with  the  awful  task  of  massacre.  Whenever  he 
witnessed  dextrous  blows,  he  applauded,  but 
when  he  saw  cuts  given  that  but  miiimcd  the 
poor  wretches,  the  king  would  spring  up  and 
demonstrate  what  an  easy  matter  it  was  to  send 
a  head  clean  off  the  shoulders,  by  choosing  a 
strong,  sturdy  prisoner  and  decapitating  him 
with   his  own  hand.     A  young  and  beautiful 


AflOAOEEBS,  OK   SWORD-HUVtERS   IN   ABYSSINIA. 


472 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


THIEF  SMELLING   IN   ABTSBINIA. 


woman  of  high  rank,  perceiving  that  her  time 
■was  coming  rapidly,  ran  up  to  where  Theodorus 
leaned  upon  his  dripping  sword,  and,  throwing 
herself  at  his  feet,  entreated,  in  piteous  tones, 
that  he  would  spare  lier  life. 

"  No  !"  thundered  Theodorus.  "You  came 
to  my  camp  twice  as  a  spy.  Once  I  spared 
you,  hecause  one  of  my  chiefs  asked  that  you 
might  he  his  wife.  Now,  hy  the  Saviour  of  Ihc 
world,  you  shall  sleep  below  the  cliff  of  Magdala 
to-night." 

So  saying,  while  she  yet  hent  with  her  face 
to  the  ground,  with  his  whole  might  he  deliv- 
ered a  blow  wbicli  almost  sjvcred  her  in  two ! 
Horrible  as  it  may  seem,  a  child  pushed  out  of 
the  womb,  and  several  of  the  European  women 
sickened  and  fainted  at  the  sight.  A  boy  prince, 
son  of  one  of  the  rebellious  governors  who  was 
still  at  large,  was  next -killed  by  a  sweeping 
blow,  which  took  his  heal  and  left  arm  off.  In 
about  an  hour  and  a  half  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  wholesale  execution  the  massacre 
was  completed,  and  as  fast  as  each  one  had  been 
sl.^in,  the  body  was  carriel  to  the  edge  of  the 
cliff  and  thrown  down  a  height  of  fifty  feet  or 
more.  At  the  bottom  of  the  cliff  were  several 
great  rocks,  scattered  hero  and  there,  and  these 
were  covered  with  brains  and  blood.  A  ghastly 
heap  of  corrupting  flcsli  was  all  that  was  left  of 
three  hundred  and  eight  human  souls,  who  but 
shortly  before  had  been  the  friends  in  captivity 
of  the  Europeans.  Tlie  human  shambles  con- 
tained ix>ols  of  blood  and  gore,  in  several  places 
nearly  a  foat  deep. 


to  this  country.  Our  own  detectives  are  smart, 
and,  give  them  but  the  slightest  clue,  they  are 
supposed  to  be  able  to  unravel  the  most  intri- 
cate affairs  ;  but  they  are  nothing  to  the  Leba- 
shi  of  Abyssinia,  for  they  know  not  of  the 
mode  by  which  they  shall  track  out  a  thief  by 
the  smell. 

Dr.  Krapf,  a  hate  traveler  in  Abyssinia,  gives 
us  information  on  this  point.     He  says: 

"It  is  very  noticeable  the  mode  adopted  in 
Ghoa  fcr  the  detection  of  thieves.  The  Lal)ashi 
(thief-catcher)  is  Kiucb  feared,  and  belongs  to 
the  servants  of  the  State.   When  a  theft  has 


been  committed,  the  sufferer  gives  information 
to  this  official,  upon  wliich  he  sends  his  servant 
a  certain  dose  of  black  meal  compounded  with 
milk,  on  which  he  mak.-s  iiim  smoke  tobacco. 
The  servant  is  thrown  into  a  state  of  frenzy,  in 
which  state  he  goes  from  house  to  house,  craw  1- 
ing  on  his  hands  and  feet  like  one  out  of  his 
mind.  After  he  has  smelt  about  a  number  of 
house.? — the  Lebashi  all  the  time  holding  him 
tight  by  a  cord  fastened  round  the  body — he 
goes  at  last  into  a  house,  lays  on  its  owner's 
bed  and  sleeps  for  some  time.  His  master  then 
arouses  him  with  blows,  and  he  awakes  and 
arrests  the  owner  of  the  house,  who  is  forth- 
with dragged  before  the  priests,  and  they  make 
the  victim  cf  the  robbery  swear  that  he  will 
not  assess  more  than  the  real  value  of  the  arti- 
cles stolen.  The  person  into  whose  house  the 
entry  is  made  is  regarded  as  the  thief,  and  is 
forced  to  pay,  whether  he  be  innocent  or  guilty. 
No  wonder  that  the  population  trembles  when 
the  I.ebashi  i.s  seen  in  tiie  streets,  and  that 
everybody  tri:s  to  be  on  good  terms  with  him, 
as  there  is  no  saying  when  he  will  make  his 
appearance  in  the  house." 
ii^i> 

Sword  Hunters  Killing  an  Elephant. 

Among  the  Hanram  Arabs  is  a  class  called 
Aggageers,  or  Sword-hunters,  who  always  go 
three  together,  carrying  no  arms  but  a  swonl, 
and  on  a  swift  horse  attack  and  slay  at  a  single 
blow  the  fierce  African  elephant.  Sir  S.  Baker 
witnessed  one  of  these  exploits,  and  thus  he 
describes  the  exciting  scene: 

"Having  discovered  the  haunt  of  a  large  and 
fierce  brute,  Rodur,  mounted  on  a  fleet  mare, 
proceeied  to  the  spot  with  his  two  companions. 
Taher  Sherrif ,  and  his  brother  Ibrahim,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  him  in  front  while  they  operated 
in  the  rear. 

"  With  a  shrill  scream  the  elephant  dashed 
upon  him  like  an  avalanche.  Kound  went  the 
mare,  as  though  on  a  pivot,  and  Rodur,  looking 
over  his  left  shoulder,  kept  his  distance  so  close 
to  the  elephant  that  its  outstretched  trunk  was 
'within  a  few  feet  of  the  mare's  tail. 


Thief  Smelling  in  Abyssinia. 
In  Abyssinia  thr>y  have  a  deliihtfu!  mode  of 
finding  out  a  thief;  a  mode,  which,  in  spite  of 
<ta  simplicity,  wo  should  hate  to  see  transferred 


INTERIOR   OF    AN    ABTSSINIAJI  ROUSE. 


ABYSSINIA. 


413 


"Taher  Sherrif  and  his  brother  Ibrahim  swept 
down  liko  falcons  in  the  rear.  When  close  to 
the  tail  of  the  elephant,  'laher  Sherrif,  grasping 
his  trusty  blade,  leaped  nimbly  to  the  ground, 
at  the  siime  time  Ibrahim  caught  the  rein.ol 
his  horse  ;  two  or  three  bounds  on  foot,  with 
the  sword  clutched  in  both  hands,  and  he  wa> 
close  behind  the  elephint.  A  bright  elance 
shone  like  lightoing  as  the  sun  struck  upon  the 
descending  ste -1  ;  this  was  followed  by  a  dull 
crack,  as  the  sword  cut  through  the  skin  and 
sinews,  and  S3ttled  deep  in  the  bone,  about 
twelve  inches  above  the  foot.  At  the  next 
stride  the  elephant  halted  dead  short  in  the 
midst  of  its  tremendous  charge.  Taher  had 
jumped  quickly  on  one  side,  and  had  vaulted 
into  the  saddle  witli  his  naked  sword  in  hand. 
At  the  same  moment,  Rodur,  who  had  led  the 
chaio,  turned  sharp  round,  and  again  faced  the 
elephant  as  before ;  stooping  quickly  from  the 
saddle,  he  picked  up  from  the  groun  1  a  handful 
of  dirt,  which  he  threw  into  the  face  of  the 
vicious  -  looking  animal,  that  once  more  at- 
tempted to  rush  upon  him.  It  was  impossible ! 
the  foot  was  dislocated,  and  turned  up  in  front 
like  an  old  shoe.  In  an  instant  Taher  was  once 
more  on  foot,  and  again  the  sharp  sword  slashed 


PALM   SUNDAY   IN    ABYSSINIA. 


door  on  the  women's  side  of  the  church,  where 
the  entire  ceremony  is  repeated. 


Ohurch  and  Shrine  of  St.  Eomanus,  near 
Senafe,  Abyssinia. 

The  old  race  of  Abyssinians  who  claim  to  be 
the  descendants  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  by 
Solomon,  King  of  Israel,  observe  a  creed  which 
is— as  far  as  it  goes— substantially  that  of  the 
Greek  Church,  but  many  Jewish  rites  and 
articles  of  belief  are  still  m  untaiued  in  addition. 
Among  the  historical  reminiscences  of  this 
strange  people,  none  seem  more  sacred  to  them 
than  the  legend  of  St.  Romanus.  This  hermit 
and  martyr  is  believed  to  have  penetrated  into 
Abyssinia  early  in  the  Fifteenth  century  from 


Alexandria,  and.after  converting  many  heathens, 
was  seized  by  the  tiatives,  barbarously  treated, 
and  finally  driven  to  the  rocks  and  caves  sur- 
rounding his  shrine,  which  is  sliown  at  the  left 
comer  of  our  illustration. 

Upon  a  rudL'ly-fashioned  rock  within  the 
little  inclosure  lie  the  bones  of  the  marty^ 
saint,  over  which  a  worm-eaten  vail  has  been 
cast.  The  double  doorway  is  the  entrance  to 
the  church  dedicated  to  the  saint,  and  contains 
some  fine  specimens  of  Byzantine  carving  in 
wood,  various  paintings  representing  the  ex- 
pulsion of  our  first  parents  from  Eden,  and 
other  religious  characters  are  depicted  upon  the 
walls  outside.  There  is  a  convent  attached  to 
this  humble-looking  church,  which  contains  ten 
monks  and  twenty  nuns. 


ABYSSINIAN. 

the  remaining  leg.  The  great  bull  elephant  could 
not  move.  The  first  cut  with  the  sword  had 
utterly  disabled  it;  the  second  was  its  death- 
blow ;  the  arteries  of  the  leg  were  divided,  and 
the  blood  spouted  in  jets  from  the  wounds." 


Palm  Sunday  in  Abyssinia. 

OcR  engraving  represents  the  native  church 
ceremonies  of  Palm  Sunday : 

The  services  began  in  the  church  shortly 
after  daybreak,  and  consisted  principally  of 
singing,  and  a  series  of  amusing  contortions  ex- 
hibited by  the  men.  As  soon  as  the  priests  had 
robed  themselves,  in  the  Holy  of  Holies,  they 
came  from  the  church,  and  at  a  side-door  bejan 
that  portion  of  the  service  which  is  represented 
in  our  illustration.  Leaves  and  small  branches 
of  palm  are  presented  to  every  one  present,  and 
then  a  copy  of  the  Scriptures  in  Coptic,  written 
on  sheepskin,  and  bound  in  brown  leather,  is 
held  up  by  two  of  the  younger  clergy,  while  an 
aged  priest  stands  before  it  with  a  richly  orna- 
mented wooden  cross,  and  reads  selections  from 
the  volume.  A  psalm  is  then  sung,  a  little  boy 
marking  the  time  with  a  bell,  and  the  entire 
party — priests   and  worshipers — march   to  the 


RELIGIOUS  CKBEHONY   AT  WADEL\. 


474 


THE    WORLD'S    GRE\T    NATIONS 


ANKOBAB,  THE  RESIDENCE  OF  TUB  NEGUS   OF  CHOAR. 


A  Native  Plowing  in  Abyssinia. 
The  plows  used  by  the  natives  of  this  now 
interesting  country  resemble  very  closely  those 
employed  throughout  Hindoostan.  In  the  In- 
dian plow  the  blade  is  a  separate  piece,  and  the 
handle  is  a  piece  of  wood  inserted  into  the  end 
of  the  ox-pole,  usually  standing  upright.  The 
one  shown  in  our  illustration  is  of  a  more  rur'e 
construction,  the  handle  held  by  the  driver 
going  through  the  long  pole  and  forming  the 
share.  The  point  which  cuts  the  ground  is 
capped  with  iron,  and  the  handle  is  further  so- 
eured  by  a  chain-work  of  rope.  The  driver  is 
clothed  only  with  a  pair  of  thin  short  breeches, 
this  simple  costume  being  that  of  the  Abys- 
sinian peasantry. 


A  "Woman  Grinding  Oorn. 
The  operation  of  grinding  corn  is  performed 
by  rubbing  the  grain  between  two  stones.  Tlie 
lower  stone,  which  in  this  case  appears  to  have 
been  used  considerably,  rests  upon  a  large  block 
made  of  clay,  which  is  furnished  with  deep 
holes,  into  which  the  flour  is  swept  when 
ground.  The  kernels,  previous  to  being  ground, 
are  roasted  in  a  pan,  which  render  them  very 
brittle.  The  woman  is  surrounded  by  the  im- 
plements necessary  for  her  work,  and  carries  her 
infant  on  her  back  in  a  manner  similar  to  our 
Indian  mothers.  She  is  dressed  in  a  petticoat 
of  coarse  cotton,  and  an  upper  garment  of 
leather,  which  is  formed  into  a  sack  for  the 
baby,  and  gathered  at  the  wai^t  with  a  strap. 
The  upper  part  of  tins  garment,  as  well  as  hex 
head-dress,  is  ornamented  with  rows  of  chowries 

or  shells. 

ii»ii 

Puneral  of  the  Widow  of  King  Theodore, 

at  Aikhullet. 
Walata  Tekla  Haimanout,  the  only  legiti- 
mate wife  of  the  late  King  Theodore,  died  in 
the  camp  of  SirEobert  Napier,  at  Aikhullet,  on 
May  15.  1868,  just  one  month  after  the  death  of 
her  husband. 
The  late  queen  was  about  eighteen  years  of 


age,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  only  person 
in  Abyssinia  who  was  not  afraid  of  the  king. 
For  the  last  three  years,  she  had  beer,  living 
apart  from  her  royal  husband  at  Magdala,  in 
consequence  of  a  severe  quarrel  which  occurred 
in  the  family.  The  funeral  ceremonies  were 
observed  at  about  seven  o'clock  on  the  day  fol- 
lowing her  decease.  The  corpse  was  laid  out 
in  a  large  tent,  and  long  before  the  hour  ap- 
pointed for  the  service,  the  remains  were  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  queen's  female  attendants. 
Who  gave  expression  to  their  feelings  of  sorrow 
in  agonizing  wails.  Each  of  these  mourners 
bore  some  souvenir  of  her  deceased  mistress, 
and  portions  of  her  wardrobe,  her  silver  orna- 
ments, golden  slippers,  charms  for  the  preven- 
tion of  calamities,  and  elegant  drinking-ciips, 
were  waved  above  the  heads  of  the  group  on 
short  sticks 

As  the  time  approachei  for  the  body  to  be 
covered,  the  attendants  stamped  the   ground 


with  their  feet,  tore  their  hair,  and  scratched' 
their  faces  until  the  blood  came.  The  body 
was  bound  in  several  winding-sheets,  and  then 
a  beautiful  Delhi  scarf,  of  rich  gold,  presented 
by  General  Napier,  was  spread  over  the  remains, 
and  the  religious  exercises  commenced.  Prayers 
were  read,  and  psalms  sung  by  the  priests  of 
the  church,  and  at  nine  o'clock,  a  party  of  the 
40th  (King's  Own),  attended  by  the  band,  sur- 
rounded the  tent,  and  prepared  to  escort  the 
remains  to  the  grave.  The  body  was  placed 
upon  a  bier  covered  with  the  Delhi  scarf,  and 
was  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  four  Abyssinians. 
A  richly  ornamented  umbrella  was  carried  bo- 
fore  the  bier,  and  the  priests,  with  the  symbols' 
of  their  office,  followed  in  close  proximity.  As 
the  procession  moved  off,  the  soldiers  reversed 
their  arms,  and  the  band  played  an  appropriate 
funeral  dirge.  Tlie  remains  of  the  queen  were 
deposited  in  the  church  at  Chelikut,  three  miles 
from  Aikhullet. 

Yillage  Under  the  Antola  "  Amba." 
Our  illustration  represents  a  village  under 
the  Antola  "Amba,"  or  hill-fort,  the  houses  of 
which  are  built  of  mud,  of  a  round  shape,  and 
with  thatched  conical  roofs.  The  town  of  An- 
tola itself  is  situated  on  a  terrace  which  j.ts  out 
from  the  side  of  a  steep  hill,  and  is  a  tumble- 
down old  place,  and  fully  one-half  in  ruins. 
Some  of  the  ruins  merely  show  the  sites  of 
former  dwellings  ;  others  are  a  fevv  feet  above 
ground,  and  some  only  unroofed. 

An  Abyssinian  Eaw  Meat  least. 

A  French  traveler  thus  describes  a  state 
banquet  which  he  attended  at  Sanibrd,  the  resi- 
dence of  Ato  Kema,  Governor  of  Salowa: 

"  A  banqueting  hall  of  a  rustic  description 
was  soon  formed  of  boughs,  and  the  interior 
was  traversed  by  osier  t  ibles,  a'oout  two  feet 
high.  On  those,  before  each  guest,  rose  piles- 
of  teff  cakes,  wheaten  biscuit,  barley  and  beans. 
Part  of  the  guests  were  ranged  in  expectance 
along  the  walls. 

"  The  governor  and  his  European  guests  wer* 


WEEKLY  FAIB   AT  ANTAUh 


ABYSSINIA. 


47S 


at  the  head  of  the  table  on  a  sarir,  covered  with 
rich  carpet  and  cushions.  'I'lie  other  guests 
squatted  on  the  ground.  A  priest  sail  grace, 
to  which  all  responded  with  a  hearty  amen  and 
the  sign  of  the  cross.  Then  the  servants 
bro'ight  in  the  viands.  The  first  course  was 
broundou,  the  fivorite  dish  of  tlie  Abyssini  n  — 
in  plain  English,  raw  meat,  warm  and  fresh 
from  two  large  oxen,  killed  and  quartered 
before  the  eyes  of  the  guests. 

"  The  prince,  from  the  first  piece  brought  in, 
cut  off  a  couple  of  pounds ;  and  each,  as  it 
passed  around,  cut  off 
his  share.  Meanwhile, 
other  servants  carried 
around  at  the  lower 
end  whole  quarters, 
which  diminished  rap- 
idly. The  sight  was 
the  more  horrid  and 
sickening  that  guests 
are  required,  by  Abys- 
sinian etiquette,  to 
throw  back  the  tauhe, 
or  cloak,  and  thus  the 
whole  upper  part  of 
the  body  was  naked. 

"They  looked  like 
demons,  with  their 
bloody  hands  and 
faces  and  flashing 
eyes.  Some  cut  off 
pieces  to  thrust  in  the 
mouth ;  others  caught 
the  meat  with  their 
teeth  anl  cut  off  a 
piece  small  enou.'jh  to 
master.  The  soldiers 
around  the  room  used 


A^'    ABYSSINIAN   KAW    MEAT   FEAST. 

their  cimeters  for  this  ofiice,  apparently  to  the 
constant  peril  of  their  nose  and  eyes. 

"Dishes  full  of  leef  and  mutton,  variously 
prepared,  followed,  in  all  cases  hot  with  red 
pepper,  and  when  the  insatiable  appetites  seemed 
to  be  somewhat  appeased,  liquid  appeared,  for 
they  never  eat  and  drink  together.  Tech,  a 
kind  of  hydromel,  and  bouza,  a  species  of  beer, 
were  brought  on  without  stint ;  and  the  horn- 
cups  were  filled  and  emptied  with  inconceivable 
rapidity,  the  hilarity  of  the  guests  increasing 
till  the  confusion  became  fearful  beyond  all 


WOMAN  GBIXDING   COEN  IN  THE  PrOVINCB  OF  TIGRE. 


power  of  description.  If  the  scene  was  shock- 
ing before,  it  had  now  become  a  perfect  pande- 
monium." 

Bruce,  in  his  travels,  thus  alludes  to  a  similai 
feast,  on  a  grander  scale: 

"My  melancholy,  however,  was  in  some 
degree  dissipated  by  t'.ie  festivities  which  took 
place  at  Gondar  at  this  time,  in  consequence  ol 
the  marriage  of  Ozoro  Aya'.dar,  the  grand- 
daughter of  Michael,  to  Powussen,  the  governor 
of  Begender. 

"The  kin;j  gave  her  extensive  districts  of 
land  in  that  province, 
and  Eas  Michael  a 
large  portion  of  gold, 
muskets,  cattle  and 
horses.  All  who  wished 
to  be  well  looked  upon 
by  either  party  brought 
something  as  a  present. 
"The  Eas,  Ozora 
Esther  and  Ozoro 
Altash  entertained  all 
Gondar.  Large  num- 
bers of  cattle  were 
slaughtered  every  day^ 
and  the  town  looked 
like  one  great  market 
— the  common  people 
in  every  street  appear- 
ing loaded  with  pieces 
of  raw  beef,  while 
drink  was  distributed 
with  like  profusion. 

"  ITie  Ras  inristcd 
on  my  dining  with 
him  every  day,  when 
he  was  sure  to  give 
me    a    headache  witk 


416 


THE    WOELD'S     GREAT    NATIONS 


ABYSSINIAN   WARRIORS. 


the  quantity  of  meed  or  hydromel  which  lie 
forced  me  to  swallow.  After  dinner  we  slipped 
away  to  parties  of  ladies,  where  anarchy 
prevailed  as  completely  as  at  the  house  of  the 
Has.  All  the  married  women  ate,  drank,  and 
smoked  like  the  men  ;  and  it  is  impossible 
to  convey  to  the  reader,  in  terms  of  common 
■decency,  any  i'ea  of  this  bacchanalian  and  ex- 
traordinary gathering. 

"I  have  witnessed  in  Abyssinia  bloody  ban- 
quets, in  which  the  live  animal  was  fed  upon ; 
and  certainly  a  more  demoralized  scene  I  have 
never  experienced.  I  will  describe  one  of  these 
banquets  and  that  only  so  far  as  decency  will 
i^rmit : 

"  A  cow  or  bull  (more  than  one  if  the  com- 
pany is  very  large)  is  brought  close  to  the  door 
of  the  room-  in  which  the  guests  are  assembled, 
and  is  l.iid  upon  the  ground,  with  the  feet 
strongly  tied.  After  inflicting  a  slight  wound 
in  the  throat,  from  which  ii  few  drops  of  blood 


fall  to  the  ground,  they  proceed  to  strip  off  the 
skin,  and  cut  away  the  flesh  in  solid  pieces, 
without  bones.  The  still  quivering  flesh  is 
carried  at  once  to  table,  where  it  is  eaten  with 
unleavened  bread,  made  of  a  grain  called  teff'. 
The  particulars  of  these  banquets  are  too  dis- 
gusting to  admit  of  a  more  detailed  descrip- 
tion." 


An  Abyssinian  House. 
The  Abyssinian  house  represented  in  our  en- 
graving was  sketched  by  Mr.  C.  SlcDowall,  an 
assistant  surgeon  in  medical  charge  of  the  Third 
Light  Cavalry  of  the  Boral)ay  army,  at  the  camp 
of  Senafo.  Tho  owner  of  this  habitation  was  a 
deacon  of  the  Church  of  Serafia,  and  a  munici- 
pal authority  at  Senate,  wearing  a  black  sheep's 
wool  comforter,  with  lianging  tails,  around  his 
neck,  as  a  badge  of  office.  This  worthy  played 
the    host   very    hospitably,  and    invited    Mr. 


McDowall  to  a  repast  of  black  bread  and  BOtQ' 
whev,  with  raw  meat,  the  guest,  h  nvever,  de- 
clining to  partake  of  the  latter  delicacy. 

In  our  engraving,  the  master  of  the  house 
stands  holding  the  door  open,  while  a  girl 
enters  with  a  sliiu  of  water.  His  brother  and 
wife  are  upon  the  raised  floor,  another  woman 
is  cooking  at  the  fireplace,  and  a  naked  child 
plays  at  the  mother's  feet. 

The  features  of  these  people  are  of  Indo- 
Caucasian  character,  the  complexion  dark,  and 
their  frizzly  hair  is  worn  in  a  chignon.  Neither 
the  habitation  itself,  nor  the  garments  of  the 
inmates,  suggested  cleanliness. 


The  Late  King  Theodore,  of  Abyssinia. 

In  presenting  to  our  readers  this  portrait  of 
King  Theodore,  a  slight  sketch  of  his  character 
and  life  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

He  was  born  at  Tschergye,  about  the  year 
1821,  in  the  western  part  of  Abyssinia.  His 
father,  a' descendant  of  the  royal  line  of  Ethio- 


ABvsaINIA^  soldiers 


THEODORE,  LATE   KING   OF  ABYSSINIA. 

plan  princes,  died  when  he  was  very  young, 
and  the  propeity  possessed  by  him  was  seized 
by  greedy  relatives,  and  very  soon  dissipated, 
leaving  his  mother  and  himself  quite  destitute. 
He  sought  shelter  in  the  Convent  of  Tschanger, 
near  Gondar,  and  remained  there  a  considerable 
time  under  tlie  name  of  Kassa.  But  Dejatch 
Marou,  a  defeated  rebel,  set  fire  to  the  convent, 
and  destroyed  it ;  fortunately,  Kassa  escaped  to 
his  uncle,  Dejatch  Comfu,  in  whose  home,  the 
residence  of  scheming  and  discontented  rebels, 
the  youth  received  tliat  training  which  made 
him  the  cruel  and  merciless  chief  he  afterward 
w.as.  Gathering  a  number  of  banditti  around 
him  on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  he  became 
very  formidable  to  the  regnant  powers,  and  aa 
he  was  veiy  successful  in  his  war.-;,  he  sotn  ao- 
p.iea  to  1  e  the  King  of  Abyssinia,  which  honor 
he  gained  i;i  1855.  At  first  he  was  under  the 
restraint  of  two  Englishmen,  Mr.  BeJ  and  Mr. 
Plowden,  who  curbed  his  blood-thirsty  designs, 
and  while  they  lived  he  was  very  fortunate  in 
all  his  undertakings.  But  on  the  death  of  these 
councilors  Lis  fortune?,  turned,  his  later  deeds 


ABYSSINIA, 


lit 


seemed  to  justify  a  comparison  with  the  notori- 
ous Kin;?  of  Dahomey,  and  it  is  stated  that  on 
one  occ.ision  he  killed  three  thousand  people  by 
fire  and  sword  in  six  weeks 


Group  of  Shohos  at  Hamhamo  Spring, 
Tekonda  Pass. 

Th  SE  Shohos  are  a  branch  of  the  Danakil 
tribe,  who  inhabit  the  country  between  the 
Aby  sinian  tablo-Iand  and  the  Red  Sea.  They 
are  repute  i  to  be  incorrigible  thieves  and  beg- 
gars ;  but  while  acting  as  guides  to  the  army  of 
invasion  they  are  kept  in  siibjectbn  by  two 
powerful  chiefs,  who  have  been  won  over  by 
the  almighty  dollar  to  accompany  the  recon- 
noitering  party. 

The  women  are  copper-colored,  but  comely, 
with  pleasing  voice  and  manner,  and  their  be- 
havior is  modest,  though  their  dress  usually 
consists  of  a  single  petticoat  oi  two  sheep-skins 

sewed  together. 

1  *  ♦  »  < • 

Abyssinian  Soldiers. 
Wk  give  an  illustration  of  the  Abyssinian 
troops  on  the  march,  from  a  sketch  by  an  Afri- 
can traveler,  which  can  be  relied  on  as  a  cor- 
rect representation.  On  entering  Abyssinia  the 
traveler  at  once  perceives  that  he  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  race  superior  in  every  respect  to  all 
the  other  tribes  of  Central  Africa.  The  negro 
cast  of  countenance— the  stamp  of  Ham's  op- 
pressed descendants— almost  disappear.^  on  the 
Alpine  heights  of  Ethiopia,  and  instead  of  it 
one  sees  features  and  symmetry  cf  form  that 
might  justly  be  termed  handsome.  In  size  the 
men  are  between  five  and  six  feet ;  corpulence 
is  very  rare  ;  the  complexion  is  varied,  light- 
brown  or  bronze  being  the  most  common.  The 
costimie  of  the  Abyssinian  is  exceedingly  simple. 
Men  of  rank  wear  a  shama,  or  loose  dress  cf 
white  cotton,  on  their  shoulders,  so  as  to  leave 
the  hands  and  arms  free  to  carry  spear  and 
buckler ;  but  th^  great  chiefs,  like  the  Spartans 
of  old,  during  battle,  wear  a  scarlet  cloak  to 
tonceal  from  the  enemy  the  wounds  inflicted  in 
a  sharp  hand-to-hand  conflict. 


tuxage  unseb  the  antaia  "amba.' 


An  Abyssinian  Oven. 

Mr.  St.  John,  a  recent  traveler  in  Abyssinia, 
gives  us  many  very  interesting  reminiscences  of 
that  land,  from  which  wo  select  an  account  of 
an  Abyssinian  kitchen  and  oven,  with  something 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  palate  is  tickled  in 
that  far-off  country: 

"  Imagine  a  small  room,  about  ten  feet  long, 
six  broad,  and  eight  high,  with  or  without  a 
window,  according  to  circumstances,  but  more 
usually,  as  in  mine,  without  one,  and  at  all 
events  without  a  chimney,  so  that  the  smoke, 
which  is  always  kept  going,  and  that  vigorously, 
fin  Is  t'.ie  door  the  nearest  exit,  and  it  may  be 
easily  conceived  that  the  atmosphere  is  so  dense 
as  to  render  it  difficult  for  any  one  but  a  native 
to  remain  long  in  the  room.  Even  the  cook- 
women,  who  pass  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in 
this  smoke,  never  think  of  standing  up  to  do 
their  work,  but  always  remain  squatted  as  low 
as  possible,  either  near  the  door  or  fire.     Every 


QBOVC   OF  SHOHOS   AT  BAHBAMO  8FBI.N0,  TEKONDA   PASS. 


article  the  room  contains  becomes,  like  th* 
apartment  itself,  of  a  pure  soot-black.  The- 
kitchen  utensils  are,  the  '  raagogo'  or  oven,  if 
it  may  be  so  called,  a  few  jars  of  different  forms-. 
and  sizes,  according  to  the  use  they  are  intended 
to  be  put  to— some  with  long  necks  and  narrow- 
mouths,  for  keeping  water  in  ;  others  with  wide- 
mouths  and  no  necks  at  all,  for  holding  the- 
liquid  dough  of  which  the  bread  is  formed — 
and  the  earthen  dishes  or  saucers  in  which  the 
meat  and  other  eatables  are  prepared  and 
served  up. 

"The  'magogo'  U  an  oblong  building,  threft 
feet  by  four,  and  about  a  foot  high.  It  is  con- 
structed of  clay  and  small  stones,  with  a  place 
in  the  interior  for  a  fire.  The  whole  is  covered 
with  a  circular  slab  of  a  sort  of  pottery-work, 
being  nearly  the  same  material  as  that  of  which 
t'.ie  dishes  arc  formed,  nicely  polished  on  the 
upper  surface,  which  U  slightly  concave  in  order 
to  receive  more  easily  the  liquid  dough  for  the 
bread.  At  the  back  is  a  hole  by  which  the- 
smoke  may  escape,  and  in  front  a  sort  of  door- 
way by  which  the  fire  is  lighted,  and  which,, 
being  placed  exactly  opposite  the  kitchen  door, 
has  always  a  draught  of  air  to  keep  up  a  good 
fire.  Tlie  cover  is  made  of  clay,  and  is  used  to 
keep  out  the  smoke  and  dirt,  and  retain  the 
heat." 


The  Abyssinian  Eace. 

This  race  inhabits  the  table-lands  of  Aby»- 
sinia,  and  has  disseminated  into  the  interior. 
Dr.  Pickering  thus  describes  the  appearance  of 
three  individuals  of  this  race  whom  he  met  at 
Singapore:  ' 

"The  hair  was  much  alike  in  all  three,  and 
was  crisped  and  fine,  neither  coarse  enough  nor- 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  form  a  resisting  mass. 
The  beard  of  one  individual  was  in  pellets  abso- 
lutely like  the  close  wool  of  the  negro,  but  :he 
prominence  of  nose,  greater  even  than  usually 
occurs  in  the  white  race,  bore  suificient  testi- 
mony to  his  purity  of  descent. 

"The  second  individual  had  the  face  very- 
much  elongated,  but  the  nose  was  not  partictv 
larly  prominent. 


478 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS,, 


"The  third  had  a 
•straighter  beard,  which 
-was  black  and  gray 
an  regular  stripes. 
The  complexion  was 
the  same  in  all  three, 
„ad  though  very  light, 
was  by  no  means  of  a 
sickly  hue,  and,  in- 
deed, these  persons 
might  readily  have 
ibeen  passed  in  the 
streets  as  belonging  to 
the  white  race." 


The  Dancing  Mania, 

Most  people  have, 
,at  one  time  or  other, 
t«een  some  poor  crea- 
ture affected  with  those 
«uriou8  and  painful 
■convulsive  movements 
•which  are  commonly 
called  Saint  Vitus's 
Dance,  That,  at  least, 
as  the   popular    name 

for  the  terrible  affliction  of  which,  even  now, 
"we  have  some  instances  among  us;  but  it 
must  not  be  confounded  with  the  dance  of 
Saint  John  or  Saint  Vitus,  a  mania  in  the 
MiJdle  Ages,  although  they  have  some  points 
of  resemblance.  There  was  the  dancing  mania 
an  Germany  called  Saint  John's  Dance,  in  Italy 
called  tarantism,  from  the  supposed  bite  of  a 
spider. 

As  early  as  the  latter  part  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  lirgo  nam'oers  of  men  aud  women  in 
Germany,  both  in  places  of  worship  and  in  the 
streets,  behaved  as  if  they  were  possessed  by 
devils.  They  danced  in  circles  for  hours  to- 
Igether,  leapeJ  high  into  the  air  with  wild  ges- 
tures and  contortions,  and  after  raving  for  some 
.time,  they  fell  to  the  ground,  completely  ex- 
•h.iusted. 

Strange  to  say,  in  a  few  months  this  terrible 
disease  spread  rapidly  in  the  Netherlands,  and 
in  most  of  the  large 
towcs  i:i  Ecig^um  the 
demoni.ical  dancers 
appeared.  Everything 
was  done  which  the 
wis.iom  of  t'.;e  age 
could  suggest  to  put 
a  stop  to  them,  but  in 
vain.  T'he  priest  tried 
exorcisms,  and  there 
was  even  a  law  mode 
that  only  square-toed 
shoes  bs  worn  through- 
out t'.ie  country,  seeing 
that  the  pointsd  toes, 
which  were  then  po- 
pular, were  objects  of 
dislike  to  the  fanatical 
dancers.  Certain 
colors,  too,  thoy  hated 
anl  shunned,  and  the 
sight  of  anything  red 
was  enough  to  throw 
them  into  renewed 
convulsions 

The  number  of 
people  who  v/ero  pos- 


FUNEEAL  OF  THE   WIDOW   OF   KING   THEODORE. 

sessed  in  various  places  was  enormous.  Five 
hundred  were  affected  in  Cologne,  and  the 
streets  of  Metz  were  said  at  one  time  to  have 
been  filled  with  eleven  hundred  cf  them. 

Many  stories  of  dancing  plagues  were  current 
in  medieval  times,  even  before  the  isaint  Jchn's 
Dance  broke  out  in  Aix-la-Chapelle,  A  mad 
rage  for  dancing  had  at  various  periods  been 
m.inifested  by  large  bodies  of  men ;  and  even 
children  had  caught  the  contagion  in  their 
youth,  and  been  afflicted  with  an  incurable 
tremor  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

Music  of  a  rude  kind  always  accompanied 
troops  of  Saint  John's  Dancers,  and  served  by 
turns  to  excite  and  soothe  them.  They  did,  of 
course,  an  immense  amount  of  mischief  in 
every  town  they  visited,  and  had  they  not 
found  in  Saint  Vitus  a  patron  saint,  under 
whose  protection  they  supposed  themselves  to 
be,  it  would  have  gone  hard  with  them.    More- 


CEUBCU   AND   SHBINE  OF  SI.  ROUANUS. 


over,  people  believed 
them  to  be  innocent 
victims  to  Beelzebub, 
and  to  be  possessed 
with  devils,  like  the 
persons  mentioned  in 
the  Bible. 

These  fanatics  were 
luckier  in  Germany 
than  in  other  coun- 
tries, where  those  pos- 
sessed, and  the  people 
charged  with  being 
the  authors  of  the 
demoniacal  possession, 
were  often  persecuted 
with  all  the  cruelty 
which  couM  be  devised 
by  men  who  believed 
that  in  such  persecu- 
tion they  were  ful- 
filling a  religious  duty. 
Even  as  late  as  1697, 
in  Scotland,  three  men 
and  four  women,  the 
supposed  authors  of 
the  demoniacal  fits  of 
leaping  and  dancing  in  a  girl  named  Christian 
Shaw,  were  burnt  at  Paisley. 

The  dancing  mania  in  Italy  was  attributed  to 
the  bite  of  the  "tarantula,"  or  ground-spider, 
an  insect  common  in  the  Italian  province  of 
Apulia,  We  say  supposed  to  arise,  for  the 
greatest  authority  on  the  sul  ject  believes  that 
there  existed  a  nervous  disorder,  afterward 
called  tarantism,  long  before  any  connection  be- 
tween it  and  the  spider  was  found  out.  The 
bites,  moreover,  of  scorpions  and  other  venom- 
ous insects  were  said  to  have  much  the  same 
effect,  and  people  feared  the  tarantula  so  much 
that  the  sting  often  existed  only  in  their  imagin- 
ations. 

Certainly  every  one  believed,  when  this  curi- 
ous disorder  first  made  its  appearance,  that  the 
tarantula  was  the  cause  of  it.  And  exceedingly 
strange  the  symptoms  were,  the  most  extra- 
ordinary of  them  being  an  irresistible  desire  to 
dance,  and  a  wonderful 
susceptibility  to  mu- 
sical sounds.  Some 
held  that  the  music 
and  dancing  spread  the 
poison  over  the  whole 
body,  and  that  it  fin- 
ally made  its  escape 
through  the  skin,  11 
any  of  the  poison  re- 
mained in  the  body, 
they  believed  that  it 
could  at  any  time  be 
roused  into  action  by 
the  music,  which  had 
at  one  time  been  used 
to  mitigate  its  evil 
effects.  Hence  various 
pieces  cf  music,  called 
tarantellas,  were 
written,  and  even  to 
this  day,  in  memory 
of  the  famous  spider, 
there  are  many  mu- 
sical pieces  of  a  light 
and  sparkling  char- 
acter, ffhicL  composeri 


ABYSSINIA. 


419 


still  designate  tarantellas,  and  which  form  the 
national  dance  of  the  Neapolitans,  compared 
to  which  the  liveliest  and  noisiest  Eoman 
Saltarcllo  is  but  a  dull  affair. 

The  tirantellas  of  the  Middle  Ages  had  a  very 
different  work  to  perform  from  that  of  amusing 
an  audience  of  pleasure-seeliers,  which  is  their 
only  use  at  the  present  day.  They  were  played 
to  assuage  the  pangs  of  persons  suffering  from 
a  terrible  epidemic,  which  began  with  pain  and 
sickness,  and  ended  sometimes  in  madness,  and 
even  death.  The  patients,  after  the  bite,  or 
supposed  bite,  of  the  spider,  or  having  caught 
the  disorder  from  some  one  engaged  in  the  mad 
dance  of  tarantism,  would  exhibit  hissitude,  and 
were  tortured  with  pain.  Wlien  tlie  dance  be- 
gan, they  loved  t'.ie  sight  of  bright  water  or  the 
glittering  of  swords.  They  liked  red  colors 
(the  Saint  John's  dancers  always  detested 
them),  and  generally  wore  Ihcm  or  carried  red 
handkerchiefs.  Some  preferred  yellower  green, 
and  this  wild  liking  for  special  colors  was  car- 
ried to  an  astonishing  degree.  There  was 
nothing  could  cure  the  patients  but  music  and 
the  danco.  They  were  happy  and  out  of  pain 
when  dancing,  but  when  the  music  ceased  they 
relapsed  into  their  old  agonized  condition. 


THE  SCENE  OF  THE   LATE  KING   THEODORE'S   MASSACRE   AT   MAGDALA. 


AN  ABYSSINIAN  OVEN. 

Even  people  who  dared  to  set  their  faces 
•gainst  the  popular  belief,  and  allowed  them- 
selves to  be  bitten  by  the  tarantula,  were 
obliged  at  last  to  submit  to  being  cured  by 
music.  Some  of  the  clergy,  who  held  dancing 
in  detestation,  were  in  this  plight.  It  is  a  very 
curious  fact,  also,  that  about  the  time  when 
tarantism  was  at  its  climax  in  Italy,  in  all  parts 
of  Asia  the  bites  of  venomous  spiders  were  held 
in  especial  dread.  The  Itilian  symptoms,  how- 
ever, were  absent ;  and  when  the  Persians 
found  a  man  suffering  from  an  insect's  bite, 
they  dosed  him  with  milk  and  confined  him  in 
a  revolving  box  until  he  was  sick — an  un- 
pleasant, but  possibly  effectual,  method  of 
treatment. 

AVith  the  advance  of  civilization  and  the 
science  of  medicine,  tarantism  gradually  died 
out ;  and  we  have  now  only  isolated  cases  of 
it,  with  very  much  modified  symptoms.  The 
tarantism  of  moJem  times,  says  an  authority, 
bears  nearly  the  same  relation  to  the  original 
malady  as  the  Saint  Vitus' s  Dance  which  still 
exists,  and  certainly  has  all  along  existed, 
bears  in  certain  cases  to  the  original  dancing 
mania  of  the  dancers  of  Saint  John. 

Tha  tigretier  (so  called  from  the  name  of 


the  country — the  Tigre — in  which 
it  commonly  occurs),  commences 
with  fever  and  lingering  sickness, 
which  makes  the  patient  very 
thin  and  debilitated,  and  causes 
him  to  stutter  in  a  curious  way, 
that  no  one  but  a  person  afflicted 
with  the  same  disease  can  unler- 
Btand.  When  the  relatives  of  a 
patient  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  he  really  has  the  tigre- 
tier, they  club  their  money 
together  to  pay  for  the  cure, 
which  is  generally  an  expensive 
process. 

There  is  a  cheap  way,  however, 
which  is  first  tried — a  sort  of  ex- 
orcism, and  a  tremendous  drench- 
ing with  cold  water.  This  may 
be  effectual,  but   it  has  also  the 


disadvantage    of    very    often    hastening    the 
patient's  death. 

The  more  approved  method  is  a  ceremony 
of  a  curious  kind,  very  much  like  that  adopted 
in  the  medieval  cases  of  tarantism. 

A  number  of  musicians  are  hired,  and  the 
friends  and  relatives  of  the  unhappy  patient 
assemble  with  them  in  a  circle,  well  supplied 
with  bowls  of  intoxicating  liquor.  The  music 
then  strikes  up,  and  the  patient,  at  first  only 
slightly  affected  by  it,  in  a  short  time  com- 
mences a  violent  dance.  Women,  as  we  have 
seen  in  the  case  of  other  nervous  disorders,  are 
oftener  attacked  by  the  tigretier  than  men  ; 
and  when  a  woman  has  it,  she  is  loaded  with 
all  the  bangles,  amulets,  and  other  rude  speci- 
mens of  jewelry  t'.iat  her  friends  can  supply. 

During  the  dance,  which  often  goes  on  for 
several  days,  and  when  her  gestures  and  con- 
tortions reach  a  climax,  she  throws  them  off^ 


SHfi  Xia&BEUtK,  OB.  ABTSSINIAS   DAKGS. 


480 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa. 


ABYSSINIAN   METHOD  OF   PEOTECIINQ   CROPS  FROM   DESTKUCTIVB  BIRDS. 


and  they  are   restored  one  by  one   to    their 
owners. 

At  the  sunset  of  the  day  on  which  the  treat- 
ment ends,  if  it  ends  successfully,  she  will  all  at 
once  start  off,  running  at  a  great  pace  for  some 
hundreds  of  yards,  and  then  suddenly  drop 
down  prostrate.  A  man  comes  up  to  her  and 
fires  a  musket  over  her  head,  strikes  her  on  the 
back  with  the  flat  of  his  sword,  and  calls  her 
by  her  Christian  name.  If  she  can  answer  to 
it,  she  is  considered  cured,  for  those  who  have 
the  tigretier,  says  an  eye-%vitness,  are  always 
nnable  to  answer  to  their  Christian  names. 


Abyssinian  Method  of  Protecting  Crops. 

BiEDS  in  Abyssinia  are  the  scourge  of  the 
husbandmen,  destroying,  unless  incessant  efforts 
are  made  to  prevent  them,  whole  harvests. 

Our  illustration  gives  a  good  idea  of  tlie 
method  adopted  by  t"ie  inhabitants  to  protect 
t'.ieir  crops  against  the  audacious  enterprise  of 
their  feathered  plagues.  That  met'.iod,  although 
not  always  successful,  is  not  without  ingenuity. 
In  the  centre  of  his  field  of  maize  the  agricul- 
turist drives  a  couple  of  stakes,  sufficiently 
strong  to  support  a  stage,  lashed  to  each  about 


midway  from  the  ground.  From  the  top  of 
these,  slender  cords  are  stretched  to  other  stakes- 
erected,  a  few  yards  apart,  all  round  the  crop  he 
designs  to  save  from  attack  and  destruction  ; 
and  on  the  cords  are  fastened  shells,  bits  of 
iron,  and  many-colored  rags. 

On  the  stage,  protected  from  the  hot  Bun  by  i 
covering  of  branches,  day  after  day,  from  the 
rising  of  tlie  sun  to  i's  setting,  supplied  with 
food  by  his  family,  and  almost  imceasingly  occu- 
pied in  shaking  ihe  cords,  be  sits  like  a  hugo 
spider  in  the  centre  of  its  web  until  the  maizo 
has  ripened  to  maturity. 


FALACE  OF  THSODOBB,  AT  OONDAB. 


LIBERIA. 


GFOGTtAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND    HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

Mauht  Tows— Thb  Scpkestition  of  the  Devil's  Busn  —  Guadillak  Farm,  St.  Paul's  Kivek— Buchanan  in  Libeeia- 

Treed  by  a  Tiqeb— Family  of  Boblean  Negroes. 


FIDER  the  name  of  Liberia  are  com- 
prehended the  territories  of  the  re- 
public and  the  Maryland  colony  founded 
at  Cape  Palmaa.  The  experiment  of  found- 
ing a  black  State,  with  white  institutions, 
was  certainly  a  novel  one,  and  calculated  to 
interest  both  North  and  South.  The  time  it 
has  yet  existed  has  not  been  sufficient  to 
give  data  for  any  positive  opinion.  The  Con- 
stitution of  the  Kepublic  of  Liberia  provides 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  following  funda- 
mental principles :  All  men  are  born  equally 
free  in  the  right  of  enjoying  and  defending 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness. 
All  power  of  government  is  inherent  in  the 
people.  Slavery  shall  not  exist  in  the  repub- 
lic, or  be  countenanced  by  any  of  its  citizens. 
All  elections  shall  be  by  ballot,  and  every  male 
citizen  possessing  real  estate  shall  have  the 
right  of  suffrage.  None  but  citizens  may 
hold  real  estate  in  the  republic.  None  but 
persons  of  color  shall  be  admitted  to  citizen- 
ship, a  provision  which  is  intended  to  be  of  but 
temporary  duration.  The  legislative  body  is 
styled  "  the  Legislature  of  Liberia,"  and  is 
composed  of  a  Senate  and  a  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. Each  county  is  entitled  to  two 
Senators,  who  are  elected  for  a  term  of  four 
years.  Representatives  are  elected  biennially, 
every  county  being  entitled  to  one  Representa- 
tive, and  an  additional  one  for  every  10,000  in- 
habitants. The  President  is  elected  by  the 
people  for  a  term  of  two  years.  With  the  con- 
sent of  the  Senate  he  appoints  the  Secretaries 
of  War,  the  Navy,  Treasury,  and  State,  the 
Postmaster-general,  the  Judges,  and  many 
other  officers,  civil  and  military.  The  judicial 
power  is  vested  in  a  Supreme  Court  and  several 
subordinate  courts. 

That  our  readers  may  understand  perfectly 
our  artist's  illustrations,  of  this  remote  and 
almost  unknown  republic,  which  may  be  well 
called  a  parody  upon  our  own,  since  its  Consti- 
tution was  modeled  after  that  of  the  United 
States,  we  preface  some  few  particulars  of  the 
22 


country.  About  the  year  1816,  public  attention 
in  the  United  States  was  called  to  the  miserable 
condition  of  the  free  blacks,  and  plans  were 
proposed  in  Washington  which  resulted  in  the 
formation  of  the  American  Colonization  So- 
ciety. In  1817  they  sent  an  agent  to  England 
to  consult  the  leading  Abolitionists  of  Great 
Britain.  Wilberforce  advised  the  sending  of  an 
agent  to  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  and  his  coiin- 
sel  was  adopted.  A  settlement  was  commenced 
in  1817  upon  an  island  at  no  considerable  dis- 
tance from  the  Sierra  Leone  coast,  but  the  site 
was  found  so  unhealthy  even  for  negroes  that 
the  settlers  were  removed  to  Cape  Mesurado, 
and  the  colony  established  there,  but  subse- 
quently expanded  into  the  present  Republic  of 
Liberia.  The  colony  remained  for  thirty  years 
under  the  tutelage  of  the  American  Society,  but 
in  1847  its  independence  was  established,  and 
formally  recognized  by  the  Governments  of 
England  and  France.  The  Constitution  adopted 
in  1839  is  modeled,  as  we  have  already  said, 
upon  that  of  the  United  States,  and  provides 
for  a  President,  who  must  have  resided  in  the 
country  for  five  years,  be  thirty-five  years  of 
age,  and  possess  the  aristocratical  recommenda- 
tion of  an  annual  income  of  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. He  is  elected  for  two  years,  and  is  eligible 
for  re-election.  The  Senate  consists  of  six 
members,  also  trammeled  with  property  quali- 
fications, and  the  representatives  are  twenty- 
eight  in  number.  A  Supreme  Court  and  other 
judicial  tribunals  are  organized. 

Liberia  extends  in  a  southeasterly  direction 
from  Sierra  Leone  for  about  five  hundred  miles 
along  the  coast,  with  an  average  breadth  of 
forty  miles  inland.  The  superficies  of  the 
Republic  is  calculated  at  from  fourteen  thou- 
sand to  twenty  thousand  square  miles,  and  its 
population  is  estimated  at  some  two  hundred 
thousand  souls,  of  whom  one  hundred  and 
eighty  to  one  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  are 
natives. 

The  commerce  of  Liberia  is  already  extensive, 
and  is  almost  entirely  in  the  hands  of  Great 


Britain,  which  has  sedulously  and  wisely  pro- 
tected and  aided  the  struggling  republic.  The 
fertility  of  the  soil  is  wonderful,  and  the  spon- 
taneous productions  of  the  country,  such  as 
sugar,  cotton,  coffee,  indigo,  palm-oil,  dye- 
stuffs,  gold,  ivory,  etc.,  find  a  ready  market 
in  exchange  for  European  staples.  Palm- 
oil  is  the  principal  export  of  the  colony,  and 
the  development  of  this  branch  of  trade  is 
rapidly  proceeding.  In  1855  more  than  thirtj 
vessels  sailed  from  Liberia  with  cargoes  of  this 
oil,  while  in  1852  not  more  than  one  thousand 
gallons  were  exported.  The  export  at  the 
present  time  does  not,  probably,  fall  short  of  a 
million  gallons  annually.  Six  years  ago  the 
price  of  palm  oil  was  one  dollar  per  gallon, 
whereas  now  it  is  bought  for  thirty-three  cents. 

It  is  estimated  that  at  least  one  hundred  ves- 
sels, some  of  them  of  one  thousand  tons  burden, 
trade  regularly  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
coast  of  Africa,  of  which  a  large  proportion 
take  freight  to  and  from  Liberia,  besides  which: 
there  is  a  regular  monthly  line  of  steamers 
between  Liverpool  and  Monrovia.  Nearly  all 
the  cotton  goods  used  are  manufactured  in 
England,  and  a  few  articles  of  consumption  are 
alone  imported  from  the  United  States. 

Monrovia,  with  a  population  of  two  thousand 
inhabitants,  is  a  much  smaller  town  than  Free- 
town, but  gives  a  much  better  idea  of  what  free 
negroes  can  accomplish  than  that  place.  The 
face  of  the  country  around  is  occasionally 
varied,  although,  generally  speaking,  it  is  mo- 
notonous from  the  very  brilliancy  of  its  natural 
scenery.  A  sluggish  stream  called  the  Mesu- 
rado empties  itself  into  the  ocean  here,  but, 
is  only  navigable  for  vessels  of  light  draught. 

The  coast  of  Africa  can  hardly  be  called  at- 
tractive to  a  traveler.  Disease  and  savage  bar- 
barism appall  all  but  the  energetic  explorer  or 
hunter.  Yet,  to  the  philanthropist,  Liberia, 
presents  attractions,  and  we  give  a  view  in 
Monrovia,  the  capital  of  the  little  republic,  so 
called  in  honor  of  James  Monroe,  President  o^ 
ths  United  States. 


182 


THE    \^ORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Mammy  Town. 

Mammy  Town  is 
the  oldest  settlement 
iu  the  Republic  of 
Liberia.  It  lies  on 
the  Eiver  St.  Paul, 
about  six  miles  from 
the  bar  at  its  mouth, 
and  is  the  first  town 
met  with  on  entering 
the  river.  There  are 
nine  houses  in  the 
town,  whiuh  is  situ- 
ated upor  1  sandy 
3  p  i  ♦  or  peninsula, 
r  I  i  n  i  n  g  out  for 
some  distance  into 
the  stream.  Heavy 
woods  fringe  the 
shore  in  the  back- 
ground, and  reach 
within  a  few  yards 
of  the  habitations. 

The  leading 
citizen  of  Mamiuy 
Town  was  an  old 
negress,  after 
whom  the  place 
is  named.  She 
was  said  to  be  one 
hundred  and  twenty 

years  old,  and  once  was  mistress,  the  natives 
affirm,  of  all  the  territory  now  occupied  by  the 
city  of  Monrovia  and  its  surroundings. 

Mammy's  house  occupied  the  centre  of  the 
settlement,  over  which  she  reigned  with  an  old 
woman's  despotism,  and  her  palace  was  orna- 
mented internally  with  great  magnificence.  The 


A   STKEET  IN    MONBOVIA— TUE   PKESIUENT's   HOCSE. 

interior  of  the  hut  was  festooned  with  wash- 
basins of  every  shape,  size,  color,  and  material, 
to  the  number  of  forty  or  fiftj',  which  had 
been  bestowed  ui^ou  her  by  visitors  to  her 
domain.  The  inhabitants  of  Mammy  Town 
belong  to  the  Vey  Tribe. 

The  natives  of  Kock  Town — one  of  the  largest 


native  settlements  on 
the  coast,  near  Cape 
Palmas  —  differ  in 
essential  partic- 
ulars  from  the 
other  tribes  of  the 
Liberian  coast. 

They  are  quite 
numerous,  and  are 
greatly  addicted  to 
long  and  bloody  war- 
fare,  being  still 
in  aboriginal  sav- 
agery. They  ,  dress 
in  skins,  paint  their 
faces  with  ochre  and 
other  earths,  and 
consider  it  a  mark 
of  distinction  to  be 
decorated  with  brass 
rings,  of  which  they 
generally  wear  from 
eight  to  ten  about 
their  necks,  arms 
and  legs. 

The  Rock  Town 
negroes  are  the  dark- 
est natives  on  the 
western  coast,  and 
are  usually  a  tall, 
powerful  and  well- 
built  race.  They 
are  slow  to  adopt  any  of  the  customs  of  their 
civilized  brethren,  except  the  use  of  firearms, 
in  which  they  display  great  aptitude.  Their 
own  weapons,indeed,  are  sufficiently  formidable 
when  wielded  by  their  hands,  and  they  display 
great  cleverness  in  all  that  they  undertake. 
Their  canoes  are  of  great  size,  containing  from 


A  BLACKSMITH'S  BUT— MATIVCS  AT  WOBC. 


LIBERIA. 


488 


ten  to  twenty  men,  of  whom  a  part,  in  the 
naval  battles,  in  which  they  often  engage  with 
neighboring  tribes,  manage  the  craft,  while  the 
majority  use  spears,  bows  and  arrows  and 
muskets,  which  they  purchase  of  traders  on  the 
coast.  The  chief  is  distinguished'  from  other 
leaders  by  a  long  beard,  and  by  a  string  of 
bells  about  his  neck.  These  bells  closely  re- 
semble  those  used  for  sleighs  in  the  United 
States.  This  chief  had  between  ten  and  twenty 
wives,  each  of  whom  had  her  separate  rank  and 
position  in  the  royal  household ;  the  youngest 
and  plumpest  being  chief  in  authority,  and  the 
remainder  graduated  in  a  similar  manner. 
Number  one  remains  prime  favorite  for  several 
months,  and  then  becomes  number  two,  until 
again  she  is  crowded  down  the  scale  and  be- 
comes number  three,  and  so  downward.  Num- 
ber one,  during  her  short-lived  reign,  is  called 
by  the  Kock  Town  negroes  the  New  Mammy. 
The  vicinity  of  this  place  is  admirably 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  cocoanuts,  of  which 
large  quantities  are  exported. 

►-•-« 

The  Superstition  of  the  Devil's  Bush. 
Like  all  savages,  the  negroes,  on  their 
native  soil,  are  very  superstitious,  and  consult 
•various  wise  men  and  women  who  are  presumed 
to  get  their  knowledge  from  gods  of  their  own 
manufacture.  The  consultations  of  a  spirit 
called  by  them  the  Devil's  Bush  are  held  in 
what  is  termed  the  inner  sanctuary,  where  great 
quantities  of  material  for  a  bonfire  are  col- 
lected. During  the  incantations,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  cloth  around  their  middles,  the 
actors  in  this  strange  scene  of  witchcraft  and 
ignorance  are  quite  naked.  After  some  gut- 
tural mumbling,  which  of  course  is  quite  unin- 
telligible to  a  stranger,  a  light  is  placed  to 
the  heap  and  the  flames  begin  to  rise,  throwing 
a  lurid  light  over  the  dusky  enchanters.  It 
is  very  difficult  to  make  out  what  all  this 
mummery  means;  but  it  means  something, 
evidently,  for  all  those  around  the  Devil's  Bush 
keep  their  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  the  burning 
figure.  The  belief  of  these  worthies  is  that 
the  next  sleep  they  had  would  be  enlightened 
by  dreams,  which,  next  morning,  they  compare 
together.  Out  of  this  jumble  of  nonsense  they 
make  out  their  plans  of  war  and  council. 
They  sometimes  consult  the  Devil's  Bush  be- 
fore they  take  an  additional  wife.  Trifling  as 
the  circumstance  was,  the  sketch  of  it  here 
given  may  be  interesting  as  an  illustration  of 
African  customs. 

Guadillar  Farm,  St.  Paul's  Eiver. 
About  twenty-one  miles  from  Monrovia,  on 
the  St.  Paul's  Eiver,  is  one  of  the  most  flour- 
ishing farms  in  all  Liberia.  It  is  owned  and 
■worked  by  William  Eichardson,  a  practical 
farmer  of  considerable  experience.  It  would  be 
perhaps  impossible  to  Andaman  more  univers- 
ally respected  than  the  owner  of  Guadillar 
Farm.  He  was  one  of  the  first  men  who  em- 
ployed cattle  on  his  fields,  and  sometimes  he 
employs  as  many  as  six  yokes  at  the  same  time. 
The  manner  in  which  his  farm  is  laid  out  is  a 
model  for  all,  and,  indeed,  is  generally  admired. 
He  principally  raises  sugar  and  coffee,  and 
owing  to  bis  excellent  method,  they  are  the 


484 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


finest  of  their  k.:idB.  He  trades  very  largely 
with  the  natives,  and  has  about  forty  head  of 
cattle,  generally  employed  in  his  agricultural 
labors.  His  workmen  consist  of  from  thirty  to 
fifty  Americans  and  sixty  natives.  At  a  little 
distance  from  his  house  he  has  a  well-laid-out 
and  productive  garden. 

He  has  a  boat  that  makes  regular  trips  to 
Monrovia,  to  carry  passengers,  fruit  and  vege- 
tables. He  is,  in  fact,  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising men  in  all 
these  parts.  The 
buildings  on  h i a 
farm  consist  of  a 
farm  -  house,  sevea 
rice-houses,  a 
sugar-house,  and 
some  out-ho uses. 
Such  is  the  fertil- 
ity  of  this  soil, 
that,  although  his 
farm  is  only  about 
one  hundred  acres, 
it  produces  such 
an  abundance  of 
crops,  that  Mr. 
Bichardson  is  rap- 
idly accumulating 
a  large  fortune. 

St.  Paul's  Kiver 
runs  into  the 
country  from  Mon- 
r  o  V  i  a,  Monrovia 
being  separated 
from  St.  P  a  u  I's 
Island  by  Bushrod 
Island,  just  as 
Brooklyn  is  sepa- 
rated from  the 
North  Kiver  b  y 
the  Island  of  Man- 
hattan, o  n  which 
the  city  of  New 
York  stands. 

Monrovia  is  built 
on  the  corner  of 
the  ocean  and  a 
river  called  the 
Mesurado.  In  ad- 
<li  t  ion  to  the 
Americans  and 
natives  engaged 
c>n  his  farm,  Mr. 
flichardsou  em- 
ploys about 
seventy  natives  in 
bringing  in  goods 
and  produce  from 
the  interior,  which 

he  buys  for  ei&er  -mm 

cash  or  barter.  In 
a  word,  Guadillar 
Farm   is   one   of    the   pleasantest   and 


Buchanan,  in  Liberia. 

The  question  of  the  disposition  to  be  made  of 
the  colored  race  so  unfortunately  brought  to 
these  Western  shores  has  been  a  difficulty 
with  statesmen  and  philanthropists.  Sierra 
Leone  and  our  American  attempt,  Liberia, 
are  failures.  Still  some  good  hais  been  effected, 
and,  undoubtedly,  wise  and  good  men  have 
labored  earnestly  to  create  on  the  African  coast 


most 


flourishing   spots  to  be  seen  in  Liberia. 

Adjoining  his  stables  is  a  blacksmith's  shop, 
which  is  managed  by  two  natives,  who  can  turn 
out  a  horseshoe  when  it  is  wanted,  or  mend  a 
hook,  make  nails,  repair  wheels,  or  any  other 
work  in  which  a  blacksmith  usually  excels. 
Of  course  these  black  blacksmiths  do  not  work 
very  hard  in  such  a  climate,  and  a  dozen  nails 
per  diem  is  considered  as  a  bard  day's  work. 


A   FAMILY   OF   BOBLBAN   NEQROIS. 

settlements  of  freedmen,  who.  Christianized  and 
civilized,  may  yet  help  to  lift  the  vail  that  has 
so  long  shut  off  Africa  from  modern  culture. 

Among  the  recent  establishments  is  one  por- 
trayed in  our  sketch,  and  named  after  one  of 
the  Presidents  of  the  United  States.  This 
town  of  Buchanan  lies  along  Bassa  Cove,  and 
bids  fair  to  rise  to  a  considerable  degree  of 
prosperity. 

Liberia  is  not  without  its  romance.    The 


freed  are  sent  from  all  parts,  and  each  State 
contributes  its  own  colonies.  A  young  colored 
man,  Henry  Meade,  found  himself  freed  by  the 
early  death  of  a  young  and  dissipated  master,. 
Stewart  Ashton,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  own-^ 
ing  a  large  estate  near  Fairfax  Court  House. 
The  act  was  not  that  of  Ashton  himself, 
but  of  his  father,  who  had,  by  his  will, 
made  the  liberation  of  classes  of  his  slaves  de- 
pend on  the  death  of  his  children.  The  suc- 
cession of  partial 
emancipations  had 
worked  benefi- 
cially, and  bless- 
ings showered  oil 
the  name  of  Philip 
Ashton. 

Henry  Meade 
was  free,  and  not 
a  pauper.  By  the 
wise  provisions  of 
the  will,  he  had 
been  enabled  t  o 
lay  up  a  fund  on. 
which  to  start  life  ; 
but  he  was  un- 
happy. For  five, 
years  a  gloom  had 
settled  on  his 
brow,  checking 
the  aspirations 
that  would  other- 
wise naturally 
swell  up  in  the 
human  heart 
under  ci  rcum. 
stances  such  aa 
his. 

"What  was  the 
cloud  ?  Lucy  Gray, 
one  like  himself, 
whose  mixed 
blood  showed  it- 
aelf  in  her  grace- 
ful form,  her  ele- 
vated mind,  her 
superior  culture, 
had  learned  to 
love  young  Meade, 
and,  confident  in 
his  love,  they  had 
looked  forward  to 
the  day  of  his  free, 
dom  to  be  herseli 
free,  and  his  wife. 
But  she,  like  her 
betrothed,  was  the 
property  of  an  un- 
worthy scion  of  a 
noble  race,  who 
sought  to  bring 
her  to  degrada- 
tion.  In  vain  Meade  endeavored  to  have  hei* 
purchased  in  another  name.  The  baffled  de- 
bauchee, vowing  vengeance,  hurriedly«ent  her 
away,  closely  confined ,  Meade  was  unable  to 
obtain  any  clue  to  ner  fate. 

The  war  came  on,  and  Meade  joined  one  of 

the  first  colored  regiments,  in  hopes-ofone  day 

regaining  Lucy,  or,  at  least,  perishing  on  tna 

field.     He  did  neither. 

The  peace  found  him  u  sergeant,  honorably 


LIBERIA. 


185 


discharged.  The  South  was  no 
longer  a  place  for  him.  The  North 
repelled  him.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  of  that  early  band  of  emi- 
grants to  Africa.  In  that  new 
land,  where  his  color  would  work 
faim  no  prejudice,  he  might  hope  to 
achieve  a  useful  future.  But  the 
transition  was  a  severe  one.  North 
or  South  might  be  uncongenial, 
but  Liberia  was  a  strange  land. 
Pushing  on  to  Buchanan,  be  looked 
around  for  a  new  home  and  fresh 
occupation. 

He  entered  a  house  to  inquire, 
tut  no  words  came  from  his  lips. 
The  mistress,  apparently,  of  the 
iouso  turned  to  meet  the  stranger, 
but  seemed  as  paralyzed  as  he.  The 
next  moment  she  uttered  one  long 
•cry  and  fell  back.  He  rushed  for- 
ward and  clasped  her  in  his  arms. 
It  was  indeed  Lucy,  but  was  it 
his  Lucy  ?  A  thousand  conflicting 
thoughts  whirled  through  his  brain. 
Was  it  his  betrothed,  or  the  vnfe  of 
another  ?  With  a  sigh  she  opened 
her  eyes — one  look,  one  word,  told 
him  that  she  was  still  all  his  own. 

She  had  been  sold  in  Louisiana, 
eold  by  a  plan  to  doom  her  to  the 
worst  fate,  but  Providence  had  pro- 
tected her.  A  lady  had  purchased 
her  as  a  companion,  and,  dying 
after  a  few  mouths,  had  enjoined 
her  executors  to  free  Lucy,  and  send 
her  to  Liberia  at  once,  paying  her  a 
certain  amount  within  six  months 
after  her  arrival. 

Her  letters  to  Virginia  had  come 
slowly,  and  arrived  too  late.  News 
•of  the  war  destroyed  all  hope  of 
ever  meeting  her  betrothed,  and 
while  living  a  dreamy  life,  without 
an  aim  or  purpose,  happiness  in  its 
iEull  effulgence  dawned  on  both. 


Tresd  by  a  Tiger. 
A  TRAVELER  in  Liberia  says : 
"During  my  residence  in  the 
oountry,  near  Guadillar,  a  friend, 
whose  acquaintance  I  had  made, 
proposed  one  day  that  we  should 
-take  a  stroll  in  the  forests  sur- 
rounding that  place.  I  assented, 
and,  with  a  couple  of  somewhat 
rusty  fowling-pieces  in  our  hands, 
•we  carelessly  lounged  among  the 
trees,  admiring  the  tropical  vegeta- 
tion, but  cheerfully  engaged  in 
conversation  about  the  homes  that 
<were  so  distant  from  us. 

"  The  scenery  was  indeed  gor- 
geous, but  the  tropical  splendor  of 
an  African  forest  reminds  one  of 
toothing  so  much  as  of  the  rouge 
and  enamel  that  one  sees  in  ancient 
pictures  upon  the  countenance  of 
Death !  Beneath  all  this  luxu- 
riance and  color  there  lurk  visibly 
the  seeds  of  pestilence  and  destruo- 


ill 


486 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


tion  in  a  thousand  forms  of  animal  lite.  We 
■were  painfully  and  ludicrously  reminded  of 
this  fact. 

"  W.  and  I  had  seated  ourselves  at  the  foot  of 
a  stately  tree  which  overhung  a  shallow  ravine 
in  the  forest,  and  were  discoursing  on  matters 
and  persons  at  the  other  side  of  the  globe,  when 
a  rustling  in  the  bushes  near  us  caused  me  to 
raise  my  eyes,  and  I  saw  a  full-sized  tiger  just 
emerging  from  a  thicket  on  the  opposite  bank. 

"At  such  times  moments  are  hours.     W. 


ing  eyeballs,  while  we  ascended  to  the  highest 
branches  we  could  reach. 

"  He  was  evidently  preparing  for  a  spring, 
and  in  another  minute  would  nave  been  up  the 
tree  ;  but  as  soon  as  we  had  gained  a  foothold. 
I  managed  to  take  aim  at  him,  and  hit  him 
somewhere  about  the  fore-shoulder. 

A  frightful  roar  told  me  I  had  inflicted  some 
injury  on  the  beast,  and  I  prayed  it  might  at 
least  be  sufficient  to  prevent  his  scrambling 
after  us  up  the  tree.     So  it  seemed  to  be,  tor, 


amused  myself  in  speculations  as  to  onr  fatare^ 
movements.  The  tiger  remained  immovable, 
and  I  knew  that  further  shots  would  only  irri- 
tate, without  fatally  injuring,  his  tawny  high- 
ness. 

"  At  length,  as  the  sun  was  just  going  down 
behind  the  western  tree-tops,  I  heard  a  distant 
shouting  in  the  forest.  The  tiger  had  heard  it 
before  me ;  for  I  had  noticed  a  quick  move- 
ment of  his  ears,  although  his  eyes  remained, 
fixed  upon  ourselves.     The  noise  gradually  in- 


had  seen  the  glaring  beast  at  the  same  instant 
with  myself,  and  we  both  sprang  to  our  feet 
together.  Animated  with  a  common  thought, 
and  while  the  tiger  was  yet  ruminating  on 
our  unexpected  appearance,  we  both  ascended 
the  tree  behind  us,  and  by  no  means  slowly.  It 
was  a  scramble  of  the  most  decided  nature,  for 
we  had  not  raised  ourselves  a  score  of  feet  from 
the  ground,  when  the  tiger  emitted  that  terrific 
roar  which  we  had  been  anticipating,  and 
sprang,  at  one  leap,  to  the  foot  of  the  tree. 
"  There  be  remained  crouching,  with  glow- 


THE  SUPERSTITION   OP  THE  PEVIL's  BnSH. 

after  one  or  two  ineffectual  attempts,  he  gave  it 
up,  and  coolly  limped  back  to  the  spot  whence 
he  had  first  caught  sight  of  us.  There  he  stood 
motionless,  and  eying  us  with  an  expression 
that  seemed  to  mingle  cunning  with  fury.  It 
was  a  very  pleasant  situation  for  the  three  of 
us  1  Four  mortal  hours  the  brute  continued 
thus  to  watch  us,  and  we  began  at  length  to 
get  used  to  the  state  of  affairs.  W.  actually 
contrived  to  light  a  cigar,  and  smoked  away, 
with  possible  death  within  a  hundred  feet  of 
our  refage.     I  did  not  imitate  him  in  this,  but 


creased,  and  our  watchful  friend,  I  could  see, 
grew  very  uneasy. 

W.  threw  away  his  cigar,  for  now  or  neve* 
we  were  to  be  released.  A  screeching  yell 
shortly  made  the  tiger  bound,  with  a  sudden, 
revolving  jerk,  backward,  and  we  could  see  by 
the  quick,  sharp  lashings  of  his  tail,  and  the 
manner  in  which  his  fore  legs  were  planted, 
that  he  had  seen  his  pursuers.  In  another 
moment  he  bounded  sideways  into  the  forast 
and  was  gone  I 

"  Our  deliverance,  it  turned  oat,  came  ai  tbe- 


LIBERIA. 


187 


I 
6 


fed 


H 
S 


p 


488 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


hands  of  a  party  of  negroes  who  had  met  with 

the  animal's  trail,  and  had  followed  it  until 
they  suddenly  came  upon  us,  perched  on  our 
lofty  branch.  We  dreamt  of  tigers  that  night, 
after  we  reached  our  quarters  at  Guadillar." 


VIEW   OF   BLCUANAN,  IN   LIBERIA. 

Family  of  Borlean  Negroes, 
The  group  here  sketched  are  members  of  a 
tribe  iu   the  interior  of  Liberia,  who  seldom 
come  in  contact  with  the  belt  of  civilization  of 


the  coast.  They  are  distinguished  for  the 
mildness  of  their  manners,  and  are  said  to  bo 
little  prone  to  engage  in  hostilities  with  neigh- 
boring tribes.  Their  men,  nevertheless,  are  a 
fine,  athletic  set  of  fellows,  and  carry  arms. 


ROCK   I'OWN  WARBIOBS. 


MEDITERRANEAN    ISLANDS. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,    INDUSTRIAL     AND     HISTORICAL     SUMMARY. 
^AOOIO,  ISLE  or  CORSICA  —  Sunrise  on  Mount  Etna— Sicilian  Types  and  Costumes  — a  Sicilian  Mother  — Mount  Etna— Palermo  and  its 

LAZZARONI  —  THE    SALT  SPEINQB   IN  SICILY  —  GENERAL  ASPECT   OF  MALTA  —  VALETTA  —  BUINED    TEMPLE   OF  THE   K.NIOHTS  OF  ST.  JOHK, 

Island  of  bhodis. 


I^HIS  famous  sea,  wliich  Byroa  apostro- 
phizes as  one  ' '  whose  shores  were  em- 
pires," is  a  large  iuland  ocean,  almost 
landlocked,  which  divides  Africa  from  Europe, 
and  touches  Asia  on  its  eastern  extremity. 
Its  length  from  east  to  west  is  about  two 
thousand  three  hundred  miles,  with  a  breadth 
varying  from  eighty  to  twelve  hundred  miles. 
Its  area  is  over  one  million  square  miles.  Its 
only  outlet  on  the  west  is  the  Straits  of  Gib- 
raltar, which  connect  it  with  the  Atlantic.  The 
water  is  more  saline  than  the  Atlantic,  and  the 
prevailing  color  is  a  deep  blue. 

One  of  the  many  peculiarities  of  the  sea  is  the 
frequent  recurrence  of  electrical  phenomena, 
known  as  the  Saint  Elmo  fire,  being  balls 
of  fire  playing  in  mid-air  around  the  masts 
of  ships.  Of  the  many  islands  which  dot 
this  beautful  and  celebrated  sea,  Sicily,  Sar- 
dinia, Candia,  or  Crete,  Cyprus,  Negropont, 
and  Corsica  are  the  most  extensive.  Besides 
these,  the  Balearic  Islands — Majorca,  Minorca, 
and  Ivi9a — Malta,  and  the  Ionian  Islands,  are 
situated  in  this  famous  "  tideless  ocean." 

The  Romans  called  the  Mediterranean  the 
Mare  Internum.  On  the  shores  of  this  sea  rose 
and  flourished  the  Romans,  the  Carthaginians, 
and  the  Saracens.  These  various  and  mighty 
empires  here  lived,  expanded,  and  finally  per- 
ished, wanting  the  saving  life  of  Christianity. 
Corsica.  -The  island  was  called  by  the  Greeks, 
Cymos.  The  ancient  inhabitants  were  savages, 
and  are  called  by  Seneca  "  the  greatest  liars, 
robbers  and  atheists  of  the  world."  It  was 
colonized,  and  comparatively  civilized,  by  the 
Phoenicians  in  564  e.g.,  and  was  held  by  the 
Carthaginians  till  231  B.C.,  when  it  was  con- 
quered by  the  Romans.  In  modern  times  it 
has  been  held  by  the  Genoese,  who  ceded  it  to 
France  in  1768,  when  their  king,  the  celebrated 
Paoli,  fled  to  England,  where  he  died.  It  is 
chiefly  celebrated  for  being  the  birthplace  of 
Napoleon  I. ,  who  was  born  in  Ajaccio,  August 
15th,  1769.  The  soil  is  fertile,  but  very  badly 
cultivated,  the  rearing  of  live  stock  being  their 
chief  branch  of  industry.  Timber  is  very  abun- 
dant, and  bees  are  numerous,  and  almost  every 
description  of  fruit-tree  grows  here.    Beautiful 


coral  is  found  on  the  southern  coast,  and  forms 
an  important  article  of  export. 

Sicily — This  beautiful  island,  the  largest  in 
the  Mediterranean,  was  called  by  the  ancients 
Trinacria,  or  three-cornered.  The  earliest  inhab- 
itants, so  far  as  we  can  learn,  were  the  Sicari, 
a  people  of  Spain,  and  Etruscans,  who  came 
from  Italy  1294  b.c.  A  second  colony,  under 
Siculus,  arrived  about  eighty  years  before  the 
destruction  of  Troy,  which  happened  1284  B.C. 
The  Phoenicians  and  Greeks  settled  some  colo- 
nies here  about  700  years  B.C.  It  is  supposed 
that  Sicily  was  separated  from  Italy  by  an  earth- 
quake, and  that  the  Straits  of  Charybdis  were 
thus  formed.  Its  government  has  very  often 
been  joined  to  that  of  Naples,  but  in  1860  Gari- 
baldi landed  at  Marsala  with  two  thousand  men, 
and  having  conquei-ed  it,  annexed  it  to  the 
Kingdom  of  Italy,  of  which  it  now  forms  a  part. 
Its  population  is  about  tbr^q  millions.  The 
climate  is  very  warm  in  Summer,  and  the  cold 
in  Winter  never  affects  the  verdure. 

The  sulphur  mines  are  numerous  and  im- 
portant, and  immense  quantities  of  sulphur 
are  exported.  Palermo,  on  the  nortu  side  of 
the  island,  is  a  very  beautiful  city,  and  is  con- 
sidered as  its  capital. 

Malta. — This  island  was  originally  called 
Melita,  and  is  named  in  the  New  Testament  as 
being  that  upon  which  the  Apostle  Paul  was 
wrecked,  a.d.  62.  In  the  Acts,  chapters  xxvii. 
and  xxviii.  a  more  particular  account  will  be 
found.  It  was  taken  by  the  Vandals,  534  a.d., 
and  by  the  Arabs,  870  a.d.  The  Normans,  who 
then  held  Sicily,  wrested  it  from  them  in 
1090.  In  1590,  Charles  V.  gave  it  to  the  Knights 
Hospitalers,  who  gallantly  and  successfully 
defended  it  against  the  Turks.  In  1798  it  was 
taken  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  on  his  way  to 
Egypt,  June  12.  On  September  8,  1800,  it 
was  captured  by  the  British,  who  refused  to 
give  it  up,  and  it  has  since  remained  a  part  of 
their  colonial  empire.  La  Valetta,  the  capital, 
was  founded  in  1557  by  the  Grand  Master,  La 
Valette,  and  was  occupied  by  the  Knights,  Au- 
gust 18th,  1571.  The  Protestant  college  was 
founded  in  1846. 

The  Knights  of  Malta  was  a  military  religious 


Order,  called  also  Hospitalers  of  St.  John  of 
Jerusalem,  Knights  of  St.  John,  and  Knights 
of  Rhodes.  Some  merchants  of  Malfi,  trading 
to  the  Levant,  obtained  leave  of  the  Caliph  of 
Egypt  to  build  a  house  for  those  who  came  on 
pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  and  whom  they 
received  with  zeal  and  charity,  1048.  They 
afterward  founded  a  hospital  for  the  reception 
of  pilgrims,  from  whence  they  were  called  Hos- 
pitalers. 

The  military  Order  was  founded  1099 ;  con- 
firmed by  the  Pope  1113.  In  1119  the  Knights 
defeated  the  Turks  at  Antioch.  After  the  Chris- 
tians had  lost  their  interest  in  the  East,  and 
Jerusalem  was  taken,  the  Knights  retired  to 
Acre,  which  they  defended  valiantly  in  1290. 
They  next  followed  John,  King  of  Cyprus,  who 
gave  them  Limiss  in  his  dominions,  where  they 
staid  till  1310,  in  which  year  they  took  Rhodes, 
under  their  Grand  Master,  De  Valleret,  and  the 
next  year  defended  it,  under  the  Duke  of  Savoy, 
against  an  army  of  Saracens.  Since  then  his 
successors  have  used  F.  E.  R.  T.  for  their  device, 
that  is,  Fortitudo  ejus  Rhodum  tenuit,  or  Valor 
kept  Rhodes."  From  this  they  were  called 
Knights  of  Rhodes ;  but  Rhodes  being  taken  by 
Solyman  in  1522,  they  retired  into  Candia, 
thence  into  Sicily.  Pope  Adrian  VI.  granted 
them  the  city  of  Viterbo  for  their  retreat,  and 
in  1530  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  gave  them  the 
Isle  of  Malta.  The  Order  was  suppressed  in 
England  in  1540  ;  restored  in  1557,  and  again 
suppressed  in  1559.  St.  John's  Gate^  Clerken- 
well,  a  relic  of  their  possessions,  still  exists. 
The  Emperor  Paul,  of  Russia,  declared  himself 
Grand  Master  of  the  Order,  in  June,  1799. 

Rhodes. — This  island,  which  is  on  the  coast 
of  Asia  Minor,  was  peopled  from  Crete  about 
900  B.C.  The  inhabitants  were  famous  naviga- 
tors, and  instituted  a  naval  code,  which  was 
adopted  by  the  Romans.  It  was  built  about 
430  B.  c. ,  and  flourished  for  two  hundred  years. 
It  was  conquered  by  the  Emperor  Vespasian,  71 
A.  D.  In  1309  it  was  occupied  by  the  Knights 
Hospitalers,  who  remained  there  till  1522, 
when  they  retired  to  Malta,  on  the  conquest  of 
the  island  by  the  Turks  in  that  year.  That 
barbarous  people  stUI  retain  it. 


190 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


Ajaccio  Island  of  Corsica. 

The  Island  of  Corsica  is  situated  in  the  Mediterranean,  lying 
to  the  south  of  Sardinia,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the 
Strait  of  Bonifacio,  ten  miles  in  width.  It  was  first  colonized 
by  the  Phcenicians,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Cyrnos,  and  the 
Komans  altered  it  to  Corsica.  On  the  decline  of  the  Iloman 
Empire,  it  was  seized  by  the  Goths,  and  subsequently  passed 
from  them  to  the  Saracens.  In  1451  it  fell  under  the  dominion 
of  the  Genoese,  who  retained  it  till  1755,  when  a  great  part 
of  it  was  wrested  from  them,  and  made  independent,  by  the 
celebrated  General  Paoli.  It  was  ceded  to  France  (of  which  it 
forms  a  department)  by  the  Genoese  in  1768.  The  department 
is  divided  into  five  arrondissements :  namely,  Ajaccio,  Bastia, 
Calvi,  Corte,  and  Sartena.  Geographically,  the  island  has  some 
striking  features.  The  interior  is  traversed  by  a  mountain- 
chain  running  north  and  south,  the  culminating  point,  Monte 
Kotondo,  being  near  the  centre  of  the  island,  and  having  a 
height  of  nine  thousand  and  fifty-four  feet.  The  climate  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  Europe,  excejit  in  parts  on  the  east  coast,  whtiti 
lagoons  and  marshes  have  been  formed  by  the  torrents  descend- 
ing from  the  mountain-sides,  which,  having  accumulated  large 
quantities  of  debris  and  alluvium,  have  thus  interposed  a  barrier 
to  their  egress  into  the  sea.  The  heat  is  sometimes  oppressive, 
but  the  sky  is  generally  clear,  and  the  air  bracing.  Owing  to 
the  mountainous  nature  of  the  surface,  the  greater  part  of 
the  country  necessarily  remains  in  a  state  of  nature. 

Numerous  valleys,  however,  lie  between  the  lofty  ridges, 
and,  occasionally,  plains  of  considerable  extent  occur,  the  soil 
of  which  is  fertile  and  well  fitted  for  the  growth  of  all  the 
ordinary  cereals.  Bearing  live  stock  is  the  chief  branch  of 
industry ;  and  next  to  cattle,  the  chief  products  are  timber, 
honey,  wax,  olive-oil,  the  fruits  of  Italy  and  South  of  France, 
and  fish — which  latter,  however,  are  mostly  taken  by  Genoese 
and  Neapolitan  fishermen.  Corsica  is  rich  in  minerals,  but 
the  indolent  habits  of  the  inhabitivnts  render  them  averse  to 
working  the  mines ;  and  manufactures  are  nearly  limited  to 
the  production  of  coarse  woolens,  hardware  &nd  leather. 

Ajaccio,  the  capital  of  Corsica,  is  a  seaport  town  situated  on 
the  west  coast,  and  contains  a  population  of  about  twelve 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  built  on  an  agreeable  situation, 
and  contains  a  commodious  port,  which  is  protected  by  a  strong 
citadel.  The  city  is  an  object  of  especial  interest  to  the  Euro- 
pean traveler,  on  account  of  its  being  the  birthplace  of  Na- 
poleon Bonaparte,  who  was  born  there  on  August  15th,  1769 ; 
the  house  is  still  standing,  and  is  one  of  the  best  on  the  island. 
The  natural  scenery  surrounding  the  city  presents  many  features 
of  especial  interest,  several  of  which  we  present.  These  draw- 
ings are  from  the  hand  of  nature,  taken  by  the  camera  lucida. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  in  presenting  outlines  of  undoubted 
exactitude,  the  graver  will  not  permit  us  to  reproduce  the  rich 
coloring  of  the  mountains  at  the  moment  when  the  setting 
siin  diffuses  its  warm  and  luminotis  rays  amidst  the  blue-tinted 
shadows  of  the  rock.  The  point  of  view  selected  by  our  artist 
is  the  border  of  a  wood  of  wild  olives,  which  is  greatly  admired 
on  account  of  its  intermingled  cactus  and  myrtles. 

Quitting  the  city,  on  the  opposite  shore  an  equally  interest- 
ing character  of  vegetation  meets  the  eye.  On  this  side — where 
formerly  existed  an  infectious  marsh — there  is  now  established 
ajardin  des  plantes,  the  elevated  portions  being  covered  with 
pines,  and  a  species  of  oak  having  a  cork  bark.  In  every 
place  where  this  latter  tree  grows  in  abundance,  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Var  or  in  Catalonia,  its  bark  is  an  object  of  import- 
ant commercial  enterprise.  It  is  used  for  the  manufacture  of 
corks,  and  the  tree,  when  deprived  of  its  covering,  assumes  an 
unnatural  appearance  which  is  peculiar  to  the  locality.  In 
Corsica,  where  nothing  tempts  to  enterprise,  the  cork-tree 
preserves  its  covering,  standing  as  nature  formed  it.  This 
circamstance  being  rare,  our  artist  has  sketched  the  natural 


MEDITERRANEAN    ISLANDS 


491 


state  of  the  tree  with  admirable  fidelity ;  the 
grouping  of  the  visitors  who  frequent  the  jardin 
desplantes  being  happily  managed  and  forming 
a  pleasing  picture. 

Social  life  in  Corsica  presents  some  ciirious 
and  salient  points  to  the  American  eye.  An 
unusual  indolence  seems  to  pervade  the  entire 
masculine  community;  the  men  drink  pro- 
foundly and  smoke  tranquilly  in  the  cafe's  and 
restaurants,  devoting  their  entire  lives  to  con- 
viviality and  inaction.  The  women  are  to  be 
seen  at  all  times  wading  in  the  shallow  streams, 
kneeling,  clambering,  or 
poising  themselves  on 
blocks  of  granite  stained 
by  the  seaweed,  busied 
in  washing  their  linen. 
Young  urchins  seem  am- 
phibious in  their  attach- 
ment to  the  refreshing 
streams.  Asses  and  horses 
are  also  brought  down  to 
them  to  bathe.  These  in- 
cidents, characterized  with 
an  incessant  variety,  and 
heightened  with  a  fine 
picturesque  beauty,  are  set 
in  a  grand  framework  of 
mountains,  which  are 
everywhere  present  in 
Corsica.  Our  imperfect 
description  is  rendered 
more  vivid  to  the  under- 
standing b  y  t  h  e  illustra- 
tion which  accompanies  it. 

The  fountains  in  Ajac- 
cio  form  a  prominent 
feature.  That  in  the  Place 
de  la  Mairie  is  exceedingly 
ornamental,  and  much 
resorted  to  by  the  inhabit- 
ants. Kumberless  others 
are  placed  in  various  por- 
tions of  the  city,  all  alike 
meagre  in  their  supply  of 
water,  but  all  rich  in  the 
Scriptural  accompaniment 
of  female  figures,  waiting 
with  an  air  of  patience 
their  turn  to  fill  their 
pitchers.  The  fountain 
built  upon  the  O  or  so 
is  constructed  against  a 
wall  of  granite,  and  orna- 
mented, in  a  striking 
manner,  with  cactus,  aca- 
cias, and  the  straggling 
branches  of  a  noble 
cypress  which  surround 
the  ruined  tower  of  a 
neighboring  windmill.  This  fountain,  although 
far  surpassed  by  many  others  in  architectural 
display,  has  been  selected  by  our  artist  for  the 
honors  of  illustration,  on  account  of  its  very 
original  position. 

^-♦-♦^ • 

Sunrise  on  Mount  Etna. 

A  LADY  describes  her  ascent  of  Mount  Etna 
OS  follows : 

"For  two  hours  we  walked  with  perfect 
facility  on  crisp  hard,  snow,  and  saw,  with  ex- 


ulting pleasure,  that  the  '  Montagnuolo,'  which 
from  beneath  seems  almost  close  to  the  crater, 
was  gradually  losing  its  unattainable  appear- 
ance, and  allowing  us  to  sidle  up  to  its  base, 
when  an  overpowering  difficulty  made  itself 
felt — the  heat,  which  placed  a  fiery  barrier  on 
our  rising  path,  and  during  the  whole  ascent 
made  an  almost  invincible  resistance  to  our 
further  advance.  The  shawls,  one  by  one,  were 
thrown  off ;  handkerchiefs  followed  ;  the  heavy 
cloth  petticoats  next,  till  the  poor  guides  were 
quite  disguised  with  bearing  the  extra  garments. 


FOUNTAIN   OF   THK   CORSO,  AJACCIO. 

and  meekly  quoted  their  former  advice  to  leave 
them  with  the  muleteers.  Yet  they  had  no  right 
to  be  warm ;  for  if  the  heat  of  Africa  breathes 
over  Etna's  snows  in  Winter,  can  the  imagina- 
tion, even — that  ardent  burner  !  — glow  to  the 
slightest  idea  of  what  a  Sicilian  climate  must 
be  in  Summer,  when  they  declared  it  was  much 
hotter  ? 

' '  All  the  national  fire  of  character  became  at 
once  comprehensible  to  us,  and  even  infectious  ; 
as  stifling  heat  spreads  languor  and  exhausted 
indifference  around,  so  do  the  directly  darting 


rays  stir  up  the  soul  to  rage,  and,  maddbixing 
the  blood,  make  it  impel  the  body  on  to  oppo- 
sition. No,  Heat,  you  shall  not  vanquish! 
though  unexpected,  determined,  and  ferocious, 
you  find  \as  without  even  the  shade  of  IT  tiny 
umbrella  against  your  attacks ! 

"That  hour's  toil  up  to  the  column  was  in- 
expressibly painful.  We  tried  to  walk  in  th» 
guides'  shadows,  to  gasp  one  panting  breath  of 
air,  to  raise  the  swimming  head — it  was  ardor 
against  ardor — and  when,  bathed  in  fire,  on  a 
desert  of  snow,  we  threw  ourselves  at  the  bas» 
of  the  lava  pyramid,  and 
saw  a  great  white  Sahara 
extending  beyond,  with 
another  Etna  rising  from 
it  in  the  steamy  distance — 
then,  Heat,  you  had  well- 
nigh  been  conqueror, 

"A  quarter  of  an  hour's 
torpid  rest  restored  to 
us  the  power  of  move- 
ment, and  also  made  ua 
sensible  of  a  very  light, 
very  sharp,  and  very  re- 
freshing wind,  rushing 
past  from  the  north,  and 
which,  when  we  had 
donned  the  thickest 
shawls,  was  as  the  Fount- 
ain of  Hope  to  a  blistered 
mind,  or  nectar  sent 
by  Jove — that  gallant  god, 
always  touched  by  female 
wishes,  and  who  keeps  the 
hideous  Titan  Enceladus 
out  of  the  way,  crushed 
beneath  the  mountain, 
since  the  war  of  the  giants. 
"This  air  brought  on 
a  great  appetite ;  we  told 
the  guides  to  light  the 
charcoal  for  warming  the- 
coffee ;  they  hesitatingly 
said  it  had  not  been 
brought ;  they  never  ex- 
pected we  could  possibly 
reach  the  column,  the  few 
who  thought  of  trjdng  the 
ascent  in  Winter  generally 
giving  way  an  hour  below. 
In  Summer,  the  spot  was 
a  favorite  halting-place, 
and,  had  we  ascended  » 
week  sooner,  we  could 
have  ridden  that  far.  The 
coffee  had  to  be  taken  cold, 
and  was  most  reviving, 
instead  of  getting  into  the- 
head  like  spirits  ;  a  n  d  1 
am  happy  to  be  able  to  quote  Professor  Forbes, 
who  also  preferred  tea  to  wine  on  his  mountain 
expeditions.  The  guides  brought  out  bread 
and  oil,  of  course ;  for  dessert  each  had  one 
of  our  cold  veal  chops,  which  we  found  nice, 
solid  things,  with  a  little  fruit,  making  a. 
strengthening  and  not  too  heavy  meal. 

"After  the  cooling  air,  refreshment,  and  rest 
of  an  hour,  things  began  to  assume  quite  a 
different  appearance  ;  when  two  lovely  yellow 
butterflies  came  and  flitted  about,  eight  thoo 
sand  feet  above  that  sea  stretched  below. 


J92 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


sprang  up  and  felt  as  if  we  would  fly  also :  for  surely  what 
butterflies  could  reach,  we  could. 

"  The  '  Piano  delle  Lave '  lay  stretched  out  to  the  '  Casa  degU 
Inglesi,'  the  next  goal.  Angiolo  and  Georgio  were  hooked  in 
again,  and  soon  covered  with  shawls,  for  when  we  moved,  the 
wind  seemed  to  disappear,  and  the  heat  raged  again  undis- 
turbed. The  snow  had  now  become  soft,  and  at  each  step  we 
sank  in  ankle-deep,  then  knee-deep ;  it  was  very,  very  hard 
work  ;  while  that  'Montagnuolo,'  at  first  so  advancing,  seemed 
as  if  it  would  accompany  us,  and  never  let  us  edge  beyond 
its  shoulder  ;  the  little  '  Casa  degli  Inglesi,'  instead  of  increas- 
ing in  size,  remained  the  same  insignificant  distant  dot ;  even 
the  lovely  appearance  of  the  snow,  whose  alabaster  surface 
was  shaded  into  deep  sea-green  wherever  we  had  stepped,  could 
not  charm  us  into  thinking  it  less  heavy  than  a  dry  sandy 
beach.  This  was  another  two  hours'  probation,  seeming  never 
to  end,  and,  like  the  former,  to  be  endured  only  by  one  of 
those  efforts  which  enthusiasm  can  force  now  and  then  in 
a  lifetime ;  it  felt  rewarded  when  the  little  roof  of  the 
highest-placed  house  in  Europe  sloped  at  touching  distance 
above  the  snow.  As  the  frozen  banks  prevented  the  door 
being  opened,  I  at  once  seated  mamma  comfortably  on  an 
icicle,  to  examine  the  effects  of  the  last  earthquake,  which 
had  thrown  down  the  back  rooms — and  rushed  off  with  An- 
giolo toward  the  crater,  and  was  out  of  reach  in  a  moment 

"TJp  and  down  the  little  snow-hills  we  ran  with  glee,  the 
good  soul  being  as  excited  as  myself,  and  not  till  we  came  to 
the  ascent  of  the  funnel  (of  which  only  a  gravel- walk  outside 
the  dome  of  St.  Paul's  can  give  any  idea)  did  I  well  understand 
how  that  many  people  who  even  rode  up  to  the  Casa  never 
reached  the  crater  of  the  mountain.  Etna  being  a  pyramid, 
and  towering  above  all  nature  within  the  vast  horizon  around, 
the  miserable  beings  on  her  summit  are  suspended  in  the  air, 
and  merely  cling,  with  a  poor  little  pair  of  feet,  to  a  few 
shifting  cinders,  while  all  Sicily  waits  to  receive  theij  'ones 
when,  giddy-headed,  they  roll  below. 

"Such  being  the  prospect,  and  the  probable  result  of  lookmg 
round,  it  can  be  imagined  that  a  good  head  is  necessary,  as  it 
is  impossible,  from  the  steepness,  to  take  more  than  four  steps 
upward  without  stopping.  The  rarefaction  of  the  air  had  not 
the  slightest  effect  upon  us  during  the  whole  ascent ;  poor 
Italian  travelers  are  quite  torn  in  pieces  by  it ;  they  either  drink 
rum  or  suck  lemons  the  whole  way  up.  The  ground  was  pleas- 
antly warm  beneath  our  feet,  if  we  did  not  rest  too  long  ;  here 
and  there  smoke  came  from  slits  in  the  sulphurous  yellow 
ground,  called  '  Papone  del  Cratere,'  giving  an  a\vful  sensation 
of  hollowness  beneath. 

' '  Toil,  toil,  toil ;  is  this  to  be  never-ending  ?  Hark,  a  sound  I 
it  must  be  Vulcan's  anvil  preparing  Jove's  thunder  in  his  crater- 
forge — a  few  more  gasps,  a  few  more  slips — backward,  forward, 
struggles — and  inside  a  great  basin  of  blue  and  yellow  smoke  I 
see  distinctly  a  Cyclop  looking  up  at  us !  Bewildered  and 
confused,  oh  1  were  there  but  a  spot  to  sit  down  and  think  for 
a  moment.  No,  the  edge  is  crust,  and  pressed,  will  crisply 
crack  into  the  gulf,  where  Bronte  and  Sterope  have  already 
come  to  their  companion's  call. 

"  The  view  of  sunrise  from  Mount  Etna  exceeds  all  descrip 
tion.  The  gradual  manner  in  which  the  curtain  of  the  night 
is  drawn  up,  and  the  enormous  landscape  exposed  to  view 
from  such  an  elevated  station  as  Etna,  is  what  no  imaginatioi- 
can  pretend  to  conceive — no  experience  in  the  smallest  degree 
prepare  us  for.  The  radius  of  vision  from  that  spot  is  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles — or,  in  other  words,  that  the  eye  takes 
in  at  one  view  a  range  of  the  earth's  surface  three  hundred 
miles  in  width  !  It  will  be  easily  understood  that  certain  parts 
of  this  gigantic  panorama  enjoy  the  touches  of  the  coming  day 
long  before  others.  The  highest  and  most  eastern,  of  course,  are 
the  first  lighted  up — but,  owing  to  the  shaded  sides  of  all  ob- 
jects sitaated  in  that  direction  being  turned  to  the  spectator, 


MEDITERRANEAN    ISLANDS. 


493 


very  cnrions  modificntions  take  place, 
and  give  to  those  elevated  spots  which 
lie  to  the  westward  a  priority  of  distinct- 
ness in  their  details  which  we  should 
not  have  anticipated.  As  the  fields  and 
towns  and  the  Yarious  indentations  of 
the  coast  become  visible,  and  the  colors 
of  the  foliage  begin  to  show  them- 
selves, we  are  apt  to  fancy  the  sim  must 
be  close  at  hand ;  but  it  is  generally 
long  after  this  period  that  he  appears 
— such  is  the  surpassing  splendor.  This 
effect  is,  perhaps,  increased  by  the 
clearness  of  the  air  at  great  altitudes." 


Sicilian  Types  and  Oostumes. 
Sicily  shows  on  her  people  the  im- 
press of  the  different  nations  that  have, 
from  time  to  time,  ruled  its  destinies. 
It  seems  hard  to  realize  that  Theocritus 
here  wrote  his   exquisite  poems,  and 
that  Sicily  in  his  day  was  as  Grecian 
as  Athens.  It  grew  Latin  under  the  Ro- 
mans, was  ruled  by  tribes  of  northern 
tarbarians,  and  then  bowed  to  the  Cres 
cent.     France   gave   her  Normans  to 
rule  Trinacria,   and  for   centuries  Spain  and 
France  strove  for  the  mastery.     The  Spanish 
Bourbon  has  at  length  yielded   it  up  to  the 
French  Savoyard.     In  Sicily,  life  is  generally 


SICILIAN   MOTBER. 

retired.  Visits  are  few,  assemblies  rare.  The 
great  distractions  are  the  promenade  in  the 
cool  of  the  evening,  the  passe  grata,  made  from 
nine  to  twelve,  conventional  fttes,  and  proces- 


sions. The  women  wear  a  black  man- 
tilla, and  great  embroidered  vails,, 
white  or  red,  sometimes  with  gold- 
trimming.  The  mantilla  cf  the  peasant 
woman  is  of  blue  cloth,  quite  short, 
and  often  serves  as  a  cushion  to  place 
on  the  head  to  receive  a  burden. 

The  sailors  found  here,  as  elsewhere, 
are  generally  dressed  in  blue,  even  to> 
their  sash.  Men  in  better  classes  wear 
short  breeches,  and  leggings  tied  with 
leather  straps. 

Recent  travelers  are  not  too  favor- 
ably impressed  with   the    education, 
beauty  or  thrift  of  the  Sicilian  women. 
One  ungailantiy  says  that  "  he  did  not 
see  a  single  handsome  one." 

A  Sicilian  Mother. 
OuB  engraving  represents  a  woman 
carrying  two  children  in  a  basket  on 
her  head.     This  engraving  is  copied 
from  an  etching  by  Pinelli,  made  about 
sixty  years  ago.  Of  course,  in  real  life, 
the  basket  was  not  left  open  for  the 
cherubs  to  fall  out  of  it.     Cords  or 
straps   passed  across  and  across    it,  and  the 
basket  was  fitly  lined  with  wool,  like  a  nest. 
A   more   agreeable   mode   of   traveling   can', 
scarcely  be  conceived. 


SICILIiN  TYPES  AND  COSTUMES. 


4U 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Mount  Etna. 

Etna  is  a  volcanic  mountain  in  Sicily,  about 
ten  miles  from  Catania.  The  circumference  at 
its  base  is  sixty-three  miles — its  height,  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  ten  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  seventy-four  feet.  It  is  divided  by  the 
Sicilians  into  three  regions,  the  lava,  or 
lower ;  the  wooded,  or  middle  ;  and  the  upper. 

The  lower  contains  vineyards,  cornfields, 
pastures,  villages — even  cities  and  convents. 
The  middle  is  crowded  with  forests  of  oak, 


ania.     Smaller  eruptions  took  place  in  1755, 
1763,  1764,  1766,  1780  and  1787. 

Since  then  there  has  been  no  eruption  of  fire, 
although  there  is  a  constant  issue  of  sulphurous 
smoke  from  the  great  crater. 


Palermo  and  its  Lazzaroni. 

Palermo,  the  capital  of  Sicily,  lies  grace- 
fully at  the  extremity  of  a  rounded  gulf.  In 
the  blue  distance  are  seen  mountains,  while 
on   the  -west  towers  Monte  Pellegrino,   with 


Mechanics  work  before  their  shops  by  the  light 
of  small  lamps ;  even  a  notary  will  be  seen 
seated  in  front  of  his  ofiice,  with  a  table  full  of 
papers,  attending  to  his  clients  I 

The  sobriety  of  the  Sicilian  can  scarcely  be 
exaggerated ;  bread  and  water  for  the  most 
wretched ;  figs  and  other  common  fruits  suffice 
for  those  better  off ;  macaroni  for  the  best. 
The  sky  is  so  splendid,  the  evening  breeze  so 
refreshing,  the  landscape  so  charming  ! 

The  Palermitans  are  lively,  and  are  given  to 
gesticulation.     They  seem  proud,  distrustful, 


chestnut,  ash,  fir,  pine,  and  numerous  aromatic 
plants.  The  upper  is  entirely  destitute  of  vege- 
tation, the  summit  being  covered  with  snow 
and  ice,  and  a  layer. of  ashes. 

The  date  of  the  first  eruption  is  not  recorded, 
the  date  of  the  earliest  known  being  734  u.c. 
From  this  period  to  the  year  1447  there  were 
eighteen  more  eruptions.  In  1536,  after  a 
quiet  of  ninety  years,  another  took  place ;  then 
in  1554,  1567,  1603,  1669,  1682  and  1693.  The 
last  was  attended  with  an  earthquake.  These 
combined  visitations  destroyed  the  City  of  Cat- 


SUNBISE  ON  MOUNT  ETNA. 

its  precipitous  summit,  its  stern  and  sterile 
sides. 

The  general  aspect  of  Palermo  is  Spanish 
rather  than  Italian.  It  is  rectangular,  one  of 
the  narrow  sides  fronting  on  the  sea.  The  port 
is  sheltered  by  a  mole  nearly  a  mile  long  on  the 
south,  and  half  as  long  on  the  east.  The  city 
is  divided  into  four  quarters,  separated  by 
clean  streets. 

The  Palermitans  almost  live  in  the  streets. 
At  night  groups  of  men  asleep  on  the  side- 
walks,  the  steps  of    palaces    and    churches. 


and  quarrelsome.  Almost  all  the  inhabitants 
show  a  bright,  intelligent  face,  and  the  women 
are  distinguished  by  a  natural  elegance. 


The  Salt  Springs  in  Sicily. 

Salt  is  one  of  the  necessities  of  man.  Thd 
higher  orders  of  animals  need  it  also,  and 
Providence  in  its  overruling  wisdom  and  good- 
ness, has  distributed  it  so  generally,  that  it  is 
accessible  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Salt,  styled  by  chemists  chloride  of  sodinm. 


MEDITERIUNEAN    ISLANDS. 


495 


SICILIAN    PEASANT    GIBL. 


496 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Is  a  natural  compound  obtained  from  mines,  or 
by  evaporating  the  water  of  the  sea,  or  of  salt 
lakes,  or  springs.  In  Europe,  the  greatest  rock 
salt  mines  are  those  of  Poland  ;  Sicily  has  a 
number  of  salt  springs  or  pools,  of  which  we 
give  an  illustration,  lying  amid  the  \olcanic 
tracts  of  that  island,  while  of  salt  springs,  our 
own  country  has  every  variety.  Excellent  salt 
is  made  from  the  salt  water  in  Florida,  and  at 
Turk's  Island ;  Louisiana  has  mines  of  rock 
salt  of  wonderful  extent ;  Texas  has  salt  lakfis, 
one  of  which  for  many  years  gave  Mexico 
almost  her  whole  supply  ;  and  New  York  State 
possesses  the  Onondaga  Salt  Springs,  discovered 
by  the  Jesuits  from  Canada,  in  1653,  but  the 
existence  of  which  seemed  to  the  worthy  Dutch 
burghers  of  New  Amsterdam  so  problematical, 
that  they  shook  their  heads,  thought  it  un- 
sound doctrine,  and  never  took  the  trouble  to 


characteristic  of  the  Maltese ;  and  they  spare 
neither  time  nor  expense  in  erecting  and  deco- 
rating commodious  places  of  worship. 

Everywhere  between  the  villages  are  hun- 
dreds and  thousands  of  stone  walls.  These 
form  the  inclostues  of  the  fields,  or  rather 
plots,  of  thin  rocky  soil.  There  is  scarcely  such 
a  thing  as  a  fine  green  meadow  to  be  seen  any  - 
where  on  the  island  ;  but  yet  it  is  surprising 
that  from  the  scanty  depth  of  earth  so  much 
vegetable  produce  is  obtained  as  is  actually 
grown.  There  are  no  oaks,  elms,  beeches  or 
other  ordinary  forest  trees  in  Malta.  A  solitary 
palm  rears  its  feathery  crown  here  and  there,  at 
wide  intervals,  but  these  are  indeed  ' '  few  and 
far  between."  The  only  thing  which  relieves 
the  universal  stony  aspect  of  the  landscape  is 
the  frequent  dotting  of  thick  bushy  carob-trees, 
or  an  occasional  patch  of  orange-trees.     The 


ing  and  interesting  sea,  and  the  ^^iil  clearer 
but  less  deep-blue  sky  overhead. 


Vaietta. 

Notwithstanding  the  uniform  light-yellow 
color  of  all  the  houses  and  fortifications  of  Va- 
ietta, there  is  a  constant  interest  of  variety  in 
other  aspects,  and  especialh'  in  the  general 
good  architectural  style  of  its  buildings. 

Throughout  Malta  the  houses  are  substan- 
tially built.  The  very  poorest  people  live  in 
respectable  stone  houses,  superior  to  those  of, 
perhaps,  any  country  in  Europe.  The  streets  of 
Vaietta  present  fagades  and  artistic  effects 
which  would  be  ornaments  to  any  English  city. 
In  particular,  there  is  much  variety  in  the 
doors  and  windows.  Some  of  the  latter  are 
long,  projecting  balconies,  running  nearly  the 


go  and  see.  Yet,  in  1861,  these  springs  pro- 
duced seven  millions  of  bushels  of  salt,  each 
weighing  about  seventy  pounds. 


General  Aspect  of  Malta. 

Malta  is  a  rock,  a  large  inhabited  quarry. 
Look  at  it  in  whichever  direction  one  may,  it 
has  a  stony  aspect ;  for  everywhere  stones  are 
the  chief  and  conspicuous  object  of  a  Maltese 
landscape. 

In  looking  over  the  island  we  see  numerous 
villages.  These  are  confined,  however,  to  the 
parts  in  the  eastern  and  southern  half  of  it,  or 
to  the  district  mostly  within  sight  of  Vaietta. 

There  are  twenty-two  of  these  "casals," 
as  they  are  called.  However  small  they  may 
be,  they  have  a  large  and  handsome  church ; 
for  devotedness  to  their  religion  is  eminently  a 


ISLAND  OF  MARE-IMO,  OFF  THE  WEST  COAST  OF  SICILT. 

orange,  lemon,  fig  and  the  prickly  pear  are  all 
cultivated  in  considerable  quantity,  but  are  not 
large  enough  to  figure  conspicuously  above  the 
lofty  stone  walls  which  surround  every  plot  and 
garden.  These  walls  are  of  loose,  naked  stones, 
and  are  necessary  to  afford  protection  from  the 
scorching  sun  in  Summer,  and  from  the  delug- 
ing rains  in  Winter.  Otherwise  the  soil  would 
be  washed  away,  leaving  the  close  underlying 
rock  quite  bare. 

All  Malta  seems  to  be  light-yellow — light- 
yellow  rocks,  light-yellow  fortifications,  light- 
yellow  stone  walls,  light-yellow  flat-topped 
houses,  light-yellow  palaces  and  chxirches,  and 
light-yellow  roads  and  streets. 

To  relieve  this  uniformity  of  color,  there  is, 
besides,  the  occasional  dark-green  bushy  trees 
of  carob,  everywhere  within  sight  some  appear- 
ance of  the  clear  bright-blue  of  the  suixound- 


entire  breadth  of  the  houses  ;  others  are  tall, 
rectangular  windows,  with  wooden  sideblinds, 
painted  green ;  others  combine  the  two,  bal- 
cony and  window,  in  one ;  others,  again,  are 
inserted  in  receding  arches,  or  niches,  and  are 
themselves  simple  arches.  The  entrances  are 
variously  arched  or  rectangular.  Some  serve 
for  both  door  and  window  to  the  ground  floor ; 
others  have  side-pillars  and  fronting  flights  of 
steps  ;  whilst  others  are  quite  palatial,  and  are 
surmounted  by  old,  carved,  heraldic  escutcheons 
of  stonework,  wrought  in  the  pulmy  days  of 
the  Knights  and  Grand  Masters. 

Vaietta  consists  of  "the  four  cities  ' — Va- 
ietta proper,  Floriana,Vittoriosa,  and  Burmola ; 
the  latter  includes  Senglea.  The  two  former 
are  on  the  same  long  tongue  of  land,  and  form 
the  division  between  the  Grand  Harbor  and 
the  Quarantine  Harbor.     Vittoriosa  occupies  a 


MEDITERKANEAN    ISLANDS. 


497 


of  ■which  fort  a  lighthouse  risea 
conspicuously,  and  is  a  brilliant 
beacon  at  night  to  ships  approach- 
ing the  two  magnificent  and  co  a- 
modious  harbors. 


SALT  SPRINGS   IN   SICILY. 


second  steep  peninsula,  and  Senglea  appropri- 
ates a  third.  Both  of  the  latter  are  east  of  the 
Grand  Harbor,  and  stretch  out  into  the  water, 
with  their  points  toward  Valetta  proper. 
Each  of  the  points  of  these  and  other  penin- 
sulas in  the  harbors  is  fortified  by  powerful 
batteries.  Thus,  at  the  point  of  Vittoriosa  is 
Fort  St.  Angelo ;  at  the  point  of  Senglea  is 
Fort  St.  Michael;  at  the  point  of  Valetta  is 
Fort  St.  Elmo ;  and  at  the  two  side-points, 
forming  the  north  and  south  barriers  of  the 
two  entrances  to  the  harbors  of  Valetta,  are 
Forts  Kicasoli  and  Tigue. 

Valetta  Harbor  consists  of  two  main  divi- 
mons,  but  each  of  the  two  contains  several 
other  smaller  harbors  ;  so  that  in  each  direction 
the  sea  branches  and  re-branches  amongst  the 
land,  producing  great  separateness  of  outline 
as  to  the  laying-out  of  the  whole  of  the  capital, 
and  also  affording,  as  a  set-off  to  the  pictur- 
esqueness,  a  very  considerable  daily  amount  of 
petty  inconvenience  in  the  use  of  boats  and 
ferries. 

These  intersecting  inlets  form  the  natural 
merits  of  Malta  as  a  seat  of  navy  and  com- 
merce. What  nature  has  thus  begun  has  been 
added  to  by  art,  in  the  construction,  through 
successive  centuries,  of  the  most  complete  and 
massive  series  of  fortifications  to  be  found  in 
the  world. 

Valetta  proper  consists  of  a  peninsula,  a 
mile  long,  bordered  on  the  east  side  by 
the  Grand  Harbor,  on  the  west  by  the  Quaran- 
tine Harbor,  and  on  the  north  by  the 
Mediterranean.  This  peninsula  is  a  long 
hill,  having  the  Strata  Reale  running  along 
its  central  ridge,  and  with  four  or  five  parallel 
streets  on  each  side  slope.  These  streets  run 
23 


lengthwise  straight  out  from  the  inner  part 
of  the  peninsula  to  its  extremitj',  where  is 
situated  Fort  St.  Elmo,  from  the  loftv  centre 


Ruined  Temples  of  the  Znighta 
of  St.  John,  Rhodes. 

The  Order  of  the  Knights  of  St.- 
John  of  Jerusalem  took  its  rise  i^ 
the  Holy  Land,  as  early  as  the 
time  of  the  conquest  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  a.d.  1099,  by  Godfrey 
of  Bouillon.  At  that  memorable 
epoch  of  faith  and  chivalry,  Ghi- 
rard,  a  native  of  France,  a  physi- 
cian, arrived  at  the  Holy  City, 
where  he  gathered  together  the 
wounded  and  sick,  and  bestowed 
on  them  the  most  charitable 
offices. 

Moved  by  this  benevolence,  and 
touched  by  his  piety,  some  knightsi 
who  had  been  cured  at  the  hands 
of    the     holy    man,    resolved    to 
imitate   his  charity,    and,   for  the 
love  of  Christ,  follow  his  example, 
in  consecrating  their  lives  to  nurs- 
ing  the    sick    and    relieving    the 
poor.     Such  w.is  the  origin  of  this 
religious      and     military     Order, 
which  placed   itself  under  the   patronage   of 
St.    John,    and  who,  under  the  name   of  the 
Knights    of    St.   John   of   Jerusalem,   or  the 


THE  BKaOABS'  8TAIB,  HALTA. 


.   THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Hospital,  rendered 
themselves  famous  on 
all  the  battle-fields  of 
Palestine. 

As  long  as  Ghirard 
lived,  the  Order  pre- 
served a  pacific  char- 
acter ;  but  the  warriors 
of  the  Cross,  wishing 
to  bear  their  share,  in 
spite  of  the  rigors  of 
the  discipline  and  the 
TOWS  they  had  taken, 
the  military  element 
w&s  introduced 
through  the  influence 
of  Raymond  Dupuy,  a 
gentleman  of  Dau- 
phiny.  It  was  thus 
that  secular  priests 
Twere  transformed  into 
a  cohort  which  to  the 
rules  and  austerity  of 
the  convent  added  all 
the  auxiliary  virtues 
which  then  animated 
the   fervent   crusaders. 

To  strengthen  this 
Order  then  rushed  from 
ail  parts  of  Franca 
those  who  desired  to 
win  heaven  in  defense  "" 

of  the  Holy  Land.  As 
might  have  been  ex- 
pected, the  Knights 

of  St.  John  soon  became  powerful,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  they  proved  one  of  the  stoutest 
ramparts  against  the  incessant  attacks  of  the 
Saracens. 

The  most  brilliant  records  in  history,  gover- 
ing  a  space  of  seven  hundred  years,  are  found 
in  the  details  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John,  mainly 
recniited  from  the  ranks  of  the  French  nobiUty . 
In  Palestine  its  members  were  conspicuous  iu 
every  engagement,  and  shed  their  blood  on  all 
the  fields  from  Damietta  to  Antioch.  Fightiug 
always  in  the  foremost  rank,  under  the  walls  of 


QUEEN  ADEL.iIDE  CmBCn,  VALKTTA,  MALTA. 

Jeru.salem,  they  defended  the  crown  of  Godfrey 
and  of  Baldwin;  at  St.  Jean  d'Acre  they 
promptly  aided  Philip  II.  and  Richard  I.  of 
England  in  captui'iug  that  city  ;  at  Mansourah, 
cut  up  and  crushed  by  numbers,  they  could  not 
save  the  Count  d'Artois,  nor  snatch  St.  Louis 
from  the  hands  of  the  Saracens.  Often  victori- 
ous, sometimes  hewn  in  pieces,  always  iu  the 
thickest  of  the  fight,  they  never  retired  until 
crowned  with  glory  or  made  helpless  by  wounds. 
The  chances  of  war,  the  growing  indifference 
in  Europe  for  the  Holy  Land,  and  the  dissen- 


sions among  the  cru- 
saders, finally  left  tho 
Knights  of  St.  John 
single  -  handed  to  con- 
tend with  the  growing 
power  of  the  Mussul-- 
man.  Step  by  step  they 
were  driven  toward 
the  sea;  the  sacking 
of  St.  Jean  d'Acre  was 
the  last  act  in  the 
drama  of  this  heroio 
Order,  which  had  so 
long  been  a  terror  to 
the  infidels  in  the  land 
of  Syria.  In  one  ter- 
rible night  of  1291 
tho  battlements  were 
lighted  by  the  bonfires 
of  a  victorious  enemy, 
and  nearly  all  of  this 
noble  and  ancient 
Order  was  e  x  t  e  r  - 
minated  ;  a  feeble  rem- 
nant only  escaped  from, 
the  fury  of  Moham- 
medan fanaticism. 
Throwing  themselves 
into  the  sea,  they 
escaped  the  carnage. 

The  remains  of  tho 
Ho.spitalers,  the  sur- 
vivors of  that  bloody 
day,  with  tears  in  their 
eyes  and  sorrow  in 
their  hearts,  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  soil 
their  valor  could  no  longer  defend.  Palestine, 
with  all  its  holy  associations,  was  lost  to  tho 
Christian  world  and  to  the  Knights  of  St.  John 
for  ever. 

But  where  were  they  to  go?  Where  were 
they  to  set  up  the  shrine  of  their  patron  saint  ? 
Toward  what  shore  could  they  carry  those  arms 
which  had  so  often  made  the  enemies  of  the 
Christians  tremble  ?  Where  were  they  to  raise 
the  walls  of  a  new  hospital  ? 

After  receiving  the  ungracious  hospitality  of 


TIXW  Of  HALTA. 


MEDITERRANEAN    ISLANDS, 


499 


tm 


THE   WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


the  King  of  Cyprus,  Henry  II.  of  Lusignan,  they 
turned  their  eyes  to  the  coast  of  Khodes.  That 
island,  by  its  situation  between  Europe  and  Asia, 
and  on  the  highway  to  the  Holy  Land,  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  Grand  Master,  Foulcjues 
de  Villaret,  who,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1310, 
after  a  blood  J'  battle  with  the  Turks  and  Greeks, 
succeeded  in  taking  possesssion  of  it. 

The  Hospitalers  visited  upon  the  Turks  the 
disaster  of  Ptolemais,  and  to  the  manes  of  those 
who  perished  on  the  day  of  that  Christian  holo- 
caust they  immolated  every  Mussulman  they 
found  on  the  island.  Thus  was  accomplished 
the  taking  of  Rhodes  by  the  Knights  of  St. 
John  of  Jerusalem. 

Proud  and  hajipy  in  the  victory,  they  set 
themselves  at  once  to  work  to  secure  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  success.  To  preserve  the  con- 
quest, it  was  necessary  to  raise  up  a  bulwark 
against  the  menacing  encroachments  of  the 
Ottoman  race.  Under  the  direction  of  Helion 
de  Villeneuve,  Rhodes  was  soon  surrounded  by 
a  strong  rampart,  defended  by  bastions  and 
ditches,  and  still  further  strengthened  by  the 
measures  of  the  Grand  Master,  bringing  all  the 
experience  of  centuries  to  bear  in  the  art  of 
defense.  The  walls  were  completed,  churches, 
the  palace  of  the  Grand  Master,  the  convent, 
the  hospitals,  forts,  tower.^,  and  dwellings  for 
the  commanders  of  different  nations,  grew  in 
rapid  succession,  until  the  city  of  Rhodes  at- 
tained that  imposing  religious  and  military 
physiognomy  which  it  retains. 

Among  its  public  buildings  were  the  churches 
of  St.  John,  St.  Catharine,  St.  Mark,  St. 
Stephen,  and  Our  Lady  of  Victory.  That  one 
placed  under  the  invocation  of  the  patron  saint 
of  the  Order  was  erected  as  a  cathedral.  Placed 
upon  the  culminating  point  of  the  hill  upon 
which  rose  the  city  of  Rhodes,  its  high  tower, 
seen  from  afar,  indicated  to  the  Christian  trav- 
elers of  that  day  the  first  harbor  opened  to  the 
commerce  of  the  East. 

In  the  vaults  of  this  church  were  entombed 
the  Grand  Masters,  and  not  long  ago  we  were 
e.ble  to  gratify  a  feeling  of  reverence  by  kneel- 
ing on  the  funeral  slabs  which  covered  the  tombs 
of  Aubusson,  Amboise,  Carette,  and  other  dis- 
♦inguished  chiefs.  The  Christian  clock-tower 
was  no  longer  in  existence  ;  it  had  fallen  under 
the  cannon  of  Soliman,  and  upon  its  base  rose 
the  minaret  of  the  mosque.  The  Crescent  re- 
placed the  Cross,  the  altar  had  been  superseded 
by  the  Arab  shrine,  and  upon  the  Turkish  car- 
pets which  covered  the  marble  slabs  of  the 
church,  in  place  of  the  Gospel,  a  Mollah  re- 
cited the  Koran. 

By  the  side  of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  John,  the 
palace  of  the  Grand  Masters,  still  enshrined  be- 
hind its  ramparts,  rears  its  shattered  walls  and 
round  battlements,  and  the  mutilated  lances 
and  cross  keys,  still  to  be  seen  above  the  great 
gate,  showed  plainly  that  they  had  not  been 
abandoned  by  the  Hospitalers  until  they  had 
fought  their  last  gasp. 

Sad  was  the  sight  when  the  blazoned  escutch- 
eons of  the  nofllest  families  of  France  were 
hidden  and  defaced,  the  sacred  vaults  burst 
open,  and  the  earth  which  covered  the  pave- 
ment nourished  the  commonest  vegetables  of 
the  Turkish  garden.  This  palace  commanded 
the  city,  and  was  the  abode  of  the  chiefs  of  th« 


MEDITERRANEAN    ISLANDS. 


valiant  militia  of  Ehodes,  and  tit  the  time  of 
its  siege  served  as  a  symbol  of  courage,  for  it 
stood  like  a  sentinel  on  tlie  edge  of  the  ram- 
part most  exposed  to  the  assaults  of  the  enemy. 
Thus  it  became  almost  a  ruin  ;  the  thickness  of 
its  walls  could  not  resist  the  enormous  masses 
of  marble  which  were  hurled  at  it  from  the 
monstrous  howitzers  of  the  Turks. 

The  escutcheon  bearing  a  shield,  ornamented 
by  a  cardinal's  hat,  recalls  the  dignity  to  which 
Pope  Innocent  VIII.  elevated  Pierre  d'Aubusson, 
after  the  heroic  defense  that  he  made,  in  1480, 
against  Moliammed  II.  The  Voluntas  Dei  eat  ot 
Peter  the  Hermit,  engraved  upon  the  marble  in 
Gothic  characters,  with  the  date,  1495,  attest 
that  at  that  epoch  the  Knights  of  St.  John 
were  devoted  to  the  defense  of  religion,  and 
were  still  victorious  over  their  enemies.  By  the 
side  01  this  epigraph,  which  was  for  a  long  time 
the  triumphal  cry  of  the  Knights  of  St.  John, 
is  the  shield  of  Villiers  de  File-Adam,  which  re- 
minds the  spectator  of  that  venerable  and  un- 
fortunate Grand  Master,  who,  in  spite  of  his 
superhuman  efforts,  his  devotion,  and  numerous 
wounds,  was  compelled,  in  1.')'22,  to  capitiilate 
to  Soliman  the  Magnificent,  and  to  open  to  that 
monarch  the  gates  of  the  city,  his  troops  enter- 
ing through  breaches  in  the  walls,  clogged  by 
the  dead  bodies  of  Janissaries. 

L'lle-Adam,  vanquished  by  famine,  over- 
whelmed by  the  woes  of  a  population  which 
had  suffered  everything,  endured  everything, 
stipulated  for  the  safety  of  the  women,  the  old 
men,  and  the  children,  who  were  really  all  that 
remained  of  the  defenders  of  Khodes. 

As  a  touching  example  of  the  veneration  in- 
spired even  among  barbarians  by  heroism  and 
devotion,  it  is  said  that  Soliman  was  as  much 
moved  by  the  misfortunes  of  the  Grand  Master 
as  he  was  astonislied  by  his  bravery,  and  that 
he  could  not  help  shedding  tears  when  he  saw 
this  old  man,  covered  with  wounds,  full  of 
grief,  biit  proud  in  the  consciousness  of  having 
done  his  duty  to  the  end,  cast  a  last  sad  look 
upon  the  city  which  was  llie  grave  of  his  noble 
companions  in  arms.  The  Mussulman  sovereign 
conceived  in  that  moment  the  idea  of  at- 
taching I'lle-Adam  to  his  service;  but  with 
the  pride  insi)ired  with  the  elevated  sentiments 
of  a  noble  heart,  he  coiild  not  but  admire  the 
noble  reply  of  the  Grand  Master,  who  said  to 
him:  "That  he  should  be  unworthy  of  his 
favors  if  he  were  capable  of  accepting  them, 
and  that  so  great  a  prince  would  be  dishonored 
by  the  services  of  a  traitor  and  renegade." 

Leaving  the  sad  reminiscences  of  the  j  •\st,  we 
can  now  stop  before  the  Fort  of  St.  Nicuolas, 
■which  defended  the  harbor  of  the  cit}'.  Stand- 
ing out  into  the  sea,  it  bore  with  ])ride  the 
arms  of  Philip  the  Good  ;  battered  with  fury  by 
the  artillery  of  Mohammed,  it  was  dismantled.. 
It  was  against  the  walls  of  this  fort  that  the 
Turks  advanced,  only  to  be  dashed  to  jiieces. 

Like  Syria,  Palestine,  and  the  Isle  of  Cyprus, 
Ehodes  for  centuries,  even  upon  its  ruins,  bore 
the  imprint  of  those  heroic  Christians,  whose 
zeal  for  reUgion  and  a  love  of  glory  had  sent 
them  to  those  far-off  shores. 

The  sacred  impress,  alas .'  is  not  ineffaceable. 
Two  frightful  catastrophes  have  recently  hap- 
pened which  have  nearly  destroyed  what  time 
and  the  barbarian  bad  respected.     The  Church 


602 


THE    WOKLDa    GREAT    NATIONS. 


of  8t.  John,  used  as  a  mosque,  had  stored  in 
its  Taults  many  thousand  pounds  of  powder. 
By  some  unaccountable  reason,  it  was  ignited, 
and  blew  the  venerable  pile  into  atoms.  The 
tombs  in  which  the  Grand  Masters,  for  four 
hundred  years,  had  reposed  in  peace,  were  vio- 
lently opened,  and  their  sacred  ashes  are  now 
confounded  with  the  dust  of  the  ruins,  or  have 
bean  scattered  by  the  intruding  winds.     Thus, 


bikd'.s-2ve  view  of  boodes. 

nothing  remains  of  the  noble  chiefs,  nor  the 
sepulchral  stones  which  had  been,  until  within 
a  few  years,  preserved  from  profanation.  The 
temple  has  fallen  —  Mohammed,  not  more 
than  the  holy  patron  of  the  Order,  has  not  been 
able  to  escape  the  universal  wreck. 

The  Island  of  Khodes  is  chiefly  famous  for  a 
brass  statue  of  Apollo,  seventy  cubits  high,  and 
which  was  considered  one  of  the  wonders  of  the 


world.  It  was  made  by  Ohares,  of  Lindus,  a 
disciple  of  Lysippus,  about  288  B.C.  The  figure 
is  said  to  have  stood  upon  two  moles,  a  leg 
being  extended  on  each  side  of  the  harbor,  so 
that  a  vessel  in  full  sail  could  enter  between. 
A  winding  staircase  led  to  the  top,  from  which 
could  be  discerned  the  coasts  of  Syria  and  the 
ships  that  sailed  on  the  coasts  of  Egypt.  It  was 
thrown  down  by  an  earthquake  224  B.C.,  having 


MEDIIERRANEAN    ISLANDS. 


508 


mood     for     sixty-four 
years.     Its     ruins     re- 
mained  on   the    moles 
for    nearly    nine    cen- 
turies, when    the  Sara- 
cens,      having      taken 
Rhodes,    pulled    it    to 
pieces,    and    sold    the 
metal,   weighing 
nearly    eight    hundred 
thousand    pounds,     to 
a  Jew,  who  is  said  to 
have    loaded    nine 
hundred    camels     in 
transporting   it   to 
Alexandria,  about 
653  A..D.      After  the  destruction   of  the 
Bepublic,  Rhodes  belonged  successively 
to  the  Grecian  and  Roman  Empires,  the 
Genoese,   and    lastly,   as  we   have   de- 
scribed,  to  the  Knights  of  St.    John  of 
Jerusalem,    who  held   it   for   over  two 
canturies,    when    it    passed   under    the 
tyrannical  yoke  of  the  Turks. 

Rhodes  was  inhabited  in  very  early 
times,  and  acquired  considerable  com- 
mercial eminence  several  centuries  be- 
fore the  Christian  era.     About  C60  B.o. 


AUCIENT  CiNNON   OF   TU:-:   KNIGHTS   OF   ST.  JOBN. 


COAT-OF-AKMS  OP  VII.LIERS  DE  l'iLE- 
ADAU. 

the  ancient  kingly  form  of  government 
■which  prevailed  in  the  island,  as  in  other 
Dorian  States,  was   abolished,  and  ma- 
gistrates   called    Prytanes     substituted. 
In  408  B.  c.   the   City   of   Rhodes  was 
founded,    by   collecting    into   one  spot 
the  inhabitants  of  Lindus,  lalysus,  and 
Camirus ;  and  from  this  time  the  history 
of  the  city  is  identical  with  the  history 
of  the  island.     In  357  Rhodes  reverted 
for   a   short   time   to  the   dominion   of 
Athens,    against   which    State    it    soon 
after  formed  a  league  with  Cos,   Chios, 
and  Byzantium.     It  submitted,  like  the 
rest  of  Greece,  to  Alex- 
ander ,    but   having 
struggled  courageously 
through    the    conflicts 
consequent  on   A  1  e  x  - 
ander's   death,  Rhodes 
became  the  mistress  of 
the  Mediterranean. 

Rhodes  first  came  into 
connection  with  the  Ro- 
mans about  200  B.C.  as 
an  allied  power;  but 
afterward,  left  to  her- 
Belf;  she   gradually 


declined  in  importance. 
From  168  B.C.  to  tho 
time  of  Vespasian, 
Rhodes  was  seldom  in 
a  condition  to  exhibit 
any  power  inde- 
pendent of  Rome. 
Vespasian  incor- 
porated this  island  in 
a  Provincia"  I  n  s  u  - 
larum,  of  which  it  was 
probably  the  seat  of 
government. 

In    the     r  e  i  g  n    o  i 
Heraclius    (a.d.    C16), 
Rhodes    is    mentioned 
among  the  conquests  of  Chosroes,  King 
of  Persia,  but  reverted  to  the  dominion 
of   the   Greek   emperors   shortly   after- 
ward.    In    the    Caliphate    of    Othman, 
A.D.  G51,  it  was    taken  by  one  of   his 
generals.     It    afterward    passed     again 
into  the  hands  of  the  Greek  emperors. 
In   the   year  1310  Foulkes  de  Villaret, 
Grand    Master    of    the  Knights  of    St. 
John,  carried  into  execution  the  design 
of   his    brother,    and    made   himself 
master    of    the    island,   which   became 


THE  COLOSSUS  OF  RHODES. 


ANCIENT  CAN.NON  OF  THE  KNIGHTS  OF  ST.  JOHN. 


THE   ARMS   OF   I'HILIP   THE   GOOD  IN 
THE   PORT   ST.  NICHOLAS. 

from  that  time  the  place  of  residence 
,       of  the  Order,  till  their  final  expulsion 
IX    in  the  sixteenth   century.     Five    years 
after  their  settlement  they  sustained  a 
formidable     siege     from    Othman,    the 
Turkish    sultan,    and    notwithstanding 
the  unprepared  state  of  their  fortifica- 
tions, succeeded  in  repulsing  him,  and, 
a  few  years  afterward,  his  son  Orkan. 
From    this    period    they    continued  to 
resist  the  constantly  increasing    power 
of   the  Turks  for   about  two  hundred 
years.     In    1344     they    attacked     and 
took  Smyrna,   which    they   maintained 
as  an  outpost.    In  1480 
Mohammed     II.     laid 
siege  to    Rhodes,   and 
notwithstanding  the  im- 
mense force  of  artillery 
employed  a  g  a  i  n  s  t  it, 
could  not  take  the  place. 
The  last    and    most 
memorable  siege   of 
Rhodes  was  in  1522. 

Rhodes  has  ever  since 
remained  a  province  of 
the  Turkish  Empire. 
The  greatest  length  of 


604 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONa 


THB   KBBP   OB  KNTKANCE  TO    TUK   KESIUENCB  OK  TUE  UKAND  MASTERS. 


Rhodes  from  north  to  south  is  about  thirty- 
six  miles,  and  breadth  eighteen  miles.  The  air 
is  mild  and  healthy,  and  the  soil  fertile. 

The  population  is  variously  estimated  at 
from  twenty  thousand  to  forty  thousand.  The 
inhabitants  are  governed  by  a  Bey,  who  holds 
his  office  for  life,  a  circumstance  which  is  favor- 
able to  the  inhabitants,  who  are  less  oppressed 
than  in  other  Turkish  governments,  where 
there  ie  a  more  freij^ueut  change  of  masters. 


The  Bey  farms  the  revenues  and  pays  a  yearly 
sum  of  half  a  million  of  piastres  to  the  Porte, 
besides  fitting  out  a  frigate  every  two  or  three 
years.  Shipbuilding  is  the  chief  employment 
of  the  Ehodians. 

Of  the  town  of  Rhodes  there  are  no  remains 
earlier  than  the  time  of  the  Knights,  but  all 
their  works  are  interesting  specimens  of  the 
military  architecture  of  the  Middle  Ages.  On 
entering  lihodes  from  the  sea,  two  harbors, 


separated  by  a  narrow  quay,  present  themselveft 
Attached  to  this  quay  is  a  curtain,  which 
connects  it  with  the  fortifications  of  the  town 
within.  From  the  other  side  of  the  smaller 
harbor  another  narrow  quay  juts  out,  on  which 
is  a  round  tower.  The  Turks  have  suffered 
the  entrance  to  the  larger  harbor  to  be  so  much 
obstructed  as  to  impede  its  navigation.  Th» 
buildings  of  the  town  exhibit  a  curious  mixtoifr 
of  European  and  Saracenic  styles. 


VCSSHki.  TISK  FROM   RBOURS. 


SOUTH   AFRICA. 


GEOGRAPinCAL,   INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 
The  znLiTs  levvisq  tbibute  of  the  poktuqcese— A  Gsoo-HDyT-A  Caffre  Hut— The  hopo,  an  Afbicah  Mode  op  Huktiiri 


A 


PKICA,"  The  Dark  Continent,"  the  "  land 
of  Ethiopia,"  although  formerly  in  its 
^"^  northeastern  portion  the  seat  of  the  most 
ancient  civilization  of  the  world,  is  still  among 
the  least  known  of  the  great  divisions  of  the 
earth's  surface,  and  is  the  home  of  the  most 
degraded  and  oppressed  races  of  mankind. 

And  although  in  its  northern  regions  Africa 
was  once  occupied  by  energetic  Churches,  these 
have  been  for  so  long  overpowered  by  the  faith 
of  Mohammed,  that  Christianity  has,  until  a 
very  recent  period,  been  represented  only  by  the 
half-heathen,  half-Jewish  Church  of  Abyssinia, 
and  by  the  superstitious  and  inert  Coptic  and 
other  small  Eastern  comranuities.  So  that  by 
the  combined  influence  of  Islam,  degrading 
fetichism,  savage  and  cruel  native  powers,  can- 
nibalism in  some  regions,  and  tlie  desoliting 
slave-trade  over  a  large  extent  of  its  surface, 
Africa  is  truly  described  by  the  name  of  "The 
Dark  Continent  '—dark  alike  in  the  color  of  its 
people  and  in  their  brutal  ignorance,  in  the 
cruelties  inflicted  by  them  upon  each  other  as 
■wall  as  by  the  lighter-colored  races,  and  which 
have  made  them  for  ages  the  slaves  of  all  the 
neighboring  peoples.  The  object  of  the  present 
treatise,  however,  is  only  to  describe  the 
southern  portion  of  Africa. 

South  Africa  may  be  defined  as  the  obtusely 
pointed  triangle  forming  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  continent,  and  extending  from 
Cape  Agulhas  and  Algoa  Bay  in  the  south  to 
the  Zambesi  River  in  the  north ;  and  from 
Cape  Frio  in  the  west  to  the  delta  of  the  Zam- 
besi in  the  east.  It  includes,  therefore,  a  ter- 
ritory of  about  1,500  miles  long  by  1,200  miles 
broad,  with  an  area  of  about  1,192,000  square 
miles,  or  nearlj'  ten  times  that  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland.  Here  is  a  sketch  of  the  inte- 
rior of  a  Dutch  Boer's  house  in  the  Transvaal 
Eepublic  .  Time — sunset.  The  lonely  traveler 
has  just  "  off -saddled  ";  his  horse  is  "knee- 
haltered,"  and  enjoying  a  quiet  rolling  before 
the  door  ;  saddle  and  bridle  are  placed  on  the 
step,  under  a  rough  veranda  ;  the  old  proprie- 
tcr  Ijiis  shaken  hands,  and  already  handed  out 
Us  tobacco-bag,  and  passed  the  weed.     The 


lady  of  the  house  is  seated  in  a  comer  near  the 
little  window  ("four  panes  of  glass),  with  her 
feet  on  a  stool.  If  cold  weather,  under  the 
stool  burns  a  panful  of  ashes,  the  heat  of 
which  penetrates  through  four  holes  on  the  top 
of  the  stool,  and  warms  her  extremities;  her 
feet  are  cased  in  home-made  shoes.  She  has 
sundry  small  gaudily  painted  basins  before  her, 
and  a  bright  copper  kettle  perched  on  a  stand 
holding  more  ashes,  full  of  coffee.  She  soon 
gives  you  a  basinful,  and  you  sit,  and  chat 
and  drink  with  the  old  gentleman,  while  a 
negro  girl  runs  in  and  out,  busily  preparing 
the  evening  meal,  which  is  cooked  outside  in  a 
round  hut  or  shanty,  or  at  the  further  extremity 
of  the  long  general  room.  The  daughters  of 
the  house  may  be  sewing  in  the  corner,  and  the 
sou  may  be  making  Veldt  schoens  (shoes  of 
rough  leather),  on  a  stool  near  the  window. 
Politics,  the  doings  of  the  Assembly,  market 
prices,  the  length  of  time  that  Jan  (the  son) 
has  been  gone  to  Natal  for  goods,  the  state  of 
the  rivers,  war  in  the  Free  State,  probable  yield 
of  grapes,  etc.,  etc.,  all  get  handled  in  turn. 
If  the  visitor  has  a  store  in  a  neighboring  vil- 
lage, the  lady  asks  the  price  of  every  article  in 
and  out  of  it,  and  may  arrange  for  the  sale  of 
cocks,  hens,  ducks,  soap,  and  butter,  at  the 
approaching  visit  to  the  church  (for  these 
buildings  are  few  and  far  between,  and  the 
visit  to  the  sacrament  is  taken  advantage  of 
for  sundry  sales  and  purchases).  She  next 
inquires  about  your  mother,  your  ■wife,  or  chil- 
dren, while  the  old  man  hands  you  the  bag 
again,  and,  j^erhaps,  offers  you  a  drink  of  home- 
made brandy.  As  it  is  now  getting  dark,  you  go 
and  see  how  your  nag  is  progressing,  put  him 
in  a  shed,  fasten  him  to  the  wheel  of  a  wagon, 
and  treat  him  to  two  bundles  of  forage  for  his 
supper.  The  maid  has,  by  this  time,  prepared 
the  table  for  supper  inside.  The  cloth  is  illus- 
trated by  sundry  editions  of  the  old  willow  plate 
pattern,  and  knives  and  forks.  If  the  people  are 
Doppers  (a  peculiar  sect),  forks  alone,  in  which 
case  you  use  your  own  knife,  which  you  carry 
in  your  belt ;  the  small  boy  of  the  family  is 
summoned  to  the  edge  of  the  table  to  say 


grace,  which  he  does  as  quickly  as  he  can,  tritli 
his  eyes  close  shut.  Then  you  all  help  your- 
selves from  the  smoking  dish  of  stewed  goat's 
flesh  or  mutton,  which  is  in  the  middle  of  the 
table.  At  the  side  is  a  dish  of  hot  salad,  com- 
posed of  potivtoes,  sliced  cucumber  and  onion. 
Glasses  of  milk  follow.  All  this  time  the  maid 
stands  by  you  ■with  a  bunch  of  magnificent 
ostrich  feathers  (an  inexpensive  article  here), 
and  flicks  the  flies  away.  Then  comes  grace 
again ;  then  the  daughters  eat  with  the  children, 
and  after  all  is  cleared  away  you  resume  your 
pipe  with  the  old  man,  and  chat  awuy  till  he 
calls  for  the  Bible.  A  chapter  is  read,  a  psalm 
is  sung,  in  which  the  daughters  lead  off — one 
playing,  perhaps,  an  accompaniment  on  a  hand 
harmonium  (they  all  like  notes),  and  thcD 
the  books  are  put  away.  You  take  a  farewell 
look  at  your  horse,  while  your  bed  is  being 
prepared,  either  in  a  separate  room,  under  the- 
veranda,  or  it  may  be  ou  the  ground,  upon, 
skins,  in  the  gener.al  room.  The  old  "boss" 
retires  with  his  vrow  to  a  chamber  on  one  side 
the  middle  of  room,  and  the  daughters  and  chil- 
dren to  one  on  the  other ;  sons  in  the  room  with. 
visitors.  Silence  soon  reigns,  or  is  broken  by  the- 
sonorous  snoring  of  the  old  boss.  At  the  first 
glimpse  of  dawn  you  feel  the  cool  air  steal  over 
you,  and  you  wake  to  find  the  door  open  and 
the  house  up.  You  are  soon  up,  too.  The  first 
thing  to  do  is  to  see  your  nag,  who  has,  per- 
haps, fifty  miles  to  do  before  night,  and  want* 
attention.  He  has  his  bundle,  and  you  return 
to  dip  your  head  in  the  -watercourse  running 
before  the  door,  and  drink  a  cup  of  coffee  after. 
Then  you  up-saddle,  pay  for  the  forage  only, 
and  with  many  a  "Thank  you,  uncle,"  and 
"  No  need  to  thank,  nephew,"  you  ride  off. 
The  ordinary  game  food  is  the  flesh  of  thei 
rooibok,  springbok,  and  wildebeeste  or  "  gnu." 
The  Boers  go  in  parties,  and  return  with  wagons 
laden  with  flesh.  Quaggas,  or  zebras,  are  good 
for  the  blacks.  The  meat  is  divided  in  these, 
frequent  hunts,  and  hung  up  to  dry  at  home. 
Hunters  after  the  wildebeeste  will  tell  you  of  a. 
small  bird  that  invariably  chirps  in  warning  oil. 
your  approaching  the  "  troop." 


506 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


BOSA   FINGOE  MAN. 

Some  of  the  tales  of  adventures  with  lions 
here  are  very  amusing.  Every  tale  of  travel 
has  its  great  adventures,  which,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  rifle,  or  the  cap,  or  the  horse,  etc., 
would  have  led  to  the  end  of  the  writer  and 
the  book.  People  in  America  must  be  gorged 
with  hunting-stories  by  this  time,  and  quits 
sick  of  the  last  looks  of  female  giraffes,  heights 
and  weights  of  elephants,  and  general 
«nake  -  twists,  but  the  few  following  are 
rare  incidents,  and  beyond  the  usual 
stereotyped  order : 

We  remember  a  Mr.  Hartley,  a  great 
hunter  here,  who,  on  on  one  occasion,  was 
seated  near  a  pool  behind  a  large  ant- 
heap,  watching  sundry  animals  come  down 
to  drink.  His  son  was  posted  near,  when 
suddenly  the  latter  cried,  "Look  out, 
father."  The  old  man  turned  round  and 
«aw  a  lion  sauntering  down  to  the  stream, 
and  within  a  few  yards  of  the  ant-heap.  It 
■was  moonlight,  and  the  old  man's  beard, 
no  doubt,  appeared  exaggerated  in  its 
length  and  shagginess.  However,  directly 
the  lion  turned  the  corner  of  the  heap  -^ 
Hartley  dropped  on  his  knees  in  front  of 
him,  shook  his  beard  and  growled.  The 
lion,  terrified,  turned  and  fled. 

Number  two  ;  Mr.  Pretorius  was  inside 
his  wagon  on  another  moonlight  night, 
and  had  quietly  settled  down,  when  a 
sudden  commotion  among  the  bullocks 
warned  him  of  the  approach  of  danger. 
He  stepped  out  on  to  his  wagon-box  and 
saw,  close  to  the  wagon,  a  lioness,  about  to 
come  in  the  spring  time  amongst  the  oxen. 
The  long  bamboo  whip,  lying  on  the  top. 
of  the  wagon,  was  the  readiest  weapon. 
He  quietly  unrolled  the  thong,  gave  it  a 
swing  in  the  air,  and  dropped  the  lash 
-somewhere  ia  the  region  of  her  nose  witl) 


such    force   that   she 
retreated,     howling 

dismally. 

Number   three  :    An 

old   Boer    gentleman, 

named     Venter, 

visited  Pretoria  in  his 

wagon,    and  having 

disposed   of  oxen, 

wool,   tobacco,   and 

brandy,    the   produce 

of  his  farm,  he  started 

his  driver    homeward 

with  the  wagon   and 

goods  he  had  bartered. 

In    an    unlucky    mo- 
ment he  had  consented 

to  stay   behind,    and 

follow    his    property 

in  a  small   open  cart 

with  a  friend  who  had 

purchased  two  horses 

and  a  turn-out,   and 

was  traveling  the 

same  road. 

They    left    Pretoria 

some  hours   after  the 

wagon,  in  the  buggy, 

with   blankets,  a  rifle 

(not  loaded),  and  a 
small  Caffre  bay.  The  wagon,  like  the  tortoise 
in  the  fable,  had  crept  a  long  way  ahead,  and 
when  the  night  eame.the  buggy  was  still  behind. 
They  slept  a  few  hours  at  a  friend's  farm,  a 
gentleman  called  Lang  Willem  (Tall  William), 
a  very  hospitable  fellow,  and  started  again,  long 
before  the  break  of  day.  After  crossing  a 
stream  called  Pienuar's  Kiver,  they  entered  on 


BEUTOHIANA   WAGON-LKADEK. 


BOTTENTOT  BOUSE-SEBTANT. 


a  stretch  of  country  called  the  Springbok  flats, 
because,  we  suppose,  springboks  are  seldom  seen 
there,  just  as  a  Convolvulus  Villa  rarely  jshows 
any  convolvuli.  Lions  used  to  be  plentiful 
there,  when  springboks  were  ditto,  but  of  late 
they  had  become  so  rare  that  the  solitary 
traveler — G.  P.  R.  James — might  have  'ridden 
nightly  aross  the  Flats  with  impunity.  Not 
BO,  however,  with  Mr.  Venter  and  his 
friend,  Cornelius.  A  few  yards  from  the 
drift,  or  ford,  the  horses  came  to  a  stand- 
still, and  the  reins  were  jerked,  and  the 
whip  applied,  to  no  purpose. 

The  little  Caffre,  being  more  akin  to 
darkness,  saw  better  than  his  white  com- 
panion and  cried,  "  Bass,  daar  is  en  leun  !" 
which,  being  interpreted,  means,  "  Miister, 
there  is  a  lion,"  and,  sure  enough,  with  a 
roar  that  might  have  shaken  the  little 
buggy  to  its  centre,  a  dark  heap  of  some- 
thing pounced  upon  one  of  the  horses, 
and  dragged  him  to  the  ground.  By 
this  movement  the  pole  of  the  cart  was 
depressed  somewhat,  and  the  interior  of 
the  vehicle  became  unpleasantly  close  to 
the  intruder. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  load 
the  gun,  a  new  one,  just  purchased.  This 
gun  had  a  patent  nipple,  with  large  open- 
ing at  top,  and  fiue-hair-breadth  hole 
underneath ;  and  from  disuse,  was,  of 
course,  stopped.  It  was  of  no  use.  Cap 
after  cap  exploded,  but  the  gun  was  dumb, 
and  the  lion  only  getting  irritated,  a  rear 
following  each  pop.  A  box  of  lucifers  wao 
produced,  and  one  or  two  ctruck  and 
thrown  over  the  splash-board,  when  a  roar, 
louder  than  ever,  arose ;  and  lo,  the  dark 
object  is  over  the  buggy.  Luckily  over 
it,  and  not  into  it.  In  the  lion's  leap,  one 
paw  took  off  old  Veater's  hat,  ecrr.tchiaj; 


SOUTH    AFRICA. 


507 


508 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


UOIl'ENTOT  WOMAN. 


his  hand  and  face  in  passing.  The  lion  dropped 
on  the  ground,  and  returned  to  his  feed.  The 
travelers,  notwithstanding  their  terrific  fright, 


FINQOB  WOHAN. 


noticed     that     during 

his  temporary  ab- 
sence     another      lion 

was      growling      over 

the     prostrate     horse. 

With   scratched    hand 

and     face     and      sad 

heart,     old     Venter 

told   Cornelius  to 

cover  himself   in  his 

rug,  and  lie  still. 
The    old    gentle- 

man  did   the    same. 

The   little   nigger    lay 

beneath  the  seat.     So 

they  sat,  for  what  to 

them     seemed     an 

age,    with     a     gun 

and     ammunition     a  t 

hand  (perfectly  use- 
less),   when    d  e  1  i  V  - 

erauco    came     in    the 

shape      of     an     a  jj- 

proaching      wagon; 

a   crack   of  the  whip, 

and  the    yells  of    tho 

driver    sounding    like 

Theodore  Thomas's 

popular    music    to 
their  hearts.     This  was  a  wagou  belonging  to 
a  retired   military  gentleman,  who   had   also 
been  to  Pretoria  for  supplies.     Now,  what  did 

the     lious     do?     Eun 

away    at     once?     Not 

a  bit  of  it. 

Tho      other     horse, 

which    all    this     time 

had   been  standing  as 

if  petrified,    g  r  i  ml  y 

c  o  u  t  e  m  p  1  a  ting  his 

mate  under  discus- 

siou,    was   not    to    be 

left    in    that   state. 

The}'  broke  his    neck 

and  left  him. 

^Vhen     the     wagon 

arrived.  Venter,  Cor- 
nelius  and  the  nigger 

got  out    and  cut   the 

harness  from  the  dead 

and      half  -  devoured 

horse,     and     fastened 

the      little      buggy 

behind      the     wagon, 

and  traveled  home- 
ward at  Parliament- 
ary speed,  twenty-five 

miles   a   day,    instead 

of    express,  six    miles 

an   hour.     Next  d  a  y, 

nothing     but     the 

horses'    maues    wore 

left,  ghost-like,  to  tell 

the    tale.     These    two 

lions    were     killed     a 

few    days    after,    and 

near  the  scene  where 

Mr.     Venter's    buggy 

stopped  the  way. 
Mobal:     Never 

travel    in    wild    parts 

without  seeing   that 


FINOOE  WOMAN. 


your  gun  is  in  good  order,  and  always  carrj 
a  nipple-wrench  in  your  pouch. 

From  grave  to  gay,  or  lively  to  severe,  tukft 


riNaeE  wouan. 


SOUTH    AFRICA. 


503 


a  glimpse   at  courtship,  the  most  important 
sketch  of  character,  the  principal  epoch  in  a 
■  young  15oer's  existence.     The  following   may 
eerve  as  an  encouragement  to  many  : 

A  young  Boer  going  a-oourting  is  often  as 
Solemn,  silent  and  sedate  as  a  mute  at  a  fune- 
ral. Having  long  cast  sheep's  eyes  at  a  bloom- 
ing young  damsel  of  fifteen  in  church,  he,  at 
last,  musters  up  courage  to  go  a-courting,  and 
this  is  the  way  he  sets  about  it :  He  picks  out 
the  most  fiery  young  colt  from  his  father's 
Btud — one  yery  fond  of  prancing  and  capering 
about.  He  rides  it  to  the  dorp,  or  village,  and 
tuys  a  new  saddle  and  bridle,  and  a  smart 
saddle-cloth,  jiaying  ])articular  attention  to  this 
last  article,  for  it  must  be  very  gay  and  at- 


a  hopeful  sign,  but  it  is  all ;  she  does  not 
vouchsafe  him  a  look  or  a  word.  She  resumes 
her  seat,  folds  her  hands  over  her  lap,  and, 
with  eyes  downcast,  and  intently  studying  the 
pattern  of  her  apron,  demurely  listens  while 
pajia  jiesters  the  young  fellow  with  questions 
about  the  rust  in  the  crops,  hoof  and  lung 
sickness,  etc.,  and  mamma  aunoj's  him  still 
more  with  the  inquiries  about,  and  remedies 
for,  the  sickness  of  his  mother,  and  the  measles 
of  his  elder  brother's  young  child. 

After  an  hour's  talk  of  this  kind,  and  with- 
out a  word  addressed  to  his  inamorata,  he  rises 
tremblingly,  holds  out  his  hand,  and  says, 
"Good-day,  good-da}',"  all  ronnd  again,  and 
rides  home,  confident  tltat  he  has  passed  the 


she  replies.  The  conrtship  is  at  an  end.  They 
go  home  and  tell  their  parents  ;  the  banns  are 
published,  and  they  .are  man  and  wife,  after 
three  weeks,  neither  having  uttered  more  than 
a  dozen  words  to  the  other  during  their  time 
of  courtship. 

— m  t  ^ 

Zulus  Levying  Tribute  of  the  Portuguese. 

The  Portuguese  have,  for  centuries,  had  a 
foothold  on  the  African  coast ;  but,  while 
America  has  been  discovered,  colonized,  and 
grown,  so  as  to  number  States  rivaling  Europe 
in  population,  power,  and  progress,  Africa  re. 
mains  as  she  was :  nay,  more,  she  has  lost — for 
Portugal  was  once  respected  there — aud  aow 


tractive.  We  have  seen  the  gaudiest  of  hearth- 
rugs bought  for  the  occasion,  and  ornamented 
■with  huge  tassels  at  the  comers,  still  further 
to  increase  its  bewitching  influence.  Having 
arrayed  himself  in  gorgeous  attire — and  it  is 
Bometimes  very  gorgeous— the  young  Boer 
rides  twenty  or  thirty  miles  to  the  farm  where 
dwells  the  fair  object  of  his  affections.  Beach- 
ing it,  he  off-saddles  and  enters  the  house.  The 
young  lady  for  whom  the  visit  was  intended, 
her  parents  and  her  brothers  and  sisters,  have 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  saddle  -  cloth  and 
tassels,  and  all  know  what  they  mean.  The 
bashful  wooer  goes  with  a  guilty  look,  holding 
out  a  trembling  hand,  and  saying,  "Good-day, 
good-day,"  all  round,  with  a  tremulous  voice. 
The  maiden  of  his  choice,  mayhap  silently 
^nds  him  a  cup  of   tea  or   coffee.     This  is 


ELEI'HANT-SUOOTING   BT    MOOXLIOUT. 

Rubicon,  and  that  his  suit  is  prospering.  He 
repeats  hii  visits — all  passing  o1  iu  the  same 
way — two  or  three  times  a  week ;  he  meets  his 
lady-love  at  the  catechism,  and  week  after 
week  he  and  she  keep  up  a  silent  telegraphic 
communication  with  their  eyes,  instead  of  at- 
tending to  their  prayer-books  and  their  ps.alm- 
singing,  but  hold  no  oral  discourse.  Both  are 
passed  as  fit  candidates  for  the  church  and  for 
matrimony.  As  soon  as  the  dread  ordeal  has 
passed,  the  two  manage  to  meet  round  the 
corner  of  the  church. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  ?"  says  the  smitten 
swain.  And,  ' '  What  do  you  think  ?"  says  the 
fair  lady.  "  Well,  I've  got  so  many  sheep, 
how  many  have  you?"  The  damsel  has  the 
number  at  her  fingers'  ends.  "  I  think  that 
will  do,"  says  the  lover.     "I  think  it  will," 


her  petty  colonies  pay  a  heavy  annual  tribute 
to  t'-ie  negro  tribes. 

A  recent  traveler  depicts  the  war  -  dances 
of  the  Landeens,  or  Zulus,  a  tribe  who  rul» 
the  right  bank  of  the  Zambezi,  when  they 
come  to  exact  from  the  merchants  the  two 
hundred  pieces  of  cloth,  the  beads  and  brass 
wire,  which  are  the  rent  they  pay  these  dusky 
landlords,  who  would  seize  all  and  evict  them 
for  a  refusal. 

Indeed,  the  degenerate  Portuguese  dare  not 
extend  their  area  of  cultivated  land  for  fear  of 
being  compelled  to  pay  a  heavier  tribute.  They 
cannot  even  cut  timber  in  the  woods  without 
paying  this  internal  revenue,  permission  to  cut 
the  Mokundu  kundu,  a  tree  used  for  shipbuild- 
ing and  medicinal  purposes,  costing  thre* 
hundred  dollars  per  annum. 


610 


THE    WORLD'S    GUEAT    NATIONS. 


A  Qnu-Hunt. 

Op  all  the  antelopes, 
n  gmi  jiresents  the 
most  extraordinary  con- 
formation. At  the  first 
sight  the  spectator 
seems  to  doubt  whether 
it  is  a  horse,  a  hull,  or 
an  antelope,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  partake  nearly 
equally  of  the  nature  of 
these  three  animals. 

The  guus,  of  which 
there  are  several  species, 
may  be  easily  recognized 
by  their  fierce-looking 
head,  their  peculiarly- 
shaped  horns,  which  are 
bent  downward  and  then 
upward  again  with  a 
sharp  curve ;  by  their 
broad  nose  and  long, 
hair-clad  tail.  They  live 
together  in  considerable 

herds,  often  mixing  with  zebras,  ostriches,  and 
giraffes,  in  one  huge  army  of  living  beings.  lu 
their  habits  they  are  not  uulike  wild  cattle. 
Suspicious,  timid,  curious  of  disposition,  and 
irritable  of  temper,  they  display  these  mingled 
qualities  in  a  very  ludicrous  manner  whenever 
they  are  alarmed  by  a  strange  object. 

'■  They  commence  whisking  their  long,  white 
tails,"  says  Gumming,  "  in  a  most  eccentric 
manner ;  then,  springing  suddenly  into  the  air, 
they  begin  pawing  and  capering,  and  pursue 
each  other  in  circles  at  their  utmost  speed. 
Suddenly  they  all  pull  up  together  to  overhaul 
the  intruder,  when  some  of  the  bulls  will  often 
commence  fighting  in  the  most  violent  manner, 
dropping  on  their  knees  at  every  shock  ;  then, 


K    ^^:' 
^F         ^ 


AlUKOSA  CAFFBE. 


NATIVE  MODE    OF  Ht'NTING   THE  ONP. 

quickly  wheeling  about,  they  kick  up  their 
heels,  whirl  their  tails  with  a  fantastic  flourish, 
and  scour  across  the  plain,  enveloped  in  a  cloud 
of  dust." 

On  account  of  these  extraordinary  inanceu- 
vres,  the  gnu  is  called  wildebeeste  by  the  Dutch 
settlers. 

The  faculty  of  curiosity  is  largely  develoijed 
in  the  gnu,  which  can  never  resist  the  tempta- 
tion of  inspecting  every  strange  object,  although 
at  the  risk  of  its  life.  When  a  gnu  first  catches 
sight  of  any  unknown  being,  he  sets  off  at  full 
speed,  as  if  desirous  of  getting  to  the  furthest 
possible  distance  from  the  terrifying  object. 
Soon,  however,  the  feeling  of  curiosity  van- 
quishes Va2   passion  of  fear,  and   the   animal 

halts    to    recon- 

uoitre.     He      then 

gallops  in  a  circle 

round     the     cause 

of    his    dread,    halt- 
ing occasion  ally, 

and      ever     drawing 

nearer       By     taking 

advantage      of     this 

disposition,  the 

native    hunters    are 

enabled     to     a(tra<t  ^s^.. 

a    herd      of     gnus 

feeding  out  of  shot, 

merely     by     getting 

up    a     clumsy     imi- 
tation   of    an     o  s  - 

trich,     by      holding 

a  head   of  that  bird 

on     a     pole,      and 

making    at     their 

back  a  peacock's 

tail     of     feathers. 

The  inquisi ti V  o 

animals      a  i  e      so 

fascinated    with    the 

fluttering     lure, 

that     they     actually 

approach    so    near 

as    to    be     easily 

pierced    with    a  a 


arrow.  Several  expert* 
ments  have  been  made 
in  order  to  ascertain 
whether  the  gnu  is 
capable  of  domestication. 
As  far  as  the  practica- 
bility of  such  a  scheme 
was  concerned,  the  ex- 
periments were  perfectly 
successful ;  but  there  is 
a  great  drawback  in  the 
shape  of  a  dangerous 
and  infectious  disease  Uy 
which  the  gnu  is  very 
liable,  and  which  would 
render  it  a  very  undesir- 
able member  of  the 
cattle-yard.  The  animal 
is  frequently  infested 
with  bot-flies,  and  suffers 
from  them  to  such  an 
extent  that  it  ejects 
them  from  its  nose  when- 
ever it  snorts,  an  act 
which  it  is  very  fond  of 
I^erforming.  Ordinary  cattle  have  no  love  for 
the  gnu,  and  on  one  occasion,  when  a  young 
gnu  of  only  four  months  old  was  placed  in  the 
yard,  the  cattle  surrounded  it  and  nearly  killed 
it  with  their  horns  and  hoofs. 

The  color  of  the  ordinary  gnu  {Oonnochetes 
Onu)  is  brownish-black,  sometimes  with  a  blue- 
gray  wash.  The  mane  is  black,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  lower  part,  which  is  often  grayish- 
white,  as  is  the  lower  part  of  the  tail.  The 
nose  is  covered  with  a  tuft  of  reversed  hair,  and 
there  is  a  mane  upon  the  chest.  The  brindled 
gnu  may  be  distinguished  from  the  common 
gnu,  or  kokoon,  by  its  convex  and  smooth  face, 
the  hair  lying  toward  the  nose,  instead  of 
being  reversed.     There  is  no  mane  upon  the 


TREE  IN  NATAIa 


SOUTH    AFRICA. 


511 


chest,  and  the  brown  hiile  is  varied  and 
striped  with  gray.  It  is  higher  at  the 
withers  thau  the  kokoon,  aud  its  action 
is  ratlier  chimsj'.  It  is  very  local  in 
its  distribution,  being  found  northward 
of  the  Black  River,  and  never  being 
known  to  cross  that  simple  boundary. 
It  lives  in  large  herds,  and  when  ob- 
served, the  whole  herd  forms  in  single 
file,  and  so  flies  from  the  object  of  its 
terror.  

A  Oaffra  Hut. 

Thekb  are  some  delectable  regions 
where  the  absence  of  dingy  tenements 
aud  extortionate  rents  renders  the  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  "  How  shall  we 
live  ?"  quite  easy  and  simple,  where 
the  tax-gatherer  is  a  myth,  aud  the 
imperious  demands  of  modern  society 
unknown.  There  maj',  however,  be 
conditions  connected  with  these  exemp- 
tions none  of  our  readers  would  care 
to  obey,  so  we  jiresent  to  them  a  phase 
of  life  more  curious  than  attractive. 

In    Caffre  -  laud   the    huts    are    from 
eighteen    to    twenty    feet    in    diameter, 
and  from  six  to  seven  feet  high ;   they 
are  generally  built  by  the  wonieu,  poles 
being   first   stuck   into  the   earth,   from 
which   flexible   boughs  are  arched  over 
the  top.    This  bower-shaped  wattle- work 
is  thatched   with   straw,    aud    i^lastercd 
over   with   clay   or   cowdung.     A   small 
aperture  is  left  for  the  door,   which  is 
formed    of    b.osket-work,     and     usually 
screened  by  a  rustic  sort  of  portal.     The 
fireplace  is   formed   in   the   centre,   and 
the   only   outlet   for   the   smoke    is  the 
doorway  ;   to  this  may  be  attributed  the 
fact  of  the    inmates    of  these  dwellings 
being  so  frequently  aflflicted  with  weak 
or    sore    eyes.      The    floor    is    usually 
composed  of  the  earth  of  ant-hills,  which,  by 
loug  exposure  to  the  suu,  has  become  dry  and 
hardened,  being  thus  well  adapted  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  producing  a 
smooth  and  even  sur- 
face. A  few  mats  to  sit 
and  sleep  on,  a  small 
one  to  hold  the  food 
when   dressed,    a  few 
coarse  earthen  pots  of 
native  manufacture  for 
cooking,    a   basket   of 
peculiar  workmanship, 
and  so  closely  woven 
as    to    be    capable    of 
containing  liquor,  and 
a  bundle    of   assagais 
or     spears,    constitute 
the   furniture   of  a 
Caffre    hut.     In    that 
of   a   wealthy    Caffre, 
there  is  usually  a  milk 
sack    made     of    bul- 
lock's hide,  so  closely 
sewn   together    as    to 
prevent    leakage,   and 
capable  of  containing 
several   gallons ;    but 
the  poorer  classes  are 


description  of  unleavened  bread  mado 
from  a  kind  of  millet  called  Caffre 
corn,  roughly  ground  between  two 
stones. 

Meat  is  only  eaten  on  great  occasions, 
such  as  marriages  aud  other  festivities, 
or  when  they  are  obliged  to  kill  an  ox 
for  the  support  of  their  wives  while 
engaged  in  the  duties  of  cultivating  the 
land  and  suckling  an  infant  ;  or  at 
the  time  when  karrosses  are  rcfjuired 
for  the  use  of  the  family,  which  seldom 
happens  more  than  once  a  year. 
They  never  eat  salt,  to  which  they  have 
a  decided  aversion. 


FINOOE    HEIinSWOMAN. 


content  to  keep  their  milk  in  calabashes.  The 
food  of  these  people  varies  with  the  seasons ; 
their  principal  support  is  milk  and  a  coarse 


INTSBIOR  OF  A  CAFFBS  HUT. 


The  Hopo,  an  African  Method  of 

Hunting. 
Savage  tribes  are  wasteful  in  their 
destruction  of  game,  and  the  picture 
presented  in  our  illustration  has  its 
counterpart  in  many  of  the  works  of 
early  travelers  in  America.  Champlain 
portrays  and  describes  a  similar  trap 
which  he  saw  used  in  the  peninsula  of 
Upper  Canada,  and  the  tribes  on  the 
trans-Mississippi  plains  formerly  slaugh- 
tered herds  of  bisons  in  this  waj'. 

During  the  frequent   droughts  which 
afflict  the  country  of  the  Bakouins  in  Africa 
gnus,   rhinoceroses  and  antelopes  come 
down   to  (he    never  -  failing   springs   of 
C  o  1  o  b  e  n  g .     The  people,  themselves 
suffering    from    the    dearth    which    had 
blasted   their   crops,    could   not   behold 
unmoved     the    manna    (hus    presented 
from    the    ^vilderness.      They   resort  to 
the    hopo— a    sort    of    mammoth    trap 
composed  of  two    hedges   of    trees   cut 
hastily   and    well     filled    in,    thick   and 
high,    and    running     together    like    the 
two  sides  of  a  letter  V.     They  do  not 
touch,  however,  but  run  along  for  fifty  paces 
straight,  when  they  end  on  the  edge  of  a  pit 
four  or  five  yards  square,  and  six  or  eight  feet 
deep.   Trees  are  placed 
on  the  edges  to  prevent 
the  escape  of  animals. 
The    whole    affair    is 
covered  with  branches 
to  deceive  the  eyes  of 
the  animals.      As  the 
two  hedges  are  about 
a  mile   long,   and   the 
base    of    the    triangle 
about  the  same  length, 
a  tribe  fr— ling  a  circle 
of  three  or  four  miles 
around  the  hopo,  and 
gradually  narrow  i  n  g 
in,  is  sure  to  encircle 
a    great    quantity    of 
game.      The     hunters 
drive  the  animals   to- 
ward   the    mouth     of 
the    hopo,    and     men 
placed   opposite  drive 
them  into  the  only  ap- 
parent avenue   of  es- 
cape, the   path    that 
leads  to  destruction. 


M2 


THE    WOBLU-S    QKEAT    NATIONa 


■m     ''mmwmw''WmM' 


a 

o 

« 
o 

in 

H 


O 


o 
PM 
o 

w 

[^ 

tn 

H 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 

GEOCJRArniCAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND  HiSTORICAL  SUMMARY. 
Old  London  Bridgii-Elizabethan  Furniture— furnituee  of  the  Fifieekth  Centubt-Queen  Elizabeth  ix  State-Lottdok  by  Night- 
Queen  ANN  GoiNO  TO  Parliament-murder  of  the  Princes  by  Richard  hi.- the  South  Sea  Bubble— Costume  of  the  Time  oir 
Henry  V  — he  ad -dresses  of  the  Eeign  of  Edward  IV.— Costume  of  the  Eeign  of  William  HI— Vehicles  and  Carriages  —  Thb 
Ship  "Henki.Gkace-ad:eu"— A  rLoaoiNG- horse  — Whipping-post  and  Stocks— The  Ducking-stool  —  The  Bridle  —  a  Watchma:?,  op 
Sh.ikespeare's  Time— Penance  of  Jane  Shore- Clothing  Shop  in  the  Eeign  of  Queen  Elizabeth  —  Hackney-coachman  of  the 
Time  of  Charles  II.— An  English  Funeral  Three  Hundred  Years  Ago  — State  Barge  of  Richard  ii.  of  England  —  Hanging  in 
Chains-Odd  Ci-stoms  of  English  Theatres— Flogging  of  Quakers  in  England— Costumes  of  the  Time  of  Henry  VI.— The  Thames 
Tunnel  and  Subway- The  Domesday  Book  — And  Old  English  Kitchen  — An  Ancient  Coracle  — Barber  Shop  in  the  Reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth -Royal  Miracles-The  Bed  of  Ware— Donkey  Races  at  Blackheath-The  Bank  of  England— Royal  Exchange 
— Eddystone  Lighthouse- Egg-marketing  in  Irfland— Drowning  the  Shamrock  on  Patrick's  Day— Drag  hunt  in  Ireland— The 
Giant's  Causeway,  Ireland— Irish  Turf-gatherers -ancient  Irish  Harp— The  Isle  op  Skye— The  Bass  Eock— Holyrood  Pal.^ce 
-iiioHLAND  DANCE— Peat-gathering  in  Scotland— The  Fishwives  of  Newhaven,  neab  Edinbuboh— Conclusion  of  Scootland 


ENGLAND  means  the  land  of  the  Angles, 
or  Engles.  Under  the  Romans  it  was 
known  as  Britannia.  Julius  Coesar,  in 
his  "Commentaries,"  describes  the  inhabit- 
ants as  naked  barbarians,  of  a  warlike  disposi- 
tion, and  armed  principally  with  spears.  They 
also  used  a  species  of  sling ;  but  it  was  not  till 
the  time  of  Agrieola  that  we  read  of  their 
having  shields,  or  bows  and  arrows. 

Their  religion  partook  of  their  barbarous 
nature,  being  Bruidism,  wherein  human  sacri- 
fices were  offered.  The  measure  of  a  people's 
civilization,  as  well  as  its  mental  and  moral 
characteristics,  has  no  truer  standard  than 
their  religious  rites. 

It  took  the  Romans  nearly  eighty  years  to 
complete  the  conquest  of  England,  but  not 
without  many  desperate  battles.  One  of  their 
most  serious  encounters  was  with  the  famous 
Boadicea,  queen  of  the  Iceni,  a  tribe  of  Britons 
inhabiting  Norfolk  and  Suffolk.  A  gross  out- 
rage offered  to  the  queen  and  her  two  daugh- 
ters aroused  the  Icenians  to  such  fury  that, 
joining  forces  with  the  Trinobantes,  a  tribe 
dwelling  in  Essex  and  Middlesex,  they  flew 
to  arms,  and  slaughtered  over  eighty  thou- 
sand Romans  and  their  allies.  This  battle  was 
fought  a.d.  60. 

After  maintaining  possession  of  the  fairest 
parts  of  England  for  nearly  four  hundred 
years,  the  exigencies  of  the  Empire  compelled 
the  Romans  to  abandon  this  Ultima  Tliule  of 
their  dominions,  and  the  Britons  were  left  to 
take  care  of  themselves.  The  result  was  the 
irruption  of  many  German  tribes,  among 
others  the  Frisians,  from  the  western  coast  o. 
Schleswig.  Thus  was  introduced  the  Teutonic 
l-mguage  into  the  south  of  England,  of  which 
Saxon  was  one  of  its  many  branches. 

The    first   of   the   Germanic   invaders    that 

arrived  after  the  departure  of  the  Romans  are 

described    as   having   been   a   body  of   Jutes, 

Onder  Hengist  and  Horsa.     They  arrived  in 

21 


Ksnt,  a.d.  449.  These  were  followed,  in  477, 
by  a  body  of  Saxons  under  Ella,  who  made 
their  descent  on  the  coast  of  Sussex.  In  527 
the  first  Angles  arrived,  and  in  about  thirty 
j'ears  they  obtained  possession  of  the  whole  of 
England,  with  the  exception  of  that  part  oc- 
cupied by  the  Jutes  and  the  Saxons.  The 
Angles  also  extended  their  settlements  over  a 
great  part  of  the  south  of  Scotland. 

A  Heptarchy,  or  group  of  seven  kingdoms, 
was  gradually  formed  by  successive  bodies  of 
invaders : 

1.  Kent,  founded  by  Hengist  and  Horsa. 

2.  Sussex,  founded  by  Ella  and  t'le  Saxons. 

3.  Wessex,  founded  by  Cerdic.  His  followers 
were  Saxons. 

4.  Essex,  founded,  by  Ercenerine,  whose  fol- 
lowers were  Saxons. 

5.  Northumbria,  founded  by  Ida  and  Ella, 
whose  followers  were  Angles. 

6.  East  Anglia,  including  Norfolk,  Suffolk, 
Cambridgeshire,  and  part  of  Bedfordshire. 
The  inhabitants  were  Angles. 

7.  Mercia  was  founded  by  Crida,  whose  fol- 
lowers were  Angles.     This  was  a.d.  585. 

Egbert  of  "VVessex,  although  not  strictly  en- 
titled to  be  called  the  first  king  of  England, 
certainly  laid  the  foundation  of  what  after- 
ward became  the  English  monarchy ;  for,  in 
823,  he  annexed  Kent ;  in  828  he  subdued 
Sussex ;  in  823  he  overcame  Essex :  in  828 
Northumbria ;  in  823  East  Anglia  submitted, 
and  in  827  the  only  remaining  one  of  the 
Heptarchy,  Mercia,  was  subjugated  by  Egbert, 
King  of  Wessex. 

The  royal  house  of  Wessex  never  lost  the  as- 
cendency which  it  had  acquired  under  the  lead 
of  Egbert  while  the  Anglo-Saxons  remained 
masters  of  England.  Alfred  the  Great  was  of 
his  race.  In  1017  Canute,  the  Dane,  reigned 
in  England,  and  was  succeeded  by  Hardi- 
canute  and  Harold  Harefoot.  But  in  1042  the 
line  of  Egbert  was  restored  in  the  person  of 


Edward  the  Confessor.  In  1066  Harold,  the 

last  of  the  Saxon  kings,  lost  his  life  and  crown 
at  the  battle  of  Hastings,  and  the  Norman  line, 
commencing  with  William  the  Conqueror,  as- 
cended the  throne  of  England,  which  it  has 
occupied,  with  various  modifications,  up  to  the 
present  time,  when  Victoria  the  First  reigns. 
The  Norman  house  remains  in  possession, 
having  passed  through  the  intermediate  stages 
of  Plantagenet,  Lancaster,  York,  Tudor,  Stuart, 
Orange  and  Hanover — the  only  break  being 
the  interregnum  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  from  1649 
to  1660.  The  number  of  sovereigns  from 
William  the  Conqueror  to  Victoria — a  period  of 
seven  hundred  and  seventy- one  years — is  thirty- 
six,  averaging  a  reign  of  twenty-two  years, 
the  longest  reigns  being  those  of  Henry  III., 
who  reigned  fifty  -  six  years ;  Henry  VIII.  j 
who  disgraced  the  throne  thirty-eight  years  • 
his  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who  ruled  from  1558 
to  1603,  a  period  of  forty-five  years :  then 
George  III.,  who  was  king  from  1760  to  1820, 
no  less  a  term  than  sixty  years,  or  two  genera- 
tions of  men.  It  must,  however,  be  remem^ 
bered  that  for  nearly  twenty  years  of  his 
nominal  reign  he  was  a  harmless  lunntio  in 
Windsor  Castle.  The  present  occupant  of  the 
British  throne  ascended  it  in  1837;  she  has, 
therefore,  been  the  reigning  queen  of  tha 
British  Empire  for  fifty-one  years. 

In  our  description  of  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land we  have  i^urposely  confined  ourselves  to 
the  nucleus  of  that  remarkable  congeries  of 
nationalities  known  as  the  British  Empire. 
Even  a  mere  resume  of  that  overgrown  collec- 
tion of  discoveries,  conquests  and  sjooliations 
would  altogether  exceed  our  space,  for  it  would 
necessarily  involve  a  condensed  history  of  the 
entire  world,  since  in  every  quarter  of  the 
globe  its  dominion  extends,  entailing  ujion  it 
an  incessant  state  of  war. 

In  his  History  of  France,  Carlyle  says  that  if 
Great  Britain  had  followed  the  i^recedeut  of  th« 


su 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Romans,  %ad  built  a  Temple  ot  Jantis.  it  wouW 
not  have  lieen  shut  for  the  last  tvm  hundred 
and  fifty  years,  as  there  never  has  been  a  time, 
during  that  period,  when  England  has  not  been 
ftt  war  with  some  Power,  either  great  or  small. 
Philosophical  historians  differ  as  to  the  tendency 
of  an  aggressive  policy,  which  aatnrally  enlarges 
nn  Empire  day  by  day,  until  some  timid  states- 
man resolves  to  contract  this  accumulation  of 
territory  and  population. 

S'smondi,  on  the  contrary,  attributes  the  de- 
cline and  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire  to  the 
contraction  of  its  limits,  and  its  refusal  to  make 
any  more  conquests.  It  must  1  e  confessed  that 
the  withdrawal  of  Rome  from  England  marked 
Ihat  epoch  in  lier  history  whicli  might  be  called 
the  culmination  of  her  power  and  splendor. 
Wliile  some  contend  tliat,  aft'r  a  certain  limit, 
contraction  of  dominion  is  a  wise  husbanding 
of  vital  Btreneth,  others  maintain  it  is  the 
certain  sign  of  decaying  energy,  and  is  the 
commencement  of  iJecline. 

Buckle  also  argues  that,  as  Nature  never 
contradicts  herself,  but  governs  invariably  with 
immutable  laws,  there  is  a  distinct  analogy 
between  all  systems,  whether  a  human  body, 
in  empire,  or  a  star,  and  that  they  have  their 
birth,  growth,  prime,  gradual  decay,  and  final 
dissolution  agre(ably  to  the  universal  law 
which  regulates  all  things. 

Our  object,  in  the  present  glance,  has  been 
to  (rive  a  few  illustrations  of  Great  Britain,  but 
principally  England,  showing  isolat(  d,  and  yet 
connected  passages  in  her  national  life,  so  as 
to  form  a  kind  of  pictorial  history  of  her  rise 
end  pro  rrcss. 

Altogether,  castinc  aside  the  stereotyped  cant 
of  our  sharing  the  same  language,  laws,  religion, 


manners,  customs,  and  other  habits,  we  may 
yet  observe  that  every  Aaiorlcaii  cannot  fail 
to  be  interested  in  a  nation  from  which  wc 
originally  sprang. 

The  Englisl;  langnapre  is  eminently  a  com- 
posite language,  made-up  of  contributions  from 
other  lan'_'uafrcs.  It  derives  its  origin  from  the 
Celtic,  the  Latin,  the  Anglo-Saxon,  the  Danish, 
the  Norman,  the  French,  and  some  others. 
Indeed,  their  language,  like  their  race,  is 
largely  made-up  of  gatherings  from  all  nations. 
The  result  was  a  language  which,  under  the 
penius  of  Chaucer,  became  what  m.ay  bo  called 
the  En^;lish  Tonirue.  Before  the  year  l-lOO, 
when  Chaucer — that  first  bright  star  of  Engiish 
poetry — died,  be  had  compored  his  "Canter- 
bury Tales,"  besides  numerous  other  poems, 
all  showing,  more  or  less,  a  close  observation 
)f  nature,  and  a  deep  insight  into  tljc  liuman 
heart.  From  his  time  to  the  dnys  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  English  literature  has  Utile  to  show  ; 
but  when  Spenser  appeared,  he  was  the  herald 
of  a  great  race  of  poets,  culminating  in  Shake- 
speare. Schlcgcl  somewhat  enthusiastically 
says,  that  when  the  Deity  made  Shakespeare, 
he  indirectly  named  the  English  language  as 
being  that  intended  as  tlie  universal  tongue. 
Te  rather  suspect  that  the  immense  com- 
merce of  England  is  the  cause  of  the  rapid 
growth  of  the  English  language,  and  not  tlic 
influence  of  the  author  of  "Hamlet"  and  "As 
You  Like  It." 

Bayard  Taylor,  in  his  last  letter  from  Egypt, 
gives  some  amusing  instances  of  English  and 
American  tlang  on  the  Nile,  and  beneath  the 
very  shadow  of  the  Pyramids.  Among  others 
were  some  little  Btreet-Aral)S,  who  called  out  to 
him  and  Colonel  Knox,  "Shine  your  shoes?"  , 


and  various  other  friendly  greetings,  all  mor> 
or  less  connected  with  personal  services 

The  origin  and  progress  of  the  British 
drama  is  very  remarkable,  and  somewhat  slow. 
Like  everything  English,  it  has  been  very 
gradual,  never  retroceding,  even  when  the 
Elizabethan  dramas  of  Siiakespeare,  Ma  singer, 
iVIarlowe,  Webster,  Ford,  and  their  glorious 
compeers,  were  succeeded  by  the  flippant  and 
immoral  writers  of  the  Restoration.  Th.c  first 
germs  of  that  glorious  creation  were  the 
"  Miracle  Plays,"  which  commenced  ia  the 
reign  of  Edward  III.  The  two  pro:;:inent 
persons  in  them  were  the  Devil  and  a  wftty, 
mischievous,  profligate  character,  denominated 
the  Vice. 

The  earliest  comedy  is  the  "Ralph  Roister 
Doister,"  by  Nicholas  Udall,  and  is  at  least  as 
ancient  as  the  reign  of  E('.ward  VI.  Then  came 
"Gammer  Gu:  ton's  Needle,"  by  John  Still, 
which  was  acted  at  Cambridge  University,  in 
luCG,  two  years  after  the  date  of  Shakespeare's 
l)irth.  But,  five  years  before  this  comedy,  the 
first  English  tragedy,  called  "  Ferrcx  and  Por- 
rcx,"  was  acted  before  Queen  Elizabeth.  Then 
came  the  great  writ:  r  who  made  up  what  is 
called  the  Augustan  Age  of  the  English  Drama.' 

This  brilliant  galaxy  of  mind  includes  Mt^ 
lowe,  Shakespeare,  Ben  Jonson,  Beaumont  and 
Fletcher,  Cliapman,  Decker,  Webster,  Marst:  n, 
Massinger,  Ford,  Heywood,  Shirley,  and  other-, 
t.f  almost  equal  ability.  Among  the  precursors 
of  Shakespeare  were  John  Lilly,  Thomr.s  Kyd, 
Thomas  Nash,  Robert  Greene,  George  Pcele, 
Thomas  Lodge,  etc.  The  writings  of  these 
men  strengthened  the  language,  and  made  it 
what  it  is — one  of  the  most  com])lete  exponents 
of  human  thought  ever  giren  to  manj 


iiiiimt'-iiiiiit.iiiiin 

'jiiiiniDiiiiiJinbjiteii 

■•,iiii  f "'■■■?  •?;■  If  '9:1 


IBK  riLLOBY   AT   OLD  LONDON   BBIDOK. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND- 


516 


Old  London  Bridge. 

This  bridge  disappeared  in  1832.  Eight 
centuries  at  least  had  elapsed  since  the  com- 
mencement of  that  bridge  traffic.  There  were 
three  or  four  bridges  of  wood  successively 
built  at  this  spot  before  1176  a.d.,  in  which 
year  the  stone  structure  was  commenced  :  and 
this  was  the  veritable  "Old  London  Bridge," 
■which  served  the  citizens  for  more  than  six 
hundred  and  fifty  years.  A  curious  fabric 
it  was,  containing  an  immense  quantity  of 
atone  arches  of  various  shapes  and  sizes, 
piers  so  bulky  as  to  render  the  navigation 
between  them  very  dangerous,  and  (until  1754) 
a  row  of  buildings  a-top. 

So  many  were  the  evils  which  accumulated 
upon,  around,  and  under  it,  that  a  new  bridge 
■was  resolved  upon  iu  1823 — against  strong  op- 
position on  the  part  of  the  Corporation.  John 
Kennie  furnished  the 
plans,  and  his  son.  Sir 
John,  carried  them  out. 
The  new  bridge  was 
opened  by  William 
IV.,  August  1st,  1831. 

The  Old  London 
Bridge,  for  a  ■water- 
way of  nine  hundred 
feet,  had  eighteen 
solid  stone  piers,  vary- 
ing from  twenty-iive 
to  thirty-four  feet  in 
thickness ;  thus  c  o  n- 
fining  the  flow  of  the 
river  ■within  less  than 
half  its  natural 
channel. 

That  this  arose  sim- 
ply from  bad  engineer- 
ing is  very  probable  ; 
but  it  admitted  of 
huge  blocks  of  build- 
ing being  placed  on 
the  bridge,  with  only 
a  few  interspaces,  from 
one  end  to  the  other. 
These  formed  houses 
of   four  stories  in 


TBS  IWVAL  r ALACK  AT  HAUl'ION. 

height,  spanning  across  the  passageway  for 
traffic,  most  of  which  was,  of  course,  as  dark  as 
a  railway-tunnel.  Nestling  about  the  base- 
ment-floors of  these  buildings  were  shops, 
some  of  which  were  devoted  to  the  business  of 
bookselling  and  publishing. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  inhabitants  of  these 
dwellings  must  have  been  sadly  pent  up  and 
confined ;  it  would  be,  above  all,  a  miserable 
field  for  infant  life  ;  yet  nothing  can  be  more 
certain  than  that  they  were  densely  packed 
with  people. 

About  the  centre,  on  a  pier  larger  than  the 
rest,  was  reared  a  chapel,  of  Gothic  architecture 
of  the  twelfth  century,  sixty  feet  by  twenty, 
and  of  two  floors,  dedicated  to  St.  Thomas  of 
Canterbury,  and  styled  St.  Peter's  of  the 
Bridge ;  a  strange  site,  one  would  think,  for 
an  edifice  of  that  sacred  character,  and  yet 
we  are  assured  that  to  rear  religious  houses 


upon  bridges  was  by  no  means  an  uncommon 
practice  in  mediaeval  times.  In  the  earlier 
days  of  0\u  London  Bridge,  the  gate  at  the 
end  toward  the  city  was  that  on  which  the 
heads  of  executed  traitors  were  exhibited ;  but 
in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  this  grisly  show  was 
transferred  to  the  "Traitors'  Gate,"  at  the 
Southwark  end.  A  representation  of  this  gate, 
■with  the  rows  of  heads  above  it,  is  here  given. 


OLD  LONDON  E3I00B, 


Elizabethan  Furniture. 

The  little  group  of  Elizabethan  articles  is 
copied  exactly  from  articles  of  that  penodj 
and  in  our  fashions  of  to-day,  amid  the  so- 
called  imitations  and  revivals,  a  study  of  the 
genuine  will  not  be  useless. 

The  court-cupboard,  sideboard,or buffet,  stood 
generally  at  the  further  end  of  the  hall,  and 
on  it  were  arranged  the  service  of  plate,  such 
as  salvers  and  drink- 
ing-cups.  In  the  days 
of  Elizabeth  the  earlier 
plain  cupboard  had  be- 
come  an  elaborate  and 
beautiful  piece  of  fur- 
niture, richly  carved 
in  oak.  On  grand  oc- 
casions, such  as  wed- 
dings, and  the  like, 
when  all  display  was 
to  be  made,  a  t  r  i- 
angular  cupboard,  seT- 
eral  stages  high,  re- 
placed the  court-cup- 
board. 

At  the  marriage  of 
Prince  Arthur,  son  of 
Henry  VII.,  to  Catha- 
rine of  Aragon,  such  a 
structure  was  set  up 
in  the  hall,  bearing 
some  ten  thousand 
dollars  worth  of  oma> 
mental  plate,  while  the 
rich  sideboard  itself 
was  removed  to  the 
outer  cliiim' er  where 
the  princtsB  dined,  and 


B16 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


there  dazzled  tlie  guests  irith 
gold  plate,  garnished  xvith 
stones  and  pearls,  and  valued 
at  twenty  thousand  pounds  in 
that  day — equal  to  at  least  a 
quarter  of  a  million  in  ours- 
part  of  the  hoarded  wealth  of 
the  miserly  Heury  VII.,  which 
ois  son  squandered. 

• o 

Purniture  in  the  Fifteenth 
Century. 

In  the  fifteenth  century  the 
furniture   of    the   dining-room 
was  very  limited.     Boards  on 
trestles  were  in  general  use  as 
tables ;  the  huge  saltcellar 
■was  the  chief  ornament  of  the 
board.     At  royal  and   notable 
tables,   silver  goblets,  plates 
and  dishes  were  seen ;  but  in 
ordinary  houses  wooden  bowls 
and  trenchers  only  were  used. 
Earthenware,   though  made  in 
the  form  of  pitchers  and  jugs, 
does   not   seem   to  have  been 
applied   to   the   fabrication  of 
plates  and  dishes;   indeed,  in 
remote  parts  of  England,  and 
in  institutions  famed  for  their 
conservatism   (as   the   colleges 
and  public  schools),  the  square 
tfooden    trenchard  -  board,  the 
pewter  dishes,  and  the  leathern 
"Black  Jack"  for   holding 
beer,  are  scarcely  out  of  use. 
A  constant  current  in  improve- 
ment was  in  motion  during  the  Middle  Ages, 
and  from  these  rude  beginnings  in  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries  a  remarkable 
progress  was  made,  and  a  considerable  degree 
of  splendor  was  attained.     Defense  began  to  be 
not  the  only  object  studied  in  the  construction 
of  buildings.     The   apartments   expanded    in 
height,  and  were  hung  with 
the  newly  invented  tapes- 
tries   of    the    Netherlands, 
called  "Arras,"  from  the 
;place  of  its  origin. 
,    The   Gothic   paneUng   of 
the  carved  bedsteads,  chairs, 
etc.,   was  dazzling   with 
scarlet,  blue,  and  gold,  with 
costly   embroidered   h  a  n  g- 
ings  and  curtains  heavy 
■with   heraldic   symbolism; 
cabinets,   reading-desks, 
prie-dieu,  ivory   and  ena- 
meled coffers,  fire-dogs  as 
andirons,  elaborately  chased 
and  gilt,  began  to  appear, 
and  harmonized   to  a  rich 
glow  of  color  by  the  gem- 
med and  jeweled  light  that 
stole  through   the   nmllions 
of  the  storied   windows  of 
"  bower  and  hall." 

Various  articles  now  in 
daily  use  were  introduced 
during  the  reign  of  Henry 
VIII.;  chamber-clocks,  for 
example,  began  to  be  part 


■working  order  is  of  the  date 
of  1540,  and  is  at  Hampton 
Court.  Looking-glasses,  or 
mirrors,  were  now  made  in 
Italy,  to  be  suspended  on  the 
walls  of  rooms.  With  various 
modifications,  the  Renaissance 
style  continued  doiuinaut  for 
nearly  two  centuries.  In  Eng. 
land  it  degenerated  into  po- 
sitive ugliness,  especially 
during  the  reigns  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  and  James  I. 

It  is  distinguished  by  a 
mixture  of  overwrought  heavy 
moldings,  combined  with  thin 
spiral  columns  and  twisted  legs. 
It  was  succeeded  by  the  French 
style,  named  after  Louis  XIV. 


EI.IZABETnAN   FUBN'ITCRE  -SIDEBOAUD   OB   BUFFET. 

of  the  usual  furniture  of  a  room.  The  famous 
one  of  silver-gilt,  designed  by  Holbein,  and 
presented  by  Henry  VIII.  to  Anne  Boleyn, 
was  purchased  by  the  Queen  at  the  sale  of 
Horace  Walpole's  effects,  at  Strawberry  Hill, 
for  one  hundred  pounds,  and  is  now  at  Windsor. 
In  England,  the  oldest  clock  now  in  fair 


-i=£^ 


5V<^l^^i^^v^ 


8ITTniO>ROOM  FtntNITtTRB  IN  THE  FIFTEBNTH  OBNTtTBT. 


Queen  Elizabeth  in  State. 
We  give  an  exact  copy  of  a 
curious   picture   by   Zacchero, 
representing   the  Virgin  Queen 
in  one  of  her  numerous   state 
progresses.     When  we  recollect 
that  only  three  centuries  have 
passed    since    kings,     queens, 
and    other    notabilities,  were 
carried  on  men's  shoulders,  we 
scarcely  think  that  any  ad- 
vance had  been  made  since  the 
days  of  Belus,  if  we  can  judge 
from   the   sculptures   exhumed 
by  Layard  from  the  ruins  of 
Nineveh.     Nor   would   it   no-w 
be  considered  a  pleasant  thing  for  any  maids- 
of-honor  to  walk   after  their   royal  mistress 
through  the  dirty  lanes  and  streets. 

As  a  curious  specimen  of  bygone  times  we  re- 
publish the  picture  for  the  amusement  of  our 
readers.  The  researches  of  Fronde  have  throwil 
quite  a  light  upon  the  stormy  times  of  the 
Tudors.  With  a  terribly 
bold  hand  this  admirable 
historian  has  stripped  oft 
the  tinsel  with  which  careless 
or  corrupt  partisans  had  so 
plentifully  bedizened  the 
characters  of  both  Eliza- 
beth and  Mary.  Of  course, 
we  must  not  judge  those 
celebrated  women  by  the 
more  fastidious  standard  of 
the  present  days,  yet  wo 
know  enough  of  the  danger, 
ous  seductions  which  pewer 
and  pleasure  exert  over  the 
human  heart,  more  espe- 
cially the  female,  to  ho 
aware  that  the  moral  stand- 
ard is  ever  lowest  in  tho 
highest  station,  and  that  it 
we  ■wish  to  find  purity  of 
morals  and  intellectual 
eminence,  we  must  seek  for 
it  in  the  middle  classes  of  re- 
fined society.  It  ir  jnly  in  the 
present  age  that  the  higher 
classes  of  society  aie  amen- 
able  to  the  laws  of  moralitji 


GREAT    BRITAIN     AND    IRELAND. 


51T 


London  by  Night. 

There  is  a  scant  re- 
oorl  of  the  early  City 
Watch.  The  murder  of 
Lord  Ferrie's  brother,  at 
his  lodLfing  at  the  George 
Inn,  in  Lombard  Street, 
his  body  being  thrown 
into  the  street,  is  said  to 
have  originated  Night 
Watchers  in  1175 

In  1416,  Henry  Barlow, 
then  Mayor  of  London, 
is  found  to  have  ordered 
lanterns  and  lights  to  be 
hangod  out  during  the 
Winter's  evenings  bet- 
wixt Allhallowmas  and 
Candlemas. 

In  the  Eighth  Harry's 
time,  the  ordinary  light- 
ing and  watching  of  tha 
streets  were  by  one  or 
two  cressets,  whicli  only 
served  to  malce  darkness 
visible,  and  a  few  watch- 
men armed  with  halberds 
and  dim  lantern^i.  But 
once  a  year,  on  Mid- 
summer Eve,  the  city 
made  a  great  show  of 
Marching  Watcli,  and 
which  King  Harry  wit- 
nessed in  1510,  having 
come  privily  into  West- 
cheap  of  London,  clothed 
in  one  of  the  coats  of  his 
guard. 

On  the  occasion  of 
these  night  marches  an 
enormous  bonfire  blazed 
away  near  to  tha  Cathe- 
dral of  St.  Paul's,  light- 
ing up  every  pinnacle 
and  its  many  windows 
■s  though  a  thousand 
tapers  burned  within. 
The  streets  were  full  of 
iight ;  over  the  doorways 
of  the  houses  were  lamps 
of  glass,  with  oil  bum- 
lag  in  them  all  night, 
and  some  hung  out  bran- 
ches of  iron  curiously 
wrought,  containing 
hundreds  of  lamps 
liglited  at  once. 

Tallies  were  set  out 
with  ponderous  cakes  md 
flagons  of  ale  and  wine, 
and  over  the  doors  hung 
branches  of  birch,  with 
wreaths  of  lilies  and 
John's-wort,  "  and  pof» 
of  the  srreen  orpine,  in 
the  beniing  of  whose 
leaves  the  maiden  could 
read  li  t  fat«  in  love." 

The  windows  and  gal- 
leries, then  common  to 
the  houses  of  London, 
were  filled  with  ladies, 
the  taoa  standing  below 


■BIS 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


■within  a  barrier  ;  and  between  the  gable  roors 
were  servants  and  venturous  apprentices. 
Unsic  within,  and  the  cadence  of  sweet  voices 
Stnging  in  harmony.  Then  with  trumpet  and 
Brum  onward  came  the  Marching  Watch.  The 
pHtdl  zopes  which  burued  ia  the  cressets  sent 


QPEBN   ANNE  GOING   TO    PARLIAMENT. 

lip  their  tongues  of  flame  and  wreaths  of  smoke. 
Seven  hundred  cresset-bearers,  besides  two 
hundred  and  fifty  constables,  minstrels  and 
henchmen  to  the  amount  of  nearly  two  thou- 
sand !  There  were  demi-lixncers,  gunners  with 
their  wheel-locks  aa4  (trciuebuses,  archers  iu 


white  coats,  with  bows  bent  and  sheavea  ot 
arrows  by  their  side,  pikemeu  in  bright  cors- 
lets, and  billmen  with  aprons  of  mail.  And  bo 
came  and  passed  the  Marching  Watch.  And 
then  for  the  rest  ot  the  year  was  the  old  gloom 
upon  the  city — the  solitary  cresset  and  the  mire 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


619 


tratchman.     In   1540, 

Henry  put  down  tlie 
Marching  Watch,  con- 
Bidering  the  great 
charge  to  the  city; 
but  it  was  not  until 
15G9  that  the  lovers  of 
ol  I  pageants  conseuted 
to  abandon  it  en- 
tirely. 

A  substantial  Watch 
was  then  projecte  I  for 
the  safety  of  the  city, 
an  1  consisted  of  a.i 
aged  man  armed,  as 
we  have  saiil,  with 
halberd  and  lantern, 
Whose  business  it  was 
to  parade  the  streets, 
»nd  see  that  the  proper 
tishti  were  hung  out 
by  the  housekeepers. 

But  in  Qusen  Mary's 
time,  they  "made 
night  hideous"  by  one 
of  each  ward  who  went 
all  night  with  a  b::ll, 
and  at  every  lane's 
end  gave  warning  of 
fire  and  candle,  an  1  to 
help  tlie  poor  and  to 
pray  for  the  dead.  And 
the  breed  did  not  im- 
prove until  the  intro- 
duction of  the  n;w 
police  ;  for  th^  gimrdian 
of  the  night  was,  within 
our  recollection,  merely 
a  great  Witney  coat 
ituflfjd  with  a  super- 
annuated bricklayers  laborer,  having  sufficient 
Intelligence  to  bawl  the  hour,  and  to  "  wink 
hard"  (i.  e.  not  see)  when  well  paid  for  doins 
BO.  They  had  boxes  to  sleep  in  —  absurdly 
called  watch-boxes— at'd  it  was  said  by  Lord 
Erskine  that  a  friecd  of  his,  who  could  not 
obtain  sleep  by  any  of  tlie  usual  me;ins,  put 
on  a  watchman's  coat,  pot  into  a  watch-box, 
and  was  asleep  in  five  minutes. 

Ill  1694  a  company  was  formel  to  light  the 
streets  with  glass  convex  lights  ;  but  the  com- 
pany's lease  expired  in  twenty-one  years,  and 
with  it  convex  lights.  Tb.en  every  person  whose 
rent  was  ten  pounds  was  compelkd  to  Jiun;^  out 


LONDON    BY   NIUHT,  1G05. 

one  or  more  lanterns,  to  burn  from  six  o'clock 
until  eleven.  So  the  ciit-throat-i  and  burglars 
were  kept  out  of  bod  till  5«st  eleven,  unless 
there  chanced  to  be  clouds  over  the  moon,  or 
the  bouse  they  had  selected  to  work  in  was 
unler  ten  poun'ls  a  year,  and  without  a  lantern. 
It  was  not  until  17^4  that  this  str.ti  of  things 
w  s  miterially  altered. 


seizing  the  crown,  and 
caused  the  Licutsnant 
)f  the  Tower,  Sir  Ro- 
Dert  Drackenbur) ,  to 
De  sounded,  r.s  to 
whether  lie  would  un- 
dertake to  make  away 
with  the  young  king 
and  his  brother. 

Bracken  bury  re- 
'cived  Richard's  mes- 
sage while  kneeling  at 
his  devotions  in  St. 
John's  Chapel,  and  re* 
jected  so  dreadful  a 
task.  Richard,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  refusal, 
gave  authority  to 
James  Tyrrell  to  re- 
ctive  from  Bracken- 
bury  the  tempory 
charge  of  the  Tower 
and  the  prisoners  n  ith- 
in  its  walls.  This  being 
arranged,  Tyrrell  em- 
ployed Dighton  and 
Forest,  two  unstiu;  ul- 
ous  assassins,  to  take 
the  lives  of  the  royal 
ihii  'ren,  which  was 
accomplished  by  smo- 
tberins  them  with  the 
f-illows  of  their  bed. 
Their  bodies  were  then 
buried  within  the 
Tower,  nor  does  it  ap- 
pear that  RIcl  nrd  ever 
at  any  time  alluded  to 
them  afterward,  or  at- 
tempted to  account 
for  th  ir  disappearance.  There  was  no  an- 
nouncement of  their  illness,  or  of  their  death 
from  natural  causes,  no  ceremony  of  a  funeral, 
or  any  further  public  notice  of  the  fate  of  the 
roy.il  children. 

As  tlie  mr.rder  of  the  princes  has  been  called 
in  question,  so  the  localities  attribute. 1  to  its 
perpetration    have  been  disputed  on  varionfl 


Queen  Anne  Going  to  Parliament. 
The  modern  course  of  English  History  may 
be  .sa  d  to  have  commenced  during  the  rei^n  of 
Queen  Anne,  when  the  political  union  of 
Eui^land  and  S.otland  was  completed.  'I'liis 
event  took  place  on  May  1st,  1707.  Scotland 
retaine  1  her  religious  and  civil  laws,  but  her 
political  and  commercial  interests  were  com- 
bined with  those  of  England,  and  she  was  to  be 
represented  in  the  Enizlish  Parliament  l.y  sixteen 
lords  and  forty-five  commoners.  Our  illustra- 
tion rpprosints  t'.e  Quocn  o:i  her  way  to  open 
the  tirst  Parliament  un  kr  the  new  regime. 


SSD  m   BHAKESFEASB  6  TIUE. 


Murder  of  tbe  Princes  by  Richard  III. 

One  of  the  most  terrible  mysteries  of  the 
Tower  of  London  is  the  question  how  Richard 
the  Tliird  disposed  of  his  unfortunate  nephews. 

Taking  the  tradition  generally  received, 
Richard,  after  giving  all  necessary  orders  for 
the  ceremony  of  his  nephew's  coronation  (there 
i.;  evidence  that  even  bis  nil'es  were  prepared'), 
somewhat  suJdjnly  declared  bis  intention  oi 


PLACE    WHERE    THE     PRINCB8    WERE     BURnO 
IN  XHB  XUWSU  OF  LONDOMa 


620 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


grounds.  A  Email  chamber  in  the  Bloody 
Tower  has,  by  long  tradition,  being  assigned 
OS  the  spot  where  the  barbarous  deed  was 
done;  and  notwithstanding  the  professed 
doubts  of  Bailey  and  other  writers,  no  more 
probable  or  likely  place  Las  been  named.  We 
know  that  this 
chamber  was  closely 
adjoining  to  the  gov- 
ernor's house,  where 
BO  many  prisoners  of 
rank  have  been  con- 
fined, when  security 
rather  than  severity  of 
Imprisonment  was  the 
object  in  view.  Indeed, 
in  the  older  accounts 
of  the  building  within 
the  fortress,  wo  fre- 
quently find  it  called 
the  Garden  Tower, 
from  its  adjoining  the 
governor's  private 
garden.  It  is  remark- 
able that  in  a  compli- 
mentary oration  in 
Latin  (still  in  preser- 
vation), with  which 
the  authorities  of  the 
Tower  received  Jamesl. 
at  the  gate,  on  hi<  first 
visit  to  the  fortress 
after  his  accession,  ex- 
press mention  is  made 
of  the  Bloody  Tower, 
as  the  scene  of  the 
princei's  murder. 

It     was     always    a 
sequel  to  the  tra  lition 
of  the  murder  of  the 
pri  nces,  that  "  the 
priest  of   the  Tower" 
had  buried  their  bodies 
in    some    conceiled 
place  (Shakespeare  puts 
this  fact  in  the  mouth 
of  Tyrrell) ;  an  1  surely 
it   was  not  unreasonable  to  infer, 
when  two  children's  bodies  corre- 
sponding  in    age,   and    period   of 
decay,  with  the  date  of  the  murder, 
were    discovered  in  Charles   II. 's 
timj,    by  some  workmen,  at    the 
foot  of  the  staircase,  about  seventy 
yards    distant    from    the    Bloody 
Tower,  that  these  were  the  bones 
of  th:;   princes.     There   were   two 
consecrated   burial-grounds  within 
the  Tower,  besides  that  of  Barkin; 
ChurvU  on  Tower   Hill,  close  by  ; 
and  what    likelihood   was    there, 
under  those  circumstances,  of  two 
boys  being  buried  in  thissequestrel 
nook,  under  a  staircase,  unless  with 
a  view  to  secrecy  and  concealment  ? 
Ai.ii:i,  had  the  bones  been  those  of 
grown  persons,   it   might  be  con- 
jecture! that  two  unfortunate  pri- 
soners had  been  quietly  made  away 
with  in  those  disturbed  times,  and  buried  in 
secret  ;  but  there  is  no  probable  cause  for  this 
bavin;  occurred  in  respect  to  two  boys,  even  if 
there  were  traces  or  records  of  any  other  youth- 
ful prisoners,  except  Mward  V.  and  his  brother, 


having  been  m  the  Tower  at  all.  It  was  by 
Charles  II. 's  orders,  as  the  tradition  went,  that 
Sir  Thomas  Chicheley,  his  master-general  of 
the  ordnance,  planted  a  mulberry-tree  on  the 
the  spot  where  the  princes'  bodies  were  found  ; 
but,  with  a  vandalism  to  which  the  Tower  has 


THE    SOLTtt    SEA    liLHDLE. 

too  often  been  subjected,  a  staircase  wrrs  built 
up  in  1674  against  the  wall,  which  caused  tlie 
rapid  decav  of  the  mulberry-iree.  There  was, 
however,  in  1853,  an  old  warden  who  well  re- 
collected to  have  seen  the  stump  still  imbedded 


in  the  landing  of  the  stairs/^  If  the  tale  bo  trne 
that  Richard  ordered  their  burial  in  consecrated 
ground,  it  accounts  for  being  laid  here,  becaugo 
the  stairs  leading  up  to  St.  John  Chapel  would 
be  considered  as  imder  the  same  consecration  as 
the  chapel  itself. 

MissStrickland,  with 
her  usual  research  and 
accuracy,  has  traced 
out  the  very  important 
details  of  the  vast  re- 
wards  bestowed  by 
Eichard  on  Tyrrell  and 
his  assistants  in  the 
murder.  Tyrrell  wa» 
made  captain  or  gov- 
ernor of  the  town  of 
Guisnes,  near  Calais, 
and  further  received 
three  rich  stewardships 
from  Kichard,  in  the 
Marches  of  Wales. 
D  i  g  h  t  o  n  was  made 
bailiff  to  the  town  of 
Ayton,  with  a  pension- 
Forest's  widow  had  a 
pension  given  her  on 
his  death,  shortly  after 
the  murder;  and 
ample  general  pardons 
were  granted  to  them — 
whatever  villainies 
mi<;ht  be  laid  to  their 
charge — all  under  the 
royal  hand  and  seal, 
not  naming  for  what 
offense,  but  covering 
any,  and  all. 

Sir    James    Tyrrell, 
according   to    Miss 
Strickland's  investiga- 
tion, actually  confessed 
the  murder,  just  before 
he  was    beheaded    by 
order  of  Henry  VII., 
in   1502,   for  favoring: 
the  escape  of  John  de 
la     Pole,    on    whom     his    uncle 
Eichard  had  settled  the  succession 
to  the  crown.     Uighton  also  con- 
fess d  his  part  in  the  murder,  when 
hanged  at  Calais,  soon  after  Tyr- 
rell's execution  ;  and  at  the  same 
time  declared  his  knowledge  of  an 
old  priest  having  buried  the  bodies, 
first  under  the  Wakefield  Tower, 
and  a  second  time  in  some  placo 
of  which  he  has  no  knowledge 

The  South  Sea  Bubble. 

The  painting  by  E.  M.  Ward,  a 

meritorious  English  artist,  revives 

the    memory    of    that    wonderful 

period  of  stock-broking  and  mania 

in   Engliind,  known  as  the   South 

Pea  Bubble.     It  gave  the  pencil  of 

Hogarth  the  subject  of    his  first 

published  work,  and  has  been  the 

object  of  wit  and  sarcasm.    Three  of  the  figures 

in  the  painting  are  sliown  on  a  larse  scale,  to 

give  a  better  idea  of  the  artist's  handling  of 

the  costnme  and  character  of  the   time.     Th« 

central  figure  is  the  rich  young  city  widow,  lH» 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    TPiELVNIX 


521 


comes  in  the  centre 
of  the  painting,  followed 
by  her  footman.  She  is 
in  the  tip  of  the  fashion, 
but  sadly  perplexed,  as 
she  listens  to  the  foppish 
fellow  who  is  reading 
out  the  prospectus  of  a 
new  company.  But  his 
chief  auditor  is  the 
country  gentleman  to  his 
right,  whose  daughter's 
face,  shown  larger  on  the 
right,  above,  is  a  charm- 
ing picture  of  simplicity. 
The  sweet,  sad  face  on 
the  left,  above,  is  in  the 
original  the  companion 
of  the  care-stricken  war- 
rior descending  the  steps 
on  the  right,  apparently 
mined.  In  au  evil  hour 
he  has  been  temjjted  to 
embark  his  all,  and 
already,  as  the  bill  on 
the   door   indicates,    the 

■wreck  is  totiil.  As  souio  of  our  readers  may 
not  know  what  the  South  Sea  Bubble  was,  we 
give  a  short  history  : 

In  the  year  1711,  Harley,  Earl  of  Oxford, 
■with  the  view  of  restoring  public  credit,  and 
dtecharging  ten  millions  of  the  floating  debt, 
agreed  with  a  company  of  merchants  that  they 
should  take  the  debt  upon  themselves  for  a 
certain  time,  and  at  the  interest  of  six  per  cent., 
to  provide  for  which,  amounting  to  six  hundred 
thousand  pounds  per  annum,  the  duties  upon 
certain  articles  were  rendered  permanent. 

At  the  same  time  was  granted  the  monopoly 
of  trade  to  the  South  Seas,  and  the  merchants 
■were  incorporated  as  the  South  Sea  Company ; 
and  so  proud  was  the  Minister  of  his  scheme, 
that  it  was  called,  by  his  flatterers,  ' '  The  Earl 
of  Oxford's  masterpiece." 

In  1717  the  company's  stock  of  ten  millions 
■was  authorized  by  Parliament  to  be  increased 
to  twelve  millions,  upon  their  advancing  two 


PITTING-KOOM    FrKNimiK    IK   THK   TIME    OF    WILLIAM    AND    MARY 


millions  to  the  Government  toward  reducing  the 
national  debt.  The  name  of  the  company  was 
thus  kept  coutmually  before  the  public;  and, 
though  their  trade  with  the  South  American 
States  ■n'as  not  profitable,  they  continued  to 
flourish  as  a  monetary  corporation. 

Their  stock  was  in  high  request ;  and  the 
directors,  determined  to  fly  at  high  game,  pro- 
posed to  the  Government  a  scheme  for  no  less 
an  object  than  the  paying  off  the  national  debt ; 
this  proposition  being  made  just  on  the  explo- 
sion in  Paris  of  its  counterpart,  the  Mississippi 
Scheme  of  the  celebrated  John  Law. 

The  first  propounder  of  the  South  Sea  project 
was  Sir  John  Blount,  who  had  been  bred  a 
scrivener,  and  was  a  bold  and  plausible  specu- 
lator. The  company  agreed  to  take  upon  them- 
selves the  debt,  amounting  to  thirty  million 
nine  hundred  and  eighty-one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  twelve  pounds,  at  five  per  cent, 
per  annum,  secured  until  1727,  when  the  whole 


was  to  become  redeem- 
able at  the  pleasure  of 
the  Legislature,  and  the 
interest  to  be  reduced  to 
four  per  cent. 

Upon  January  22d, 
1720,  the  House  of  Com- 
mons received  the  pro- 
posal with  great  favor; 
the  Bank  of  England 
was,  however,  anxious  to 
share  in  the  scheme ; 
but,  after  some  delay, 
the  proposal  of  the  com- 
pany ■was  accepted,  and 
leave  given  to  bring  in 
the  necessary  Bill. 

At  this  crisis  an  inp 
fatuation  regarding  tho 
South  Sea  speculation 
began  to  take  possession 
of  the  public  mind.  The 
company's  stock  rose 
from  one  hundred  and 
thirty  to  three  hundred, 
^  and  continued  to  rise 
while  the  B  11  was  in  progress.  Mr.  Walpolo 
was  almost  the  only  statesman  in  the  House 
who  denounced  the  absurdity  of  the  measure, 
and  warned  the  country  of  the  evils  that  must 
ensue;  but  his  admonition  was  entirely  dis- 
regarded. 

Meanwhile  the  South  Sea  Company  directors 
and  their  friends,  and  especially  the  chairman 
of  the  company,  Blount,  employed  every  stra- 
tagem to  raise  the  price  of  the  stock.  It  was 
rumored  that  Spain  would,  by  treaty  with 
England,  grant  free  trade  to  all  her  colonies, 
and  that  silver  would  thus  be  brought  from 
Potosi,  until  it  would  be  almost  as  plentiful  as 
iron ;  also,  that  for  the  latter's  cotton  and 
woolen  goods  the  goldmines  of  Mexico  were  to 
be  exhausted. 

The  South  Sea  Company  were  to  become  tho 
richest  the  world  ever  saw,  and  each  hundred 
pounds  of  their  stock  would  produce  hundreds 
per  annum  to  the  holder.     By  this  means  tto 


COSTUMES  OP  THE  TIME  OF  QCBEK  ELIZAIIETH. 


522 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


COSTUMES   OP   THE   TIME   OP   JAMES  THE   PIKST 

■took  was   raised  to  nearly  four  liundred ;    it  i  cent. 
then  fluctuated,  and  settled  at  three  hundred  |  Blouut, 
and  thirty,  when  the  hill  was  passed,  though 
not  without  opposition. 

Exchange  Alley  was  the  seat  of  the  gambling 
fever ;  it  was  hlockeJ  up  every  day  hy  crowds, 
as  were  Comhill  and  Lombard  Street  with 
carriag^es. 

On  the  d*y  the  bill  was  passed  the  shares 
were  three  hundred  and  ten  ;  next  day  they 
fell  to  two  hundreJ  and  ninety.  Then  it  was 
rumored  that  Spain,  in  exchange  for  Gibraltar 
ond  Port  Mahon,  would  give  up  places  on  the 
coast  of  Peru' ;  also  tiiat  she  would  secure  and 
enlarge  the  South  Sea  trade,  so  that  the  com- 
pany misht  build  and  charter  any  number  of 
ships,  and  pay  no  per  centage  to  any  foreign 
power. 

Within  five  days  after  the  bill  bad  become 
a  law,  the  directors  opened  their  books  for  a 
subscription  of  a  million,  at  the  rate  of  three 
hundred  pounds  for  every  one  hundred  pounds 
capitil  ;  and  the  first  subscription  soon  exceeded 
two  millions  of  original  stock.  In  a  few  days 
the  stock  advanced  to  three  hundred  and  forty, 
and  the  subscriptions  were  sold  for  double  the 
price  of  the  first  payment.     Then  the  directors 


announced  a  mldsummeT 
dividend  of  ten  per  cent, 
upon  all  subscriptions. 

In  the'  face  of  exposures, 
tlie  fluctuations  of  tlie  South 
Sja  stock  grew  more  alarm- 
in:.  On  May  28,  it  was 
quoted  at  five  hundred  and 
filty,  and  in  four  days  it 
Jose  to  eight  hundred  and 
ninety.  Then  came  a  tre- 
11  en  ions  rush  of  holders  to 
sell  out ;  and  on  June  3, 
so  few  buyers  appeared  in 
the  Ally,  that  the  stock  fell 
at  once  from  eiijbt  hundred 
and  ninety  to  six  hundred 
and  forty.  By  various  arts 
of  the  directors  to  keep  up 
the  price  of  stock,  it  finally 
rose  to  one  thousand  per 
It  then  become  known  that  Sir  John 
,  the  cuaiiman,  uuu  otherti,   had    sold 


COSTt'MIS   OF  THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTUBT. 

I  occisioned  a  great  run  upon  the  Bank,  but  th« 
I  intervention  of  a  liol  day  gave  them  time,  and 
they  weathered  the  storm.  The  South  Sea 
Company  were,  liowever,  wrecked,  and  their 
stock  fell  ultimately  to  me  hundred  and  fifty ; 
when  tlie  B,ink,  finding  its  efforts  unavailing 
to  stem  the  tide  of  ruin,  contrived  to  evade 
the  loosely -made  agreement  into  which  it  had 
partially  entered. 

Investigation  showed  the  whole  scheme  fran- 
duleut,  and  thousands  were  utterly  ruined. 


COSTUME  OP  THE  TIME   OP  WIltlAM  THE  THinD. 


BBAS-DRESa   or  TBS  TIME   OP   SDWAOO  TUB   POCKTU. 


out ;  and  the  stock  fell  throughout  tlie  month 
of  August,  and  on  September  2  it  was  quoted 
at  seven  hundred  only.     The  alarm  now 
greatly  increased.     The  South  Sea  Com- 
pany met    in    Merchant  Tailors'   Hall, 
and   endeavored  to  appease  the 
unfortunate    holders     of     stock, 
but  in  vain  :  in  a  few  days  the 
price  fell  to  four  hundred. 

The  ministers  grew  more 
alarmed,  the  directors  were  in- 
sulted in  the  streets,  and  riots 
were  apprehended.  Dispatclies 
were  sent  to  the  king  at  Hanover, 
praying  his  immediate  return. 
Walpole  was  implored  to  exercise 
his  influence  with  the  Bank  of 
England,  to  induce  it  to  re- 
lieve the  company  by  circulating 
a  number  of  South  Sea  lends. 
To  this  the  B;ink  reluctantly  con- 
sented, but  the  remedy  failed  : 
the  South  Sea  stock  fell  rapidly  • 
a  run  commenced  upon  the  most 
eminent  goldsmiths  and  hankers, 
some  of  whom,  having  lent  large 
amounts  upon  South  Sea  stock, 
were  obliged  to  abscond.    This 


Oostume  of  the  Time  of  Henry  V, 
There  was  something  very  classical  in  the 
female  dress  of  the  feudal  times,  more  especially 
that  of  the  reign  of  Henry  V.  Contrasted  with 
those  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
they  are  positively  most  graceful  and  elegant 
The  attire  of  lady  of  rank  in  the  days  of  the 
Plantagenetsis  thu^  described  by  a  writer  of  thai 
time  :  "A  wimple,  or  gorget,  is  wrapped  round 
the  neck,  and  is  fastened  by  pins  at  the  sides  of 
the  face,  which  are  covered  above  the  ears ;  a 
gown  of  capacious  size,  unconfined  at  the  waist, 
and  loose  in  the  sleeves,  trails  far  behind  in  the 
dirt.  The  under-garment,  which  is  darker,  hao 
sleeves,  which  fit  closely,  and  it  appears  to  be 
turned  over,  and  pinneil  up  round  the  bottom." 
The  unnecessary  quantity  of  material  used  by 


OOSTVMES   OP  THE   BIOHTEENTB   CENTUST* 


GKEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IKELAND. 


523 


the  ladies  of  that  period  was  a  favorite  point  of 
attack  upon  them  by  contemporary  writers.  A 
monliisli  satirist  says :  '•  I  have  iiearcJ  vi  a  proud 
woman  who  wore  a  white  dress  with  so  long  a 
train,  which,  trailing  behind  her,  raised  a  dust 
as  far  as  the  alt  ir  and  the  crucitix.  But  ;is  she 
left  the  church,  and  lifted  up  her  train,  on  ac- 
cotmt  of  the  dirt,  a  certain  holy  man  saw  a  devil 
laughing,  and  having  adjured  him  to  tell  why 
he  laughed,  the  devil  said  :  '  A  friend  of  mina 
was  just  now  sitting  on  the  train  of  tliat  woman, 
using  it  as  if  it  were  his  chariot ;  but  when  she 
lifted  her  train  up,  my  friend  Wiis  shaken  off  into 
he  dirl,  and  that  is  why  1  was  laugldng  '  " 


Head-dresses  of  the  Eeign  of  Edward  17. 

Is  the  Bil)Ie,  it  is  sometimes  said  of  a  man 
that  his   liorn  is  exalted,  conveying  the  idea 
that  he  has  attained  great  prosperity  and  power. 
The  English  women  in  the  days  of  Edward  IV.  1 
most  undoubtedly  had  their  horns  exalte  J,  and  | 


SEDAN-CHAIHS. 


by  silver  staves,  with  four  gold  bells,  '  that  rang 
at  the  comers.' "   "Early  in  the  reign  of  Richard 


I  excesse  of  apparel :  in  wide  surcoatcs  rcachinj^ 
'  to  their  loins  ;  some  in  a  gaimint  reaching  to 
their  heels,  close  before  and  sprowtinL'  out  at 
the  sides,  so  that  on  the  backe  they  made  men 
seeme  women  ;  and  tins  they  call  ly  u  ridicu- 
lou.s  name  -gowne.  Their  hoodts  are  little,  and 
tied  under  the  chin  " 


BN8LI8H    COACH    OF    THE    TIME    OF    CHAKI.ES    THE    SECOND. 


eulvocateg  of  women's  rights  sliould  certainly 
lesume  this  style,  as  an  assertion  of  iudepjn- 
dence,  at  least. 

Of  dress  at  this  periorl,  it  is  sai  1  :  "  Cloth-of- 
gold,  satin,  and  velvet,  enriched  by  tlie  florid 
decorations  of  the  needle,  were  insuffi  lent  to 
satisfy  the  pride  of  nobles.  Robes  formeJ  of 
tliese  costly  materials  were  frequently  orna- 
mented with  embroidery  of  goldsmiths'  work, 
thickly  set  with  precious  stones,  and  tlie  most 
absurd  and  fantastic  haliits  were  cont  nuidly 
adopted,  in  the  restless  desire  to  appjar  in  new 
invon!ions.  John  of  Glient  is  represented  in  a 
habit  divided  strai:,'ht  down  the  mi  Idle,  one 
side  white,  the  other  lialf  dirk-blue  ;  and  his 
Bon,  Henry  IV.,  on  his  return  from  exile,  rode 
In  procession  througli  L  )ndo:i  in  a  j  icket  of 
doth-of-gold,  '  after  the  German  fashion.'  Ihe 
dukes  arid  earls  who  attended  his  coronation 
wore  three  bars  of  ermine  on  the  left  arm,  a 
qnarter  of  a  yard  long,  'or  thereabouts  '  The 
Ijarons  liad  but  two  ;  and  over  the  monarch'e 
hfiBid  was  borne  a  canopy  of  Wue  silk,  supported 


IT  began,"  says  Stowe,  "the  detestable  use  of 
piked  shoes,  tied  to  t  le  knees  with  chains  of 
silver  gilt ;  also,  women  used  high  attire  on 
their  hea  Is.  with  piked  horns  and  long  training 
gowns.     The  commons  also  were   besotte  I  in 


Costume  of  the  Keiga  of  William  III. 
The  costume  of  the  reign  of  William  III 
shows  some  taminir  down  of  the  cxtravaganca 
that  characterize  1  that  of  Charles  II.,  when,  by 
a  natural  law,  tlie  revulsion  against  the  Puritan 
stringency,  straitdaci-ig  ami  ttarclied  primness, 
carried  men  and  women  into  exuberance  of  or- 
namentation in  dre-s.  In  the  male  sex  we  have 
gradually  come  to  a  style  even  more  unpictur- 
esque  than  that  of  the  Commonwealth,  while 
women  out-dazzle  even  the  days  of  which  our 
picture  tells,  and  dresses,  if  not  so  quamt,  are  at 
all  events  so  trimmed  as  to  leave  the  question 
of  the  material  of  the  garment  a  matter  of  doubt 
to  the  ansophistic  vted  of  the  other  sex,  who 
puzzles  his  head  in  v.iin  to  discover  which  ia 
groundwork  and  which  superstructure. 

Vehicles  and  Carnages. 

After  .sul>duin,'cer.ain  animals  and  rendering 
them  b.asts  of  burden,  tlie  next  step  was  to  itt- 
vent  an  article  1  y  which  they  could  convey 
greater  burdens  than  could  be  placed  on  their 
bodies,  or  convey  man  in  a  convenient  way. 

The  Western  tribes  who  tie  poles  to  the  sides 
of   the  horses,  ht.ing   the  ends  trail  on   th« 


two-hokse  littek  of  the  timk  of  richakd  the  second. 


m 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


EAKLV  ENGLISH  SHIPS — THE    "  HENKl-ORACE-A-DIEU." 


ground,  and  then  lay  the  load  across,  adopt 
probably  the  most  primitive  form  of  con- 
Teyance. 

A  branching  bongh,  cut  off  to  form  a  sled, 
■was  doubtless  the  next  invention.  As  the  sled 
assumed  more  skillful  shajie,  it  became  the  sled 
used  at  quarries,  and  in  Madeira  to  transport 
■wine;  though  the  most  elegant  and  graceful 
form  is  that  of  our  American  sleigh,  ■which  in 
point  of  beauty  exceeds  those  of  Kussia. 

The  next  step  from  the  sled  was  doubtless  the 
litter,  carried  by  a  horse  before  and  behind. 
This  was  a  very  simple  machine,  two  poles,  at- 
tached to  the  horses'  sides,  required  only  bands 
across  to  support  comfortably  the  human  bo-'v 
or  a  quantity  of  goods.  But  in  this  arrangement 
the  whole  weight  of  the  litter  has  to  be  borne 
by  the  animals. 

A  cross-axle  with  revolving  wheels  soon 
lightened  the  load  and  enabled  one  horse  alone 
to  do  the  work  of  two.  At  first  the  shaft_ 
■were  long,  and  the  axle  at  the  end  of  the  cart. 

The  ancient  Egyptian  car  shows  this,  all  the 
■weight  being  thrown  forward.  To  distribute 
this  more  equally  was  the  next  step,  as  shown 
in  the  ox- car  of  India  and  the  Portuguese  cart, 
or  its  American  copy,  the  ox-cart  of  the 
Pampas,  in  which  the  spoke-wheel  replaces  the 
more  cumbrous  wheel. 

In  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  sedans  were 
fashionable  in  France  and  England,  a  return 
to  primitive  usage,  in  ■which  men  became  the 
beasts  of  burden  ;  but  this  was  a  fashion  that, 
from  its  very  nature,  could  not  last.  To  what 
a  point  of  hixury,  and  finally  of  absurdity,  the 
fashionable  carriages  reached  in  the  time,  of 
Charles  IT.  and  Queen  Anne  may  be  imagined 
from  our  engravings. 


Early  English  Ships— The  "  Henri-Graca-a- 
Dieu." 
While  Sir  Edward  Howard  was  cruising  in  the 
English  Channel,  in  1512,  he  fell  in  with  the 
French  fleet  ;  and  Sir  Charles  Brandon,  after- 
ward Duke  of  Suffolk,  who  was  nearest  the 
enemy,  without  waiting  for  orders,  bore  down 
on  the  Cordelier,  of  Brest,  a  large  vessel,  carry- 
ing one  thousand  six  hundred  men.  The  fire  of 
the  Cordelkr  dismasted  Sir  Charles  Brandon's 


vessel ;  and  then  the  Regent,  the  largest  vessel  of 
the  English  navy — the  largest  that  had  ever  been 
built  in  England — took  the  Cordelier  in  hand. 
Both  were  huge,  clumsy,  unmanageable  ships, 
the  production  of  a  time  when  the  art  of  ship- 
building was  just  beginning  to  expand,  and  mere 
bulk  was  held  an  extraordinary  quality.  The 
two  ships  were  engaged  for  upward  of  an  hour, 
when  another  vessel  came  to  the  assistance  of 
the  Regent ;  the  French  commander,  unwilling 
that  his  ship  should  be  taken,  set  fire  to  it ;  and 
the  flames  communicating  to  the  Regent,  both 
were  consumed.  This  was  a  great  disaster ;  Sir 
Edward  Howard  vowed  that  he  would  never 
more  see  the  face  of  the  king  till  he  had  avenged 
the  loss ;  and  Henry  VIII.  ordered  a  new  ship 
to  be  built,  which  should,  if  possible,  bo 
superior  to  the  vessel  which  had  been  lost.  A 
new  ship  was  accordingly  constructed,  which 
was  named  the  Henri-Orace-d-Dieu. 

The  old  picture  in  Windsor  Castle,  of  which 
there  is  a  copy  in  the  Naval  Gallery  of  Green- 
wich ,  representing  Henrj'  in  this  celebrated  ship, 
sailing  across  the  Channel  in  1520  for  the  inter- 
view with  Francis  I. ,  has  given  rise  to  consider- 
able discussion.  The  picture  represents  Henry 
on  board  a  large  four-masted  ship,  with  two 
round  tops  on  each  mast.  The  king  is  standing 
on  the  main  deck,  with  attendants.  The  sails 
and  pennants  of  the  ship  are  of  cloth-of-gold  ; 
the  royal  standard  is  flying  on  the  four  corners 
of  the  forecastle,  and  the  arms  of  England  and 
France  are  depicted  on  the  front  of  the  fore- 
castle, and  also  on  the  ship's  stern. 

On  the  right  of  the  ship  is  a  three-masted  ves- 
sel, with  her  sails  furled,  and  decorated  with 
pennants  and  standards.  A  number  of  other 
vessels  and  small  boats,  all  crowded  with  pass- 
engers, are  introduced  into  the  picture.  In  the 
foreground  are  two  circular  forts,  communicat- 
ing by  a  terrace,  situated  close  to  the  water's 
edge ;  these  are  firing  a  salute.  Near  the  centre 
of  the  terrace  is  a  gentleman,  supposed  to  be  Sir 
Edward  Poynings,  Constable  of  Dover  Castle. 


▼AK  0AII.BT8  OF  TUK  FIFTEFNTH  C^KNTCRT. 


GEEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


THE   TOWEE   OF  LONDON. 


536 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Great  Harry  was 
tateil  at  one  thousand 
tons,  an  1  is  >et  down 
ashavinir  one  hundred 
and  t\v  nty-two  guns, 
but  only  thirty-four  of 
these  were  such  as 
would  now  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  rank 
Df  guns  ;  the  rest  were 
pieces  of  small  calibre, 
the  largest  d-scrving 
no  higher  name  than 
swivels,  :nJ  all  of 
them  distributed  about 
so  as  to  make  it  a  very 
harmless  but  fiercc- 
laoking  vessel.  But 
thouffh  the  Great  Harnj 
wag  the  wonder  a  d 
admiratio:i  of  its  day, 
it  was  but  a  fair- 
we  ther  vesel,  fitted 
cnly  to  mike  people 
stare,  and  lie  the 
cent.e  of  a  holiday 
picture.  It  was  ill 
adapte  1  to  st;  n  1  a 
rolling  sea  or  a  gale  of 
wind  ;  while  a  broad- 
side   from    a    modern 

ship-of-war  might  have  sent  it  plunging  to  the 
bottom.  It  was  liut  little  used ;  lasted  for 
thirtyeiKht  years,  and  was  accidentally  burned 
at  Woolwich,  Kent,  in  1553. 

A  riogging-Horse. 
We  reproduce,  in  anenuravini?,  oneof  the  many 
relics  cf  medieval  times  still  extant  in  the  seats 
of  learning  in  Europe.  Though  now  fallen  into 
desuetude,  it  was  in  active  operation  during  the 
lai.i  generation,  when  bjth  p  irenti  and  pedii- 
gf/gues  were  believers  in  the  :ixiom,  "  Spare  the 


THB  DUCKING   CHAIR. 

roi  and  spoil  the  child."  The  flogging-horse  Is 
one  of  the  ancieut  grammar-school  customs  of 
England,  more  honored  in  the  breach  than  in 
the  observance.  Our  illustration  represents  the 
stool  or  altar  of  punishment,  which  was  formerly 
in  use  at  thj  free  school  in  Lichfield — the  school 
at.  which  Addison,  Ashmore,  Garrick,  Johnson 
and  Wollaston  received  their  education.  When 
our  artist  visited  this  venerable  temple  of  learn- 
ui'i  a  few  years  ago,  there  was  a  head-master 
receiving  a  good  salary,  hut  no  scholars.  The  flog- 
gins-horse,  here  delineated,  stood  in  the  lower 
room,  covered  with  dust. 


mpported  the  stoeka 
beiuii  made  sufficiently 
„igh,  were  furnished 
near  the  top  with  iron 
llasps  to  fasten  round 
ihe  wrists  of  the 
offender,  and  hold  him 
securely  during  the 
infliction  of  thepuuish- 
ment.  Sometimes  a 
single  post  was  made 
to  serve  both  purposes ; 
tlasjis  being  provided 
near  the  top  for  the 
wrists,  when  nsed  as 
a  whipping-post,  and 
similar  clasps  below 
for  the  ankles  when 
used  as  stocks,  in 
which  case  the  culprit 
sat  on  a  bench  behind 
the  post,  so  that  hts 
'egs,  when  fattened  to 
the  post,  were  in  a 
horizontal  position. 
Latterly,  under  the 
influence,  we  may  sup- 
pose, of  growing 
humanity,  the  whip- 
ping part  of  the  ap- 
paratus was  dispensed 
with,  and  the  stocks  left  alone.  The  stocks 
was  a  simple  arrangement  for  exposing  a 
culprit  on  a  bench,  confinel  Lj'  having  his 
ankles  laid  fast  in  holes  under  a  movable 
board.  Each  parish  had  one,  usually  close  to 
the  churchyard,  but  sometimes  in  more  se» 
eluded  places. 

There  is  an  amusing  story  told  of  Lord  Cam- 
den, when  a  barrister,  having  been  fastened  up 
in  the  stocks  in  the  top  of  a  hill,  in  order  to 
gratify  an  idle  curiosity  on  the  iiul)ject.  Being 
left  there  by  the  alisent-minde  I  friend  who  had 
locked  him  in,  he  found  it  impo3sible  to  pro* 


A  FLOOOINO-HOR8B. 


Whipping-Post  and  Stocks. 

Threr  centuries  ago  the  flagellation  of  vag- 
rants iind  similar  characters  for  slight  offenses 
was  ccirrie  I  to  a  cruel  extent.  Owing  to  the  dis- 
solution of  the  monasteries  in  England,  where 
the  poor  h;id  chiefly  found  relief,  a  vast  number 
of  infirm  and  unemployed  personswcre  suddenly 
thrown  on  the  country  without  any  legitimate 
means  of  support.  These  destitute  p3rsons  were 
naturally  led  to  wander  from  place  to  place, seek- 
in?  a  subsistence  from  the  casual  alms  of  any 
benevolent  persons  they  ;ni'j:ht  chance  to  meet. 
Their  roving  and  precarious  life  soon  produce  1 
its  natural  fruits. 

By  an  Act  passed  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII., 
vagrants  were  to  be  '  carried  to  some  market- 
town  or  other  place,  and  there  tied  to  the  end 
of  a  cart,  nakel,  and  beaten  with  whips 
throughout  such  market-town  or  other  place, 
till  the  body  should  be  bloody  by  reason  of 
such  whipping."  Still  vagrancy  not  only  con- 
tinued, but  increased,  although  the  punishment 
was  applied  to  both  sexes,  without  regard  to 
ago.  Whipping,  hovevcr,  was  not  always 
executed  at  the  cart's  tail,  and  whipping- 
posts came  into  use  about  the  ycAr  1506.  The 
Stocks  were  often  so  cm  tructed  as  to  serve  both 
for  stocks  and  whippin::-pi)sts.    The  postswhich 


PARISH    STOCKS. 


GREAT     BKITAIN     AND     JKELAND. 


537 


OID    ENGLISH   PUNISHMBNTS.— THE  rVSAVCE   OP  JANE   SHORB. 


cnre  his  liberation  for  th"  greater  part  of  a  day. 
Oa  his  entreat.iig  ,i  cliaiice  traveler  to  release 
him.  tlip  man  shoolc  liis  lieail  and  passed  on,  le- 
tnarking  ihit  of  course  he  w;is  not  put  there 
without  de  ervin-t  tue  punishment. 

No\v-a-  !ays,  the  stocks  are,  in  most  places, 
removed  as  an  im  opnlar  oljcct,  or  we  see  little 
m  )re  than  a  stump  of  t'lem  left. 

Tliew!iippinn;of  famiil  'vatrrants  was  expressly 
forbidden  by  a  statute  of  1791. 


The  Ducking  Stool— The  Bridle. 
Nothing,  perhaps,  in  the  i)ast  strikes  us  more 
painfully  than  the  cruelty  of  punishments  in- 
flicted on  women.  In  our  day  the  puhlic  mind 
seems  to  revolt,  as  if  instinctively,  from  sub- 
jecting to  the  highest  penalty  of  tlie  law  even 
those  unsexe  1  women  whose  bands  have  been 
dye  1  in  human  blood  Our  forcfatlurs  were  not 
so  scrupulous.      Her  sex  never  shielded  the 


woman  guilty  of  crime,  and  the  pnnishment, 
no  matter  how  cruel,  was  carried  out  to  tha 
letter.  Unless  we  mistake,  the  last  case  of  the 
diabolical  torture  of  the  Peine  forte  et  dure  in 
England  was  the  case  of  Margaret  Clitheroe, 
pressed  to  death  for  refusing  to  plead,  her  love 
for  her  chil  Iren  nervinor  her  to  mret  the  linger- 
ing death,  in  order  to  avoid  the  confiscation  of 
her  property,  which  would  have  resiilt  d  from 
her  conviction  for  the  crimeofharl'oringa  priest 


628 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


X  PEDDLER  OF  SHAKESPEARE'S  TIME. 

But  besides  these  punishments,  common  to 
both  sexes,  there  -were  others  especially  for 
■women,  and  used  for  the  correction  of  scolds. 
Woe  betided  in  those  days  the  woman  who  was 
olcVand  ugly,  if  she  resisted  oppression  or  spoke 
too  loudly  of  her  grievances.  Termagants  there 
are  and  were,  doubtless,  who  so  annoy  neighbor- 
hoods a.»  to  require  some  check,  but  brute  force 
of  this  kind  seldom  proves  a  corrective.  Yet, 
the  poor  old  woman  in  those  days  was  glad, 
perhaps,  to  get  off  as  a  scold.  The  whisper  that 
ehe  was  a  witch  would  entail  certain  death. 

We  illustrate  for  our  readers  the  Ducking 
Stool,  an  instrument  not  unknown  even  in 
America.  The  last  instance  of  its  use  known 
in  England  was  in  1745,  when,  according  to 
the  London  Evening  Post,  a  woman  that  kept  the 
Queen's  Head  Ale  House,  at  Kingston,  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  ducked  in  the  Thames,  under  the 
bridge,  and  actually  underwent  the  penalty. 

Cole,  the  antiquary,  writing  in  1780,  describes 
a  similar  case,  which  he  witnessed  at  Cambridge 
in  his  boyhood : 

' '  The  chair  hung  by  a  pulley  fastened  to  a 
beam,  about  the  middle  of  the  bridge,  and  the 


liONDON  STBEBT-LIOBTS,  1760, 


woman,  having  been  fastened  in  the  chair,  was 
let  under  water  three  times  successively,  and 
then  taken  out.  The  bridge  was  then  of  timber. 
The  ducking-stool  was  constantly  hanging  in  it^ 
place,  and  on  the  back  panel  of  it  was  an  en- 
graving representing  devils  laying  hold  of 
scolds.  Some  time  after  a  new  chair  was  erected 
in  the  place  of  the  old  one,  having  the  same 
device  carved  on  it,  and  well  painted  and  orna- 
mented." 

This  outrageous  system,  like  the  barbarous 
shower-bath  in  our  prisons,  when  applied  to  an 
aged  woman,  often  resulted  in  death. 

It  at  last  seems  to  have  fallen  gradually  into 
disuse  during  the  early  part  of  the  last  century, 
but  a  new  instrument  of  torture,  called  the  brank 
or  bridle,  came  into  use. 

The  brank  was  opened  by  throwing  back  the 
sides  of  the  hoop  and  the  hinder  part  of  the  band 
by  means  of  the  hinges.  An  official  then  forced 
the  knife  A  into  her  mouth ;  this,  as  the  witch's 
bridle  shows,  was  sometimes  a  terrible  instru- 
ment of  torture.   The  hoop  would  then  be  closed 


HACKNEY-COACHMAS   OF  THE  TIME   OF  CHARLES  II. 

behind,  the  band  brought  down  from  the  top  to 
the  back  of  the  head,  and  fastened  at  E.  A 
chain  at  D  enabled  the  constable  to  drag  her 
along ;  and  the  unfortunate  presented  the  ap- 
pearance given  in  our  illustration.  The  Kurem- 
burg  bridle  shows  an  ornamental,  but  no  less 
cruel,  sample,  in  which  every  art  was  used  to 
render  the  punishment  painful,  and  at  the  same 
time  ludicrous  and  shameful. 

It  will  scarcely  be  credited  that  the  brank  was 
used  as  late  as  1824 ! 

In  our  land  scolding  is  no  longer  a  crime,  but 
the  terrible  ' '  disorderly  behavior  "  is  the  instru- 
ment of  tyranny  to  men  and  women  which  is  a 
disgrace  to  a  civilized  country.  An  ignorant, 
brutal  policeman  often  makes  the  law  and  the 
case  for  himself,  and  the  citizen,  especially  if 
poor,  gets  no  redress  except  to  have  his  affair 
ridiculed  in  the  reports  of  cases  before  the  Police 
Commissioners. 


A  Watchman  of  Shakespeare's  Time, 
It  is  within  the  memory  of  the  present  gen- 
eration, especially  those  who  have  reached  their 
sixtieth  year,  that  the  watchmen  of  their  youth- 
ful days,  if  less  brutal  than  some  of  the  police- 
men are  now,  were  utterly  worthless  either  to 
prevent  arrest  or  punish  crime. 
The  oldest  inhabitants  of  Boston  must  remem- 


A   WATCHMAN  OF  SHAKESPEARE'S  TIME. 

ber  the  time  when  they  were  awakened  every 
hour  of  the  night  by  the  sepulchral  tones  of 
drowsy  watchmen,  who  made  night  hideous  by 
crying,  "Past  two  o'clock,  and  a  cloudy  morn- 
ing." This  admirable  jjlan  for  rousing  the  in- 
habitants and  letting  the  burglars  and  footpads 
know  the  whereabouts  of  the  guardians  of  the 
night  was  satirized  by  Shakespeare  in  his '  'Much 
Ado  About  Nothing,"  wherein  Dogberry  and 
Verges  will  stand  for  all  time  as  the  model 
watchmen  of  the  world. 

The  illustration  on  this  page  is  copied  from 
an  engraving  in  the  British  Museum.  The  long 
pole  was  called  a  "bill"  in  those  days.  With 
this  and  a  lantern  every  one  of  the  watchmen 
was  armed.  In  the  Winter  they  had  a  warm 
cloak,  which  mightily  interfered  with  ti-eir 
powers  of  locomotion. 


The  Penance  of  Jane  Shore. 
The  woman  convicted  of  adultery  in  old  times 
in  England  was  compelled  to  go  through  the 
street  barefooted,  to  some  a]5poinied  church, 
clad  in  a  single  garment,  and  bearing  a  lighted 
candle.     The  illustration   shows   Jane   Shore 


LONDON  LAUFLIOHTER,  1760. 


GEEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


529 


performing  this 
penance  in  tiie 
reign  of  Richard 
theTliiid. 

During  the  reign 
of  Ed -ward  the 
Fourth,  in  Cheap- 
side,  in  the  City 
of  London,  hard 
by  the  chapol  of 
the  Mercers'  Com- 
pany, .there  lived 
a  wealthy  mercer, 
name  d  Thomas 
Wainstead.  Pros- 
perous, and  of 
good  repute,  this 
citizen  was  a  man 
of  mark  in  t!ie 
commercial  world; 
no  dealer  in  rich 
cloth  and  costly 
velvet  being  more 
highly  esteemed 
by  the  lords  and 
ladies  who  clothed 
themselves  in 
sumptuous  fabrics. 
Daily  th;  good 
man  exhibited 
wares  in  the  man- 
sions  of  noble- 

men  ;  daily,  in  the  ordinary  way  of  business, 
lie  had  interviews  with  ladies  of  high  degree. 
His  house  and  worth  were  the  gossip  of  the 
city  ;  and  of  his  many  admired  possessions,  a 
lovely  little  girl,  his  daughter,  was  not  the 
jeast  warmly  praised.  Winsome  and  delicate, 
this  surpassingly  l>eautiful  child  won  the  heart 
of  everyone  who  belield  her.  Proud  of  the 
charms  of  liis  solitary  offspring,  Thomas  Wain- 
stead  used  to  take  his  child  about  the  town 
whithersoever  he  went— to  the  neighbors' 
houses  which  ho  entered  for  chat,  the  grand 
palaces  in  which  he 
sought  money ;  so  that, 
ere  she  liad  entered  her 
thiitecnth  year,  she  had 
friends  under  nearly 
every  important  roof  in 
London. 

The  pet  of  court-ladies, 
she  was  a  goddess  in  th3 
eyes  of  city  apprentices. 
Nor  was  her  personal 
loveliness  her  only 
cliarra.  Her  lively  fancy 
and  quick  wit  astounded 
persons  thrice  her  age, 
■who  had  seen  the  life  of 
camps  and  courts ;  and 
men  who  wer?  most 
taken  by  lier  cleverness 
were  loudest  in  praise 
of  her  maidenly  com- 
posure and  reserve. 
MoroQver,  her  accom- 
plishments were  remark- 
aljle.  On  her  education 
the  mercer  had  lavished 
money  to  such  good 
purpose,  that  at  a  time 
wlien  learning  was  rare 
?Lmongst  women,  she 
34 


THE   GREAT   liED   OF   WAEE, 

could  read  poetry  and  romances  with  exquisite 
feeling,  could  write  with  facility  and  correct- 
ness, and  was  a  skillful  musician.  The  work 
of  her  needle  was  perfect ;  and  when  she 
danced,  gallants  and  dames  were  content  to 
stand  aside  and  watch  her. 

Ere  tlie  girl  had  completed  her  fourteenth 
year,  suitors  proposed  for  her  hand,  and  the 
young  nobles  of  the  court  were  constantly 
lounging  up  and  down  Cheapside,  in  the  hope 
of  seeing  her  in  the  parlor  behind  her  father's 
shop.     One  great  lord,  the  king's  chamberlain 


STATE   liAROE   01    RICHARD   THE    SECOND. 


and  peculiar 
friend,  the  Lord 
Hastings,  had 
sworn  to  win  her 
love  ;  but  fearing 
Buch  suit  as  nobles 
were  wont  to 
proffer  to  the 
daughters  of 
honest  tradesmen, 
fJid  not  wishing 
at  present  to  give 
up  his  only  child 
to  a  husband  of 
her  own  or  any 
other  degree, 
Thomas  W'ain- 
stead  sent  her  for 
avihile  into  North- 
amptonshire, 
where,  removed 
from  the  perse- 
cutions of  her 
lovers,  she  spent 
some  months  in 
the  house  of  an 
aunt. 

On    her    returit 

to  town,  Jane 

Wainstead   was 

again    the   object 

of  many  adulatory 

suitors.     Again  the  courtiers  were  at  her  heels, 

kissing  the  hem  of  her  skirt,  and  imploring 

her  to  give  hem  private  interviews. 

Alarmed  for  her  safety,  Thomas  Wainstead 
determined  to  choose  a  husband  for  her,  and 
marry  her  out  of  harm's  way  without  delay. 
The  fatlier's  choice  was  unfortunate.    It  fell  on 
a  dull  goldsmith  and  jeweler  of  Lombard  Street ; 
a  man  very  rich  and  well-respected,  but  an  awk- 
ward fellow,  who  was  Jane's  senior  by  fourteen 
years. 
After  the  fashion  of  the  time,  Thomas  Wain- 
stead told  his  daughter 
to    accept    her    suitor's 
hand,  and   she,   as  was 
her  duty,  obeyed. 

A  few  days  more,  and 
Jane  Wainstead,  aged 
sixteen,  became  the  wife 
of  Master  Shore,  gold- 
smith, of  Lombard 
Street,  aged  thirty. 

She  marries  as  her 
father  wished,  a  man  of 
wdiom  she  knew  just 
nothing  ;  a  man  whose 
love  for  her  was  but  an 
appetite ;  a  man  upon 
whom  her  graces  and 
purity  and  sunny  in- 
tellect were  thrown 
away. 

There  were  merry 
doings  at  the  wedding — 
music  and  dances,  wine 
and  laughter ;  but  whilst 
simple  Thomas  Wain- 
stead watched  the  riot, 
and  rejoiced  in  the  rare 
luck  of  his  daughter, 
who  had  won  a  wealthy 
goldsmith,    there   was 


530 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


coldness  at  the  poor  girl's  heart,  and  a  pre- 
sentiment of  evil  made  her  tremble. 

Suc'.i  marriages  were  common  in  the  fifteenth 
century  ;  they  are  not  uncommon  in  the  nine- 
leentli.  They  often  turned  out  badly  tlieu — they 
sometimes  turn  out  badly  now.  Jane  Wain- 
stead's  turned  out  very  badly.  The  rich  gold- 
smith wanted  children,  his  honor  requiring  a 
quiver  full  of  arrows  ;  hut  not  a  child  came,  and 
he  was  discomfited  when  liis  enemies  looked 
him  in  the  face.  If  the  music  of  babes  had  en- 
livened her  house  in  Lombard  Street,  Jane  would 
have  been  to  the  last 
a  good  woman.  _^     _, 

Having  few  house- 
hold care.i,  she  had 
much  time  for  visiting 
and  pleasure  ;  and  her 
husband's  humor  was 
to  take  her  much  into 
the  world.  The  dif- 
appoiniment  of  his 
desire  for  children  did 
not  kill  bis  pride  in  her 
l/eauty.  It  tickled  him 
to  take  her  from  sight 
to  siglit,  from  house 
to  house,  watching  the 
eyes  of  her  admirers, 
and  knowing  that  all 
men  envied  him  his 
lovely  partner.  Praise 
of  her  per.sonal  charms 
was  delightful  to  his 
ears  ;  and  to  tliose  who 
praised  them  most 
loudly,  he  listened 
mo-t  readily. 

The  story  of  her 
temptation  c:innot  be 
told  at  length. 

Edward  the  Fourth 
was  ravished  by  her 
beauty  ;  he  visited  the 
shop  in  I/)mbard  Street 
In  the  guise  of  an 
honest  merchant ;  he 
bought  a  jewel  of  the 
husban  1  and  gave  it 
to  the  wife ;  on  sub- 
sequent visits  he  de- 
lighted her  with  bril- 
liant words  ;  he  met 
her  at  the  house  of 
Mistress  Blague,  his 
lare-woman,  and  Tbo- 
1  MS  Wainstead's  ally  ; 
Mistress  Blague  act«jd 
t!ie  part  of  romantic 
and  sympathizing 
friend  ;  and  with  her 
husband's  permission 
and  througli  Mistress 
B'lewent  to  a  grand  court  masquerade,  where 
her  unknown  lover  danced  witli  her,  to  the 
extreme  delight  of  the  court. 

That  masquerade  was  quickly  followed  by  her 
ruinous  exaltation. 

On  leaving  the  gorgeous  entertainment  the 
disguised  lover  put  a  hUlct-doux  in  her  hosQm. 
The  sound  of  trumpets  and  cymbals  followed 
her  to  the  city,  and  her  heart  beat  quick  when 
she  re-entered  her  home. 

Flushed  with  triumph,  giJdy  from  strong 


emotion,  maddened  by  excitement,  the  girl 
seized  a  convenient  moment  and  read  the  secret 
letter  where  no  eyes  sought  her. 

What  did  slie  learn  from  it  ? — that  her  lover 
was  the  king ! 

Yes,  it  was  the  king  who  had  won  her  heart 
under  the  disguise  of  a  private  citizen !  It  was 
the  king  who  hadwooel  her  patiently,  submis- 
sively, modestly,  passionately,  day  after  day  ;  it 
was  the  king  who  had  applaudel  her  wit  and 
merry  humor,  and  wondrous  cleverness  and 
delicacy  !   Playfully  she  had  flouted  him  a  score 


Blague's  introduction, 


OLD   HOUSES   IN   CHESTER. 

of  times,  and  delighted  him  by  her  bravery. 
And  now  tlie  king  implored  her  to  fly  to  him, 
and  promised  her  wealth,  influence,  royal  devo- 
tion ! 

Thus  was  Jane  Shore  ten\pted ! 

She  left  her  husband's  bouse  by  night,  and 
never  again  crossed  its  threshold.  Years  after- 
ward she  stood  before  it,  whilst  a  crowd  watched 
her  doing  penance,  and  enduring  the  insults 
heaped  upon  her  by  an  enemy.  But  the  infa- 
mous exposure  was  an  aflfair  of  the  future. 

She  be:ame  Edward  the  Fourth's  mistress. 


and  ia  that  position  of  splendid  infamy  she  com- 
ported herself  so  sweetly  and  generously,  that 
noble  ladies  hesitate!  to  remind  her  of  her  sin, 
and  proud  barons  ren  lered  her  chivalric  service. 
Her  naive  talk  and  delicate  drollery  gave  con- 
tinual mirth  to  tlie  court ;  and  it  was  observed 
that  her  tongue,  so  quick  and  clever  at  raillery, 
never  caused  pain  to  a  bearer. 

The  desolate  and  distressed  she  steadily  be- 
friended ;  and  whoso  had  incurred  the  king's 
displeasure  found  in  her  a  willing  and  dextrous 
assuager  of  royal  wrath      When  Eilwar'l  the 
Fourth  was  no  faiore, 
Jane  Shore's  fortunes 
'  fell,    never    to    rise 

again.  Faithful  to  him 
in  death,  even  as  she 
had  been  faithful  to 
him  in  life,  she  used 
her  failing  influence 
in  behalf  of  those 
children  whom  Rich- 
ard, notwithstanding 
Horace  Walpole's  in- 
genious pleading,  is 
believed  to  have 
murdered.  The  hero 
of  Towton  was  cold 
in  his  grave,  and  she 
had  placed  herself  in 
opposition  to  his  false 
brother,  who  forth- 
with resolved  to  crush 
her.  His  measures  to 
effect  that  end  were 
alike  contemptible  and 
successful.  There  was 
the  foolish  charge  of 
sorcery,  at  which  men 
laughed  aloud,  asking 
if  every  lovely  woman 
was  not  by  necessity 
of  nature  a  sorceress  ? 
There  was  the  exe- 
cution of  her  old  ad- 
mirer and  warm  friend, 
Hastings ;  there  was 
the  suit  against  her  in 
the  Spiritual  Court  for 
adultery  and  witch- 
craft, in  which  Shore, 
the  goldsmith,  joined, 
either  vindictively,  or 
through  fear  of  the 
usurper's  power,  or 
tlirough  mere  wish  to 
free  himself  from  i^ 
wife  with  whom  he 
had  resolved  never  to 
live  again. 
The  result  of  that 
prosecution  was  a  sentence  of  penance  and 
imprisonment. 

Most  touching  is  More's  account  of  that  spec- 
tacle, which,  even  at  this  distance  of  time,  can- 
not be  contemplated  without  indignation. 

Clothed  in  scant  raiment,  of  snowy  white- 
ness, bare  as  to  her  tender  feet,  without  a  vail  to 
hide  her  blushes,  and  bearing  in  her  hand  a 
taper,  the  delicate  gentlewoman  was  compelled 
to  walk  through  the  streets  of  the  city,  and 
stand  before  the  rabble,  whose  conduct  did  not 
on  that  occasion  please  Eichard.    Jane  Shore 


GKEAT     BRlTAiJS     AND    IRELAND. 


631 


SOTAL   MIIUCLS3. 


was  beloved  by  many  persons ;  even  rigid  pre- 
cisians made  excuses  for  her  one  great  sin,  and 
had  she  been  neither  beautiful  nor  charming 
in  speech  Englishwomen  would  have  resented 
the  outrage  on  her— which  was,  in  fact,  an 
outrage  on  her  sex. 

As  she   passed   on  with  trembling   limbs, 
voices  gave  her  blessing.    She  moved  amongst 


the  poor,  whose  sufferings  she  had  alleviated — 
amongst  the  rich,  whose  wealth  was  her  gift. 
Her  beauty  and  her  sufferings  were  an  elo- 
quence that  the  English  crowd  could  not  resist. 
Gentle  and  simple  forbore  from  reproaches. 
Many  boldly  wished  her  well.  A  sorceress  tru- 
ly!  She  had  bewitched  the  entire  multitude. 
Whilst  Mrs.  Shore  was  a  prisoner  in  Ludgate, 


she  was  examined  by  Richard's  lawyers  with 
regard  to  the  actions  and  aim  of  the  Lancastrian 
party,  with  whom  she  was  suspected  of  holding 
intercourse,  and  to  whom,  in  her  affliction,  it  is 
not  improbable  that  she  looked  for  relief. 
With  such  bewitching  naivete  did  the  captive 
answer  the  questions  of  her  examiners,  that  Sir 
Thomas  Lynom,  the  Solicitor-General,  fell  in 


532 


THE    WORLDS    GIIEAT    NATIONS. 


love  with  lier.  made 
her  an  offer  of  mar- 
riage, and  was  ac- 
cepted. The  marriage 
did  not  take  place. 
Whether  the  Church 
decidedthatadivorced 
woman  could  not  be 
married  in  valid  wed- 
.lock;  or  Sir  Thomas 
Lynom  was  so  affected 
by  the  Lord  Chan- 
cellor's representa- 
tions that  he  decided 
to  withdraw  from  his 
imprudent  engage- 
ment ;  or  JanB  Shore, 
seeing  how  greatly 
the  marriage  would 
injure  her  generous 
lover  in  his  profession, 
dismissed  him,  are 
questions  the  reader 
may  answer  agreeably 
to  his  fancy  or  his 
learning.  It  is  known, 
however,  that  Jane  Shore  was  never  again 
married. 

,i'he  course  of  her  life,  after  her  liberation 
from  prison,  is  uncertain ;  and  the  exact  time 
of  her  death  is  unknown.  On  leaving  Lud- 
gate  she  probably  took  refuge  under  her 
father's  roof  in  Cheapside  ;  for  though  Eich- 
ard  wished  to  keep  her  in  obscurity  and  dis- 
grace, and  would  have  repressed  any  attempt 
to  place  her  in  power,  it  is  proved  by  a  letter  to 
the  Chancellor  that  he  was  ready  to  allow  her 
the  protection  of  her  father's  house. 

The  ballads  and  popular  stories  represent 
that  she  died  of  hunger  in  a  ditch,  from  which 
occurrence  the  adjacent  quarter  of  the  town 
took  the  name  of  Shoreditch. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  this  statement  is  a 
sheer  fiction.  The  parish  of  Shoreditch  took 
its  name  from  certain  manorial  lands  at  a  date 
long  prior  to  Jane  Wainstead's  birth. 

She  lived  to  old  age,  and  was  personally 
known  to  Sir  Thomas  More,  who  speaks  of 
her  in  his  "History  of  Kichard  the  Third" 
(supposed  to  have  been  writ- 
ten about  1516-1519)  as  still 
living. 

>iti> 


Olotliing  Shop  in  the  Eeipi 
of  Queen  ElizabetL 

The  more  comfortable  con- 
struction of  our  houses,  and 
greater  facilities  for  insuring 
a  pleasant  degree  of  tem- 
perature within,  have  made 
a  great  alteration  in  dress. 

In  the  days  of  Queen  Eliza' 
beth,  the  frippery,  or  clothing 
shop,  had  a  very  limite;!  ranpjo 
of  garments,  and  these  a  still 
more  limited  range  of  mato- 
lial.  It  was  a  necessity  to 
dress  more  warmly  ;  and,  as 
may  lio  soen  in  very  many 
medieval  illaminations,  al- 
Biost  cveiy  one  of  either  sex 


ODD   CUSTOMS   OP   ENGLISH   THE.^TKES.— ADDRESSING   AX  AUDIENCE   FROM   THE   BACK   OP  AN  ASS. 


went  with  coversd 
heads.  Just  in  the 
same  way,  in  a  modera 
farm-house  or  cottage, 
it  is  common  enough, 
for  hats  and  bonnet* 
to  be  worn  habitually 
indoors. 

Tlie  flannel  in  gen- 
eral use,  the  waddeJ 
petticoats,  and  worsted 
stuffs  and  brocaded 
silks — so  thick  as  al- 
most to  stand  alone — 
for  gowns,  were  much 
better  calculated  to  re- 
sist cold  and  damp' 
than  the  c  o  1)  w  e  1> 
fabrics  worn  by  modem 
females;  and  the 
men's  clothes  were  of 
a  more  substantial 
texture,  and  made 
much  fuller  than  the 
scanty  modern  corre- 
sponding garments  of 
thin  superfine  broad- 
cloth. Woolen  cloths  were  long  the  chief  ma- 
terial of  male  and  female  attire.  When  new, 
the  nap  was  generally  very  long,  and  after  being 
worn  some  time,  it  was  customary  to  have  it 
shorn  ;  indeed,  the  process  was  repeated  as 
often  as  the  stuff  would  bear  it.  Thus  v/e  find 
the  Countess  of  Leicester  sending  Hicqiie,  the 
tailor,  to  London,  to  get  her  robes  rcshorn. 


FRIPPERY   OR     CLOTHING   SHOP,  IN   THE  REIGK 
OP    HUEEN    ELIZABETH. 


COSTrMES  OF  THE  TIME   OF   HENKT    THE    FOURTH. 


Hackaey  Ooaclimaii  of  the  Time  of  Charles 
the  Second. 
The  print  from  which  our  ensraving  on  page 
18  is  taken  is  one'  of  a  set  published  liy  Over- 
ton, at  the  sign  of  the  "White  Horse,"  with- 
out Newgate ;  and  its  similarity  to  the  figures 
given  by  Francis  Barlow  in  his  "  .^op's 
Fables,"  and  particularly  in  a  most  curious 
sheet-print  etched  by  the  artist,  exhibiting 
Charles  the  Second,  tlie  Duke  of  York,  etc., 
viewing  the  races  on  Dorset  Ferry,  near  Wind- 
sor, in  1687,  sufficiently  prove  this  hackney- 
coachman  to  have  been  of  the  reign  of  that 
monarch.  The  early  hackney  coachman  did 
not  sit  upon  the  box  as  the 
present  drivers  do,  but  upon 
the  horse,  like  a  postilion ;  hi.* 
whip  is  short  for  that  purpose  ; 
his  boots,  which  have  large, 
open,  broad  tops,  must  have 
been  much  in  his  way,  and 
exposed  to  the  weight  of  rain. 
His  coat  was  not  according  to 
the  fashion  of  the  present 
drivers  as  to  the  numerous- 
capes,  which,  certainly,  are 
most  ratidnal  appendages,  tor 
the  shoulders  never  get  wet ; 
the  front  of  the  coat  has  not 
the  advantage  of  the  present 
folding  one,  as  it  is  single- 
breasted.  His  hat  was  pretty 
broad,  and  so  far  he  wa» 
screened  from  the  weather. 
Another  convincing  proof 
that  he  rode  as  a  postilion 
is,  that  his  boots  are  spurred. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND, 


533 


In  thr.t  truly  curious:  print  rcrrcscntiDg  the 
■very  iuteresticg  Palace  of  Nonsuch,  engraved 
by  Hoetuagle,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth, 
ihe  coachman  who  drives  the  royal  carriage  in 
■which  the  queen  is  seated  is  placed  on  a  low 
Beat  behind  the  horses,  and  has  a  long  whip  to 
command  those  he  guides.  How  scon,  after 
Charles  the  Second's  time,  the  hacknej'-coach- 
man  rode  on  a  box  we  have  not  been  able  to 
learn,  but  in  all  the  prints  of  King  William's 
■time  the  coachmen  are  represented  upon  the 
box,  though  by  no  means  so  high  as  at  present ; 
nor  was  it  the  fashion  at  the  time  of  Queen 
Anne  to  be  so  elevated  as  to  deprive  the  per- 
sons in  the  carriage  of  the  pleasure  of  looking 


It  is  said  that  the  sum  cf  one  thousand  five 
hundred  jjounds,  arising  from  the  duty  on 
hackney  coaches,  was  applied  to  part  of  the 
expense  in  rebuilding  Temple  Bar. 


An  English  Funeral  Three  Hundred 
Years  Ago. 
If  the  ceremonies  and  customs  of  remote 
nations  have  their  attraction,  there  is  a  still 
greater  one  in  those  of  our  own  ancestors.  Wo 
find  a  funeral  one  of  the  few  opportunities 
allowed  us  of  honoring  the  great. 

We  give,  from  an  old  print  in  the  British 
Museum,  a  tyj^e  of  the  way  in  which  the  great 


loss  been  universally  lamented,  the  spectacle 
afforded  by  the  grand  funeral  procession  was 
alone  sufficiently  attractive  to  account  i'or  th« 
dense  masses  which  lined  the  roadways  of 
Aldgate,  Cornhiil,  and  Cheapside. 

The  dress  of  the  pall-bearers  is  a  relic  of  the 
old  Catholic  times,  resembling  the  Franciscan 
habit,  which  it  was  so  customary  for  the  dying 
to  assume.    »-K>t-« 

State  Barge  of  Richard  II.  of  England. 

Even  at  the  present  time,  when  everything 
is  done  by  steam,  the  Lord  Mayors  of  Loudoiu 
England,  have  a  state  barge,  all  gilt  and  finery, 
in   which  they,  with  their  attendants,  make 


over  their  shoulders.  In  1637,  the  number  of 
liackney  coaches  in  London  was  confined  to 
£fty ;  in  1652,  to  two  hundred ;  in  1654,  to  three 
hundred  ;  in  1662,  to  four  hundred ;  in  169i, 
to  seven  hundred ;  in  1'710,  to  eight  hundred  ; 
an  1771,  to  one  thousand;  and  in  1802,  to  one 
thousand  one  hundred. 

In  imitation  of  the  hackney  coaches,  Nicholas 
S.iuvage  introduced  the  fibres  at  Paris,  in  the 
year  1650.  The  hammer-cloth  is  an  orna- 
mental covering  of  the  coachbox.  Mr.  S.  Pcgge 
eays :  ' '  The  coachman  formerly  used  to  carry  a 
hammer,  pincers,  a  few  nails,  etc.,  in  a  leather 
pouch  hanging  to  his  box,  and  this  cloth  was 
devised  for  the  hiding  of  them  from  public 
vie^r." 


AN  ENGLISn  FUNERAL  THREE  nUNDRED  TEARS  AGO. 

were  honored  in  the  days  when  Sir  Walter  Ka- 
leigh  visited  Virginia.  The  quaint  old  cut 
represents  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  the  poet  warrior 
of  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign,  being  borne  in 
state  through  the  city.  Killed  on  the  Conti- 
nent during  a  battle  against  the  Spanish  troops, 
in  1586,  he  was  mourned  throughout  England, 
and  "  Good  Queen  Bess"  ordered  that  his  re- 
mains should  be  inferred  in  St.  Paul's — the  old 
cathedral — burnt  down  not  long  after  the  great 
fire  of  London.  It  is  said  that  while  the  body 
was  being  removed  from  the  Minories  to  St. 
Paul's,  the  streets  of  the  city  were  so  thronged 
■with  people  that  mourners  had  scarcely  room 
to  pa-ss,  while  every  window  was  filled  Avith 
i  spectators.    And  bad  not  Sir  Philip  Sidney's 


various  voyagings  up  and  down  the  Kiver 
Thames.  These  are  modeled  upon  the  plan  of 
the  same  old  barges  which  in  the  times  of 
Richard  II.  traveled  on  ihat  '"silent  highway," 
as  the  poets  called  the  river. 

Our  engraving  represents  the  state  barge  of 
the  unfortunate  Richard  II. ,  son  of  the  cele- 
brated English  hero,  Edward  the  Black  Prince, 
and  whose  horrible  death  in  Pontrefact  Castle 
reflects  so  much  odium  on  his  successor,  Henry 
IV.  The  picture  we  publish  is  taken  from  an 
old  illuminated  volume  of  Gower's  "  Confessio 
Amantia."  The  tradition  is,  that  Richard  II., 
while  in  his  state  barge,  met  John  Gower,  the 
poet,  rowing  upon  the  Thames,  whereupon  he 
invited  him  into  the  royal  barge,  and,  after 


034 


THE    WOBKD'3    GEEAT    ISATIONS. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AKD    IKELAND. 


535 


00 

o 

o 

W 

W 
■< 

ts 

w 

50 

n 
o 


d 


/ 


536 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


iDiiuh  conversation,  requested  him   '-to  book 
eome  new  tiling." 

Gower  was  born  in  1325,  died  in  1402,  and 
was  nmch  esteemed  by  his  contemporaries. 

Hacging  in  Chains. 

Hanging  in  chains  has  been  for  so  many 
years  discontinued,  that  the  manner  of  it  is 
no  longer  generally  known,  and  many  might 
imagine  that  a  chain 
was  really  used  ^or  the 
execution  of  the  crim- 
inal, instead  of  a 
rope.  But  this  was 
not  so  ;  he  was  in  the 
first  instance  hanged 
with  a  hempen  cord, 
and  after  ho  was  dead 
and  cut  down  from  the 
gibbet,  a  stout  canvas 
dress  was  put  on  the 
body,  well  saturated 
with  tar ;  the  face, 
hands  and  feet  were 
likewise  daubed  with 
it,  and  then  a  light 
frame  of  hoop-iron  was 
fitted  round  the  legs, 
body  and  arms,  with 
the  object  of  causing 
the  ghastly  remains  to 
hang  together  as  long 
as  possible. 

At  the  top  of  this 
framework  was  an  iror 
hoop,  which  went  over 
the  head,  and  to  this 
■was  secured  the  chain, 
by  which  the  corpse 
was  finally  suspended 
to  a  lofty  gibbet 
made  of  oak,  and 
studded  with  tenter- 
hooks, to  prevent  any 
one  from  climbing  up 
to  remove  the  bod}-. 

The  last  of  these 
hideous  spectacles 
might  be  seen  in 
England  as  recently 
as  the  year  1816,  on 
the  point  formed  by 
the  curve  of  the 
lliver  Thames,  a  mile 
below  Greenwich, 
where  the  wasted 
corpses  of  four  Las- 
cars, hanged  for  mu- 
tiny and  the  murder 
of  the  captain  and 
most  of  the  crew  of  an  Indiaman,  were 
hanging  in  chains  from  a  lofty  gibbet. 


"Funny  Joe  Haines,"  as  he  was  called,  a 
comedian,  mountebank,  and  adventurer  of  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  has  the  honor 
of  inventing  the  absurdity  shown  in  our  cut, 
of  addressing  a  speech  to  the  audience  from  the 
back  of  an  ass.  The  ludicrous  character  of  the 
rostrum,  at  first,  undoubtedly  was  a  hit,  but  by 
repetition  it  lost  all  its  point.  The  burlesqtie  is 
not  often  resorted  to  in  America,  and,  although 
the  Germans  have  introduced  or  revived  the 


on  soldiers,  whether  from  military  tradition  or 
a  breaking  out  of  old  feeling  is  not  easy  to  say. 


HANGING    IX   CHAINS,  AS   FORMERLY   FRACTICED   IN   ENGLAND. 


Still 


Odd  Customs  of  English  Theatres. 
Among  the  odd  customs  of  the  English  stage 
is  one  which  has,  we  believe,  never  made  its 
way  across  the  Atlantic,  the  practical  turn  of 
the  land  having  apparently  put  a  prohibitive 
duty  on  all  such  burles^iues,  as  well  as  on 
masks  and  pantomimes. 


masquerade,  the  style  of  amusement  seems  to 
have  no  attraction  for  our  ])eople. 

Kidicule  formed  no  inconsiderable  part  in 
old  punishments,  as  the  stocks,  the  pillory, 
the  scold's  brank,  and  other  similar  insti- 
tutions, attest,  but  there  is,  probably,  no  chas- 
tisement known  among  us  in  which  ridicule 
is  employed.  Even  in  schools  the  dunce's 
cap  seems  to  have  given  place  to  a  more  sober 
style  of  correction.  During  the  late  war  ridicule 
entered  largely  into  the  punishments  inflicted 


Flogging  of  Quakers  in  England. 

The  punishment  of  flogging  was  not  only 
awarded  in  England  to  vagrants  and  rogues, 
but,  in  the  time  of  the  persecutions  directed 
against  heretics,  it  was  sometimes  applied  to 
convert,  or  at  any  rate  to  punish,  the  obsti- 
nate. Owen  Hopton, 
a  Lieutenant  of  the 
Tower  of  London, 
caused  one  of  his 
prisoners,  a  young 
lady  of  respectable 
family,  to  be  severely 
scourged,  because  he 
could  not  prevail  on 
her  to  attend  the 
public  service  of  a 
Church  which  she 
deemed  heretical. 

The  tenets  of  the 
Quakers,  when  they 
first  made  their  ap- 
pearance, were  partic- 
ularly obnoxious  to 
the  Church  party,  and 
the  Friends  suffered 
much  in  body.  Sewell 
relates  many  examples 
of  the  violent  whip- 
pings to  which  the 
Quaker  leaders  and 
preachers  of  were 
subjected  by  the 
Puritans,  who  deemed 
tolemtion  the  worst 
of  heresies.  In  1654, 
one  Barbara  Blangdon 
was  an  advocate  of  the 
principles  of  the  so- 
ciety. She  was  taken 
before  the  mayor  at 
Great  Torrington,  and 
the  preacher  was  very 
anxious  that  she 
should  be  whipped  for 
a  vagabond;  the 
mayor,  yielding  to  his 
entreaties,  sent  her  to 
prison  at  Exeter, 
twenty  miles  distant, 
where  she  remained 
until  the  assizes  were 
held.  There  she  was 
tried,  and  sentenced 
to  a  whipping,  which 
sentence  was  carried 
into  effect  immediately  in  the  presence  of  the 
sheriff,  the  executioner  being  a  beadle,  who 
performed  his  duty  so  faithfully  that  the  blood 
ran  down  the  poor  victim's  back  in  perfect 
streams.  She  suffered  the  punishment  very 
cheerfully,  the  spectators  being  much  more 
affected  than  herself;  and  Barbara  afterward 
declared  that  she  would  not  have  been  either 
terrified  or  dismayed  although  she  had  been 
whipped  to  death. 
The  same  year,  two  male  preachers,  named 


GREAT    BlilTAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


/ 

537. 


"W.  Caton  and  J.  Stulig,  were  made  to  puflcr  in 
the  flesh.  In  the  course  of  their  itinerant 
preaching,  they  reached  Maidstone,  where  they 
were  both  arrested,  and  sent  to  the  House  of 
Correction,  in  which  their  money,  ink-horns, 
Bibles,  etc., were  tnken  from  them.  Afterward, 
they  were  stripped,  made  fast  in  the  stocks, 
and  desperately  whipped.    The  historian  adds  ; 


"A  hard  encounter,  indeed,  especially  for  such 
yonng  men  as  Caton  was,  but  they  were  sup- 
ported by  an  invisible  hand." 

In  1656  the  mayor  of  Southampton,  Peter 
Seal,  took  summary  vengeance  on  a  Quaker 
named  Kigg,  who  came  to  visit  soma  of  his 
friends  in  the  prison  at  Southampton.  The 
mayor  dispenseJ  with  t'.ie  formality  of  either 


examination  or  trial,  had  Bigg  fastened  to  the 
whipping-post  in  the  niarkct-pli\ce,  and  severely 
lashed  by  the  executioner  ;  then  he  was  placed 
in  a  cart,  and  sent  out  of  the  town,  being 
forbid  to  return  under  the  penalty  of  being 
wliipped  again,  and  branded  on  the  shoulder 
with  the  lecter  R,  as  a  rogue.  Ho  did  return, 
and  the  m^yor  would  bare  punished  him,  but 
his  brother  magistrates  would  not  consent ; 
"and,"  says  Sewell,  "not  long  after,  the 
mayor  died  of  a  bloody  fl'i>:." 


Costumes  of  the  Times  of  Henry  the  Sixth. 

In  the  Chronicles  of  Froissart  and  Monstrelet 
we  find  constantly  recurring  descriptions  of  the 
extravagant  style  of  dress  indulged  in  by  both 
sexes.  It  must  be  confessed  that  in  pioturesque- 
ness  of  costume,  the  olden  times  far  excelled 
the  modern  ;  but  Philip  de  Comraines  lamented 
in  turn  the  inferior  romance  of  the  days  lie 
lived  in,  compared  to  those  of  a  few  generations 
back.  The  fact  is,  what  we  see  every  day  be- 
comes common  place,  on  the  piinciple  that  "  no 
man  is  a  hero  to  his  valet."  This  was  well 
ilhistrateJ  by  the  Duke  of  Wellington's  gioom, 
who  could  not  understand  why  the  crowds 
rushed  to  see  tiie  Duke  when  he  rode  out, 
running  a  mile  to  get  a  good  look  at  him. 

When  the  late  Macready,  the  well-known 
actor,  produced  Marston's  play  of  the  "Patri- 
cian's Daughter,"  many  of  the  leading  critics 
expressed  their  surprise  at  any  manager  being 
bold  enough  to  bring  out  what  they  termed 
"A  Coat  and  Breeches  Tragedy."    That  the  re- 


IRON   BlUDLE   FOR   COXFIIIMED    SCOLDS. 

mote  is  a  great  source  of  the  sublime  and  tha 
pathetic  is  evident.  A  statue  of  Washington 
in  the  old  Continental  uniform  does  not  look 
so  heroic  of  one  in  the  Roman  toga,  although 
it  is  just  as  absurd  reversing  the  order,  and  pul- 
ing Julius  C«-ar  in  the  uniform  of  a  modern 
soldier. 


'PEINE   FOKTE   ET  DUKE. 


-  PRESSING   MAKGARET   CLITHEROE   TO   DEATH. 


C38 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Onr  readers,  by  glancing  at  the 
illustration  on  p'^g*'  ^"52,  will  ob- 
serve Low  prevalent  elastic  gar- 
ments were  among  the  men,  and 
smile  at  the  enormous  headdresses 
of  the  ladies,  who  towered  a 
whole  head  and  shoulders  above 
the  stature  of  their  "lords  and 
masters,"  as  the  slaves  of  the 
fair  sex  are  facetiously  called  in 
these  modem  days. 


The  Thames  Tunnel  and 
Kubway. 
Now  that  tinderground  travel 
has  become  a  recognized  necessity 
in  great  cities,  where  the  streets 
are  no  longer  able  to  allow  mere 
passers  to  be  carried  rapidly,  and 
land  is  valuable,  it  is  interesting 
to  see  the  first  great  instance  of 
the  kind.  The  recent  opening  of 
a  second  passage  under  the  Thames 
gives  an  interest  to  that  earlier 
work — the  Thames  Tunnel.  It 
may  be  new  to  some  of  our  readers 
that  the  same  engineer,  Mark  Isam- 
bard  Brunei,  who  carried  out  the 
Thames  Tunnel,  performed  his 
first  engineering  in  this  country. 
Such  was,  however,  the  case ;  he 
surveyed  the  Hudson  and  Cham- 
plaLa  Canal,  built  a  theatre  at 
New  York,  and  was  employed  in 
erecting  forts  and  other  defenses 
of  the  city.  But  America  was  not  to  be  the 
final  home  of  this  talented  native  of  Eouen. 
In  England  his  inventions  rapidly  brought  him 
into  notice,  and  in  1824  he  attempted,  and 
»fter  some  years  completed,  his  great  work,  the 


FLOGOIsr,   QrAKKlls   IS-  ENGLAND. 

Thames  Tunnel,  consisting  of  a  brick-arched 
double  roadway  under  the  Kiver  Thames,  from 
Wapping  to  Kotherhithe. 

In  1799,  an  attempt  was  made  to  construct 
an  archway  under  the  Thames,  from  Gravesend 


to  Tilbury,  by  Halpb  Dodd,  en- 
gineer;  and,  in  1804,  the 
"Thames  Archway  Company" 
commenced  a  similar  work  from 
Kotherhithe  to  Limehouse,  under 
the  direction  of  Vasey  and  Tre- 
vethiok,  two  Cornish  miners.  The 
horizontal  excavation  had  reached 
one  thousand  and  forty  feet,  when 
the  ground  broke  in,  under  the 
pressure  of  high  tides,  and  the 
work  was  abandoned — fifty-foxir 
engineers  declaring  it  to  be  im- 
practicable to  make  a  tunnel 
nuder  the  Thames  of  any  useful 
size  for  commercial  progression. 

In  1814,  when  the  allied  sove- 
reigns visited  London,  Brunei 
submitted  to  the  Emperor  of 
Russia  a  plan  for  a  tunnel  under 
the  Neva,  by  which  the  terrors  of 
the  breaking-up  of  the  ice  of  that 
river  in  the  Spring  would  have 
been  obviated.  The  scheme 
which  he  was  not  permitted  to 
carry  out  at  St.  Petersburg  he 
executed  later  in  London. 

It  was  planned  in  1823.  Among 
the  earliest  subscribers  to  the 
scheme  were  the  great  Duke  of 
Wellington  and  Dr.  WoUaston; 
and,  in  1824,  the  "Thames 
Tunnel  Company  "  was  formed  to 
execute  the  work.  A  brickwork 
cylinder,  fifty  feet  in  diameter, 
forty  -  two  feet  high,  and  three 
feet  thick,  was  first  commenced  by  Brunei, 
at  150  feet  from  the  Kotherhithe  side  of  the 
river;  and  on  March  2,  1825,  a  stone,  with  a 
brass  inscription-plate,  was  laid  in  the  brick- 
work.    Upon  the  cylinder,  computed  to  weigh 


DOMESDAY  BOOK  OF  WILLIAM  THBCONQUKROB. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


53& 


one  thousand  tons,  wan  set  a  powerful  steam- 
engine,  by  which  the  earth  was  raised,  and  the 
water  was  drained  from  within  it.  The  shaft 
was  then  sunlt  into  the  ground  <n  masse,  and 
completed  to  the  depth  of  sixty-five  feet ;  and 
at  the  dv-'pth  of  sixty-three  feet,  the  horizontal 
roadway  was  commenced,  with  an  excavation 
larger  than  the  intetior  of  the  old  House  of 
Commons. 

The  plan  of  operation  had  been  suggested  to 
Brunei  in  1814,  by  the  bore  of  the  sea-worm. 
Teredo  navaliz,  in  the  keel  of  a  ship  ;  showing 
how,  when  the  perforation  was  made  by  the 
worm,  tlie  sides  were  secured,  and  rendered 
impervious  to  water,  by  the  insect  lining  the 
passage  with  a  calcareous  secretion.  With  the 
augur-formed  head  of  the  worm  in  view,  Brunei 


its  completion,  and  above  £5,000  were  raised 
by  public  subscription.  By  aid  of  a  loan, 
sanctioned  by  Parliament  (mainly  through  the 
influence  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington),  the  work 
was  resumed,  and  a  new  shield  constructed, 
March,  1836,  in  whicli  year  were  completed  one 
hundred  and  seventeen  feet ;  in  1837,  only 
twenty-nine  feet ;  in  1838,  eighty  feet ;  in  1839, 
one  hundred  and  ninety-four  feet ;  in  1840 
(two  months),  seventy-six  feet ;  and  by  Novem- 
ber, 18-11,  the  remaining  sixty  feet,  reaching  to 
the  shaft  which  had  been  sunk  at  Wapping. 
On  March,  24th,  Brunei  was  knighted  by  the 
Queen  ;  on  August  12th,  he  passed  through  the 
tunnel  from  shore  to  shore  ;  and  March  25th, 
1843,  it  was  opened  as  a  public  thoroughfare. 
It  is  lighted  with   gas,  and  is   open  to  p;is- 


fourteen  feet;  thickness  o?  eaith  between  toe 
crown  of  the  arch  and  the  bed  of  the  river, 
about  fifteen  feet.  At  full  tide  the  floor  of  tho 
tunnel  is  seventy-five  feet  below  the  surface  of 
the  water. 

The  'Jhames  Tunnel  did  not,  at  first,  prove 
successful  as  a  thoroughfare,  people  having  a 
natural  repugnance  to  this  underground  travel ;. 
hut  when  city  railroads  began  to  come  into  use, 
its  value  was  seen,  and  in  July,  18C1,  it  was 
sold  for  a  million  of  dollars  to  the  East  London 
Railway— commencing  at  the  Wapping  end  of 
the  tunnel,  and  running  through  it  to  Rother- 
hithe  Station,  connecting  Wapping  and  Shad- 
well  with  Southwark  Park  ;  and  the  passage 
thus  made  easy,  has  become  popular,  and  led 
to  another    tunnel — the    Subway — under  tb» 


THE   NEW  TOWER   SUBWAY,  UNDER  THE   RIVER   THAMES. 


employed  a  cast-iron  "shield,"  containing 
thirty-six  frames  or  cells,  in  each  of  which  was 
a  miner,  who  cut  down  the  earth  ;  and  a  brick- 
layer simultaneously  built  up  from  the  back  of 
the  cell  the  brick  arch,  which  was  pressed  for- 
ward by  strong  screws.  Thus  were  completed, 
from  January  1st,  1826,  to  April  27th,  five 
hundre  1  and  forty  feet  of  the  tunnel.  On  May 
38th,  the  river  burst  into  the  works;  but  the 
opening  was  soon  filled  up  with  bags  of  clay, 
the  water  pumped  out  of  the  tunnel,  and  the 
work  resumed.  At  the  length  of  six  hundred 
feet,  the  river  again  broke  in,  and-  six  men 
were  drowned. 

The  tunnel  was  again  emptied  ;  but  (he  work 
was  discontinued,  for  want  of  funds,  for  seven 
years.     Scores  of  plans-were  now  proposed  for 


sengors  d.iy  and  night,  at  one  penny  toll. 
The  tunnel  has  cost  about  £454,000 ;  to  com- 
plete the  carriage -descents  would  require 
£180,000;  total,  £634,000. 

The  dangers  of  the  work  were  many  ;  some- 
times portions  of  the  shield  broke,  with  the 
noise  of  a  cannon-shot ;  then  alarming  cries 
told  of  some  irruption  of  earth  or  water ;  but 
the  ex  cavators  were  much  more  inconvenienced 
by  fire  than  by  water  —  gas  explosions  fre- 
quently wrapping  the  place  in  a  sheet  of  flame, 
strangely  mingling  with  the  water,  and  render- 
ing the  workmen  insensible, 

ITie  tunnel  consists  of  two  arched  passages, 
one  thousand  and  two  hundred  feet  long.  Tlie 
width  is  thirty-five  fret :  hci-rbt.  twenty  feet ; 
each  archway  and  footpath,  clear  width,  about 


Thames,  belov?  the  Tower.  The  work  was 
beamn  in  1863,  under  the  er.gineership  of 
Peter  W.  Barlow,  and  was  rapidly  carried  out, 
the  estimate  cost  being  less  than  $100,000. 


The  Domesday  Book. 

Our  readers  must  not  think  that  there  is. 
anything  very  terrible  about  this  book,  thoujarh 
its  name  sounds  so  strange,  and  its  appearance 
is  so  bold.  It  is  only  a  great  record  of  lands- 
snd  tenantries,  but  it  has  always  been  regarded 
as  the  most  interestinsr  and  important  of  air 
public  registers,  and  it  has  a  curious  history. 

About  eisht  hundred  years  aero,  the  famoni 
Willi.am  the  Conqueror,  who  had  subdued 
England,    and    rewarded     his     followcis    by 


540 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


An  Old  English  Zitclien, 

Tece  kitchens  of  our  ancestors  were,  of  course, 
destitute  of  many  of  our  modern  conveniences 
and  aids.  Still  in  England  the  cottatjes  and 
farmhouses  retain  more  of  their  ancient  look 
than  more  pretentious.  Of  old,  cottages  con- 
sisted generally  of  a  single  room,  rarely  with  a 
second  story.  If  other  apartments  were  made, 
they  were  on  the  ground-floor.  The  main 
feature  in  this  kitchen  was  the  immense  fire- 
place, witli  its  andirons  or  dogs.  Stairs,  when 
used,  were  heavy  and  massive. 

The  oven  stood  beside  the  chimney  ;  the 
table,  heavy  and  durable,  was  rarely  moved, 
and  faced  the  fire,  a  long  settle  on  either  side 
dispensing  with  the  necessity  of  chairs.  The 
rafters  above  were  a  larder,  hung  with  vege- 
tables and  smoked  meats. 

They  lived  well  and  were  happy  ;  so  much  so 
that  a  Spaniard,  visiting  England  in  Queen 
Mary's  time,  said  :  "  The  English  make  their 
houses  of  sticks  and  dirt,  but  they  fare  as  will 
as  the  king." 

The  fireplace  was  not  generally  level  with 
the  floor,  but  slightly  i-aisod,  giving  consi.'er- 
able  advantage  in  cooking,  where  appliances 
for  labor-saving  were  few,  indeed.  The  floor 
was  of  clay,  well  packed  and  beaten,  till  it  was 
almost  like  stone. 


INTERIOR  OF   AN    OLD   ENGLISH   FARM-HOUSE. 


distributing  among  them  the  greater  portion 
of  his  new  territories,  made  a  survey  of  his 
dominions,  as  to  ascertain  the  exact  quantity 
of  the  lands  held  by  his  great  nobles,  the 
extent  of  the  services  and  revenues  to  which 
he  was  entitled,  as  well  as  the  number  and 
condition  of  all  ranks  and  classes  of  his 
subjects. 

To  effect  this  purpose,  he  appointed  five  com- 
missioners for  each  county,  who  had  authority 
to  summon  before  them  the  lords  of  manors, 
the  sheriffs  and  the  bailiffs,  and  to  examine 
them  upon  oath  as  to  the  name  of  the  place  ; 
its  value ;  the  name  of  its  holder  ;  its  extent 
jn  meadow,  pasture,  woodland,  waste  and  till- 
age ;  what  mills  and  fish-ponds  there  were ; 
what  live-stock,  of  all  kinds;  how  many 
plows  and  teams;  how  many  tenants,  anil 
whom  they  served. 

When  the  commissioners  had  complete  1  tlieii 
survey,  they  sent  their  returns  to  Winchester, 
where  they  were  condensed  and  abridged  as 
much  as  possible,  previous  to  Ve'ng  entered  in 
the  Domes:iay  register,  which  was  kept  in  a 
chapel  of  the  cathedral  called  Domus  Dei, 
hence  its  name. 

All  the  entries  are  made  in  Latin,  and  nearly 
every  word  is  abbreviated  so  as  to  save  space, 
which  renders  it  impossible  for  any  but  adepts 
in  caligraphy  to  decipher  the  text  of  the 
Domesday  Book.  The  writing  is  in  a  firm, 
bold,  upright  hand;  every  word  is  legible,  and 
ilie  parchment  is  in  a  state  of  excellent  preser- 
vation, although  it  is  about  eight  huudrcd 


years  old.  The  book  is  comprised  in  two 
volumes.  In  1783  it  was  printed,  and  copies 
of  it  placed  in  all  the  public  libraries.  For  all 
practical  purpose,  these  printed  copies  are  as 
useful  as  the  original. 


An  Ancient  Coracle,  or  Wicker  Boat. 
When  we  think  how  far  the  art  of  ship- 
building had  advanced  before  the  flood,  we  can 
scarcely  realize  the  fact  that  our  ancestry  in 
the  British  Isles  and  the  coast  of  the  North 
Sea  could  have  advanced  no  further  than  the 
coracle,  a  sample  of  which  is  well  shown  in  our 
illustration.  It  was  simply  a  large,  lightly 
woven  basket,  covered  with  the  hide  of  an  ox. 
For  a  still  river,  this  would  seem  by  no  means 
a  safe  vessel,  but  we  are  amazed  when  we  find 
that  the  hardy  rovers  of  the  North  ventured 
out  to  sea  in  such  craft.     Fleets  of  such  coracles 


A   BAKBER  S   SHOP    IN   THE   REIGN   OF    QL'EEN    EL1Z.!EBTU. 


GKEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


541 


o 
c 


542 


THE    WOELDS    GREAT    NATIONS. 


bore  the  Irish  in  their  v<redatory  excursions  to 
■England,  Scotland  and  France.  In  such  a  fleet 
Hengist  and  Horsa  led  their  hosts  to  Britain  to 
eubdue  the  island.  Turned  to  a  better  use, 
•these  coracles  carried  British  and  Irish  mission- 
aries to  Iceland,  Gaul,  Germany  and  Scandin- 
avia, to  peach  the  gospel  among  tribes  that 
never  saw  the  Roman  Eagle. 

The  coracle  is  not  yet  wholly  out  of  use. 
Kingsley,  in  his  "  Boole  of  Boats,"  says  :  "  I 
"have  myself  seen  it  in  use  on  the  river  Wye,  in 
South  Wales,  and  have  beard  of  it  on  some  of 
-the  rivers  on  the  east  coast  of  England."  They 
are  made  as  of  old,  and  are  so  light  that  a  man 
43an  easily  carry  one  on  his  back.  They  have  a 
thwart  across  in  the  middle,  and  one  aft;  in 


Many  and  long  were  the  contests  between 
the  barbers  and  the  surgeons  as  to  this  last 
claim  ;  and,  tbougli  the  barbers  lost  it,  they 
still  retain  as  their  sign  the  badge  they  wore 
of  old — the  red  pole  with  tlie  strip  of  linen 
wound  around — which  they  used  to  bind  the 
arm. 

The  basin  was  invariably  carried  by  them, 
and  liow  one  of  the  fraternity  fared  who  used 
his  to  shield  his  head  from  the  rain,  the  readers 
of  "  Don  Quixote  "  need  not  be  informed. 

In  England  the  barbers  were  iii  their  zenith 
in  Queen  Bess's  days.  Alter  that  the  College 
of  Barber  Surgeons  gradually  dropped  the  Bar- 
ber, and  now  disdain  all  reference  to  the  trade 
from  which  they  sprang. 


prayer ;  and  the  most  distinguished  physicians, 
far  from  being  incredulous  of  the  existence  of 
this  Ivingly  power,  were  employed  in  sending 
proper  p;itients  to  the  sovereign,  and  in  recora- 
ing  the  marvelous  cures. 

The  early  English  writers,  as  may  naturally 
be  supposed,  made  frequent  allusions  to  tliesi" 
miracles. 

Shakespeare  gives  the  morfiis  qpera«(/i  most  ac- 
curately in  "  Macbetli,"  Act  iv..  Scene  3. 

The  monarchs  of  France  claimed  to  exercise 
the  same  power,  and  there  was  once  a  great 
contest  between  the  writers  of  the  two  coun- 
tries as  to  the  comparative  power  of  tiieir 
respective  sovereigns  in  the  cure  of  disease. 

Philip  of  Valois  is  reported  to  have  cured 


■the  after  one  a  strap  is  passed,  which,  when  a 
man  is  carrying  it,  fits  over  his  head.  They 
are  paddled  with  single  paddles. 


Barber's  Shop  in  the  Eeign  of  Queen 

Elizabeth. 
The  barbers  in  olden  times  enjoyed  a  much 
higher  rank  than  we  now  allow  to  them.  In 
the  East  they  were,  and  still  are,  to  some  ex- 
tent, the  great  news-venders  of  the  neighbor- 
bood,  and  garrulity  is  universally  attributed 
to  them.  For  a  long  time  they  not  only  trim- 
med the  beards  of  men,  cut  and  dressed  the 
hair,  trimmed  the  nails  of  both  sexes,  but  acted 
as  dentists,  and  claimed  the  exclusive  right  of 
using  the  lancet. 


THE  GREAT  FIBE  OF  LONDON  IN  1666. 

Eoyal  Miracles. 

One  of  the  most  general,  cherished  and  per- 
sistent of  English  superstitions  was  the  belief 
in  the  supernatural  power  of  their  monarchs  to 
cure  certain  diseases.  For  centuries  few  Eng- 
lishmen, learned  or  ignorant,  doubted  that  the 
touch  of  the  hand  of  his  king  or  queen  was  a 
sovereign  remedy  for  the  scrofula,  which  was 
therefore  called  the  King's  Evil,  it  being  the 
evil  the  king  had  most  certain  power  to  cure. 

For  a  period  of  seven  centuries — from  Ed- 
ward the  Confessor  to  Queen  Anne — the  sover- 
eigns of  England  were  accustomed,  at  stated 
seasons,  and  with  solemn  ceremonies,  to  heal 
their  subjects  of  loathsome  and  otherwise  often 
incurable  diseases,  by  laying-on  of  hands  and 


fourteen  hundred  persons.  Gernell,  the  trav- 
eler, describes  a  ceremonial  in  which  Louis 
XIV.  touched  sixteen  hundred  persons  afflicted 
with  scrofula,  on  Easter  Sunday,  saying :  "Xs 
Roi  te  touclw,  Bieu  te  guerisse." 

The  French  kings  kept  up  the  practice  un- 
til 1776,  when  republican  principles  were  be- 
ginning to  interfere  with  many  of  the  prerog- 
atives of  royalty. 

King  Edward  the  Confessor,  as  we  are  in- 
formed in  Collier's  "Ecclesiastical  History  of 
Great  Britain,"  was  the  first  king  of  England 
who  exercised  this  extraordinary  power,  and 
from  him  it  has  descended  upon  all  his  suc- 
cessors. "To  dispute  the  matter  of  fact,"  says 
this  grave  historian,  "  is  to  go  to  the  excesses 
of  skepticism,  to  deny  our  senses,  and  be  in- 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


513 


o-eilulous  even  to  ridiculousness." 
'JTie  authority  of  Sir  John  Fortes- 
cue,  Lord  Chief  Justice  under 
Henry  VI,,  is  no  less  ixplitit : 

"The  kings  of  England, ""he 
assures  us,  "  at  the  time  of 
unction,  received  such  a  divine 
power,  that,  hy  the  touch  of 
their  hands,  they  can  cleanse  and 
cure  those,  who  are  otherwise 
considered  incurable,  of  a  certain 
disease,  commonly  called  the 
king's  evil." 

The  ceremony  of  touching,  as 
<le8crib(!d  in  Shakespeare,  was 
ficcompanied  by  the  gift  of  a 
small  coin  in  gold,  which  was 
worn  as  a  medal  by  the  patient, 
and  during  some  reisns,  when 
t!ie  monarch  was  popular,  or  faith 
active,  or  the  scrofula  prevalent. 

Henry  VII.,  to  give  the  cere- 
mony a  greater  solemnity,  ordered 
a  form  of  religious  service  to  ac- 
company it. 

,  Queon  Elizabetli  is  said  to  have 
Iteen  averse  to  the  custom,  as 
cither  suparstitious  or  dis-gusting ; 
tut  sh;;  practiced  it  notwithgtand- 
in:?,  and  with  great  success.  She 
was,  however,  ir.ore  select  than 
had  been  the  practice  of  foimer 
eoversigns,  either  to  save  herself 
trouble  or  expense  to  the  trea- 
sury ;  for  she  required  that  every 
one  who  presented  liimself  to  be 
touched  should  bring  a  certificate 
Irom  the  Court  surgeons  that  the 
disease  was  scrofula,  and  that  it 
wds  incurable  by  the  ordinai-y 
means  ;  and  one  of  her  Majesty's 
surgeons,  William  Clowes,  tes- 
tifies that  "  a  mighty  number  of 
lier  Majesty's  subjects  were  daily 
cured  and  hcalel,  which  other- 
^vi3e  would  have  most  miserably 
perished." 

The  historians  of  the  reign  of 
Charles  L  do  not  neglect  to  in- 
form us  that  he  excelled  all  his 
piedecessors  in  the  divine  gift ; 
ivnd  so  great  were  the  numbers 
who  came  to  be  cured,  that  out 
of  regard  to  economy,  he  used 
silver  medals  instead  of  gold ; 
and  when  these  failed,  sometimes 
cured  by  mere  praying,  without 
■even  ths  laying-on  of  hands. 

Among  the  State  papers  of  this 
reign,  there  is  a  proclamation 
"  for  the  better  ordering  of  those 
who  repayre  to  the  court  for  the 
cure  of  the  disease  called  the 
king's  evil." 

Such  proclamations  were  issued 
from  time  to  time,  during  all 
those  dark  ages,  of  Spenser, 
Shakespeare,  Milton  and  Bacon, 
and  were  oidered  to  be  posted  up 
in  every  market  town  in  the 
kingdom. 

During  the  Protectorate  of 
Cromwell  —  wlicn  there  was  no 
jting  to  cure  it — scrofula  appears 


2! 
O 


544 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


to  have  greatly  tn- 
creased,  for  no  Eng- 
lish monarch  was 
ever  calietl  upon  to 
touch  so  many  as 
Charles  II.  after  the 
restora  tion .  After 
all  the  care  of  tlio 
surgeons  to  see  tliat 
none  but  tlie  really 
scrofulous,  and  those 
beyond  their  own 
power  to  cure,  ap- 
proached him,  the 
numbers  were  almost 
incredible.  A  re- 
gister was  kept  at 
Whitehall;  and 
though  one  day  in 
a  week  was  ap- 
pointed, and  the 
number  limited,  it 
is  set  down  in  the 
record  that  the 
merry  monarch,  in 
twenty  years, 
touched  and  prayed 
over  more  than 
92,000  persons. 

In  Evelyn's  Diary, 
March  28,  1684,  a 
sad  accident  is  re- 
corded, as  resulting 
from  the  crowdswho 
pressei  to  be  cured, 
six  or  seven  being 
deatli  "  by  passing  at  th 
geon's  door  for  tickets." 

At  tills  time  as  many  as  six 
hundred  were  touched  in  a  day. 
Soms  were  immediately  relieved, 
otliers  gradually,  and  few  are  re- 
portel  as  not  benefited.  The 
king's  surgeon,  whose  scientific 
incredulity  appears  to  have 
yielded  only  to  the  stubborn 
facts,  confessed  himself  "non- 
plussed," and  asserted  that  "more 
souls  have  been  healed  by  his 
Jlajesty's  sacred  hanrl  in  one 
year  than  have  ever  been  cured 
by  all  tiie  physicians  and  chirur- 
geons  of  his  three  kingdoms  ever 
since  his  happy  restoration." 
^Wiseman,  a  writer  on  surgery, 
who  declares  that  he  was  an  eye- 
witness of  hundreds  of  cases,  and 
had  account.s  of  others  by  letter 
from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
and  also  from  Ireland,  Scotland, 
Jersey,  and  Guernsey,  makes  a 
similar  declaration.  In  fact,  the 
belief  in  this  royal  power  appears 
to  have  been  almost  imiversal, 
and  persons  who  denied  it  were 
considered  guilty  of  high  treason. 
It  may  well  be  supposed  that 
those  who  hail  any  doubts  kept 
them  to  themselves,  when  the 
penalty  for  expressing  them  was 
to  be  drawn  and  quartered. 

"Imagination,"  says  Lord 
Bicon,  "  is  next  akin  to  a  miracle 
~a  worUlns  faith," 


AN   OLD   ENGLISH   TAVERN. 


crrshed    to 
chirur- 


OLD   ENGLISH    PUBLIC  WASHING-OROL'ND. 


The  ficts,  so  far 
as  they  must  be  ad- 
mitted, are  usually 
explained  upon  this 
hypothesis  ;  but  we 
submit  that  a  some- 
what different  one 
is  needed  to  account 
for  the  cure  of  in-- 
fants  at  the  breast, 
who  were  presented 
in  full  proporticn  of 
numbers,  and  were 
cured  as  often  as 
adults. 

The  Bed  of  Ware. 
There  is  always 
something  interest- 
ing in  the  relics  of 
a  bygone  age,  espe- 
cially when  they  arc 
connected  with  the 
every-day  life  of  the 
period  they  repre- 
sent. They  serve, 
in  some  degree,  to 
show  us  the  vast  im- 
provements we  have 
made,  in  the  course 
of  time,  in  all  things 
pertaining  to  ordin- 
ary domesticmattcrs^ 
as  well  as  to  give  us 
a  glimpse  of  the  kind  of  hemes 
our  ancestors  possessel,  and  with" 
how  little  real  comfort  they  wero 
satisfied.  In  nothing  is  this  more 
remsy-kable  than  in  their  fur- 
niture, which,  tlioug'.i  often 
massive  and  costly,  was  very 
seldom  comfortable. 

On  page  19  vfc  illustrate  an  old 
carved  bedstead,  famous  for  its 
large  size,  even  in  the  days  of  the 
immortal  Shakespeare.  It  is  in 
good  preservation,  and  has  re- 
cently been  sold  by  auction,  in 
the  ancient  city  of  Hertford.  The 
price  obtained  was  one  hundred 
guineas. 

As  will  be  seen  from  our  illus- 
tration, the  posts  representing 
urns  are  of  elaborate  workman- 
ship, and  the  back  of  the  In- 
stead is  also  finely  carved.  On 
the  tester  there  is  carved  work  of 
white  and  red  roses,  \Yhich  arc 
meant  to  represent  the  union  cf 
the  houses  of  Yoi  k  and  Lancaster. 
The  date  upon  the  wood  is 
14G3. 

Shakespeare's  allusion  to  the 
be  1  occurs  in  "Twelfth  Night," 
Act  iii,  scene  2.  Sir  Toby  Tc^th 
there  says  :  "  To  write  it  in  a 
martial  hand,  be  curst  and  bri  !'. 
It  is  no  matter  how  witty,  so  it 
be  eloquent  and  full  of  invention. 
If  thou  thoust  him  thrice,  it  shall 
not  be  amiss.  And  as  many  lies 
as  will  bo  in  the  shi-ct  of  paper, 
idthougU     the    sV.oet    were     big 


QpEAT    BRITAIN    AND  IRELAND. 


545 


a 
o 


c 


< 
> 


a: 


.146 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATION^. 


enoojrh  for  the  bed  of  Ware,  in  England,  tet 
'em  ouwn." 

TTie  great  bed  was  formerly  an  article  of  fur- 
nitore  in  the  mansion  house  at  Ware  Park.  It 
wM  removed  from  there  to  an  inn  at  Ware. 

The  town  of  Ware  is  a  place  of  considerable 
antiquity,  and  is  about  twenty-one  miles  from 
London,  in  a  northerly  direction.  The  in- 
habitants are  chiefly  employed  in  the  malting 
trade,  and  most  of  the  London  brewers  are 
sapplied  from  this  town. 


Donkey  Kaces  at  Blackheath. 

In  nothing  are  the  English  people  more  re- 
markable than  the  tenacity  with  which  they 
cling  to  their  ancient  sports.  At  the  present 
time  many  of  these  traditional  customs  retain 
much  of  their  original  popularity.  Among 
them  is  the 
seemin  ly    ab- 

surd  pastime  ^,£*s5^fc, 

of  the  yovms; 
people,  of  both 
sexes,  near 
large  towns,  re- 
pairing to  the 
nearest  com- 
mon, and  there 
spending  an 
hour  or  so  in 
riding  on  those 
very  stubborn 
animals  called 
donkeys. 

There  are 
very  few  of 
them  seen  in 
this  country, 
but  in  Bii.'land 
and  in  France 
they  are  very 
common. 

Our  sketch 
is  one  by  the 
famous  Leech, 
wlio,  more  tlian 
any  other  ar- 
tist, entered 
into  the  spirit 
of  English 
sports  and  pas- 
times. 

The  spot  on 
which  the  scene  is  located  is  Blackheath,  an 
extensive  common,  about  seven  miles  from 
London,  where  a  number  of  donkeys  are  con- 
stantly kept  on  hand,  ready  saddled  and 
bridled,  for  all  who  choose  to  hire  them. 

It  is  a  very  common  thing  for  the  young 
Cockneys  and  their  sweethearts  to  repair  on  a 
fine  day,  generally  in  the  afternoon,  and  hire 
a  couple  of  these  safe  and  useful  animals ; 
enthroning  the  sweetheart  upon  one,  the  love- 
sick swain  gets  upon  the  other,  and  away  they 
gallop.  Sometimes  they  keep  on,  and  some- 
times they  do  not ;  but,  whether  they  stay  on 
or  are  thrown,  the  whole  effect  is  exceedingly 
ludicrous,  and  a  love  of  truth  compels  us  to 
admit  that  one  of  the  chief  virtues  of  a  Cock- 
ney is  not  only  not  minding  being  laughed  at, 
but  joining  in  it  himself  as  heartily  as  though 
he  was  not  concerned  in  the  matter  at  all. 

Blackheath  is  filled  with  historic  recollec- 


tions :  there  Jack  Cade  has  a  cave  tacred  to  his 
name,  the  rumor  being  that  he  concealed  him- 
self in  it  in  his  flight  from  London.  On  Black- 
heath Wat  Tyler  marshaled  his  rebels  ere  he 
advanced  upon  the  same  city. 

The  Bank  of  England. 

This  famous  centre  of  the  world's  gold  was 
projecte:!  by  a  Scotchman,  William  Pa'terBon, 
in  109-1.  It  was  opened  for  business  July  27, 
1G94.  It  is  managed  by  a  governor,  a  deputy- 
governor,  and  twenty-four  directors,  who  are 
elected  from  among  the  stockholders  for  one 
year.  The  Bank  of  England  acts  as  the  agent 
of  the  Government  in  the  management  of  the 
national  debt.  It  has  branch  banks  established 
in  all  the  chief  towns  of  the  kingdom.  In  1832 
it  maintained  an  establishment  of  over  one 


.iNCIEST   COUACLi,    OR   WICKER   llO.tT. 

thousand  persons ;  but  since  then  it  amounts 
to  nearly  twice  that  number. 

Up  to  the  establishment  of  the  Bank  of 
England,  the  merchants  used  to  deposit  their 
treasures  either  in  the  Mint  or  the  Tower  of 
London  ;  but  since  the  founding  of  the  Bank 
of  England  they  have  made  that  the  deposi- 
tory of  their  unemjjloyed  capital. 

The  Bank  of  England,  of  which  we  give  an 
accurate  view,  is  situated  at  the  end  of  Cornhill, 
occupying  a  site  north  of  the  Koyal  Exchange. 
Every  night  it  is  guarded  by  a  company  of 
soldiers,  under  a  tru.stworthy  captain. 


The  Eoyal  Exchange. 
There  have  been  three  edifices  erected  in 
London,  and  all  of  them  on  the  same  site,  dedi- 
cated to  the  worship  of  Commerce.    The  first 
Royal  Exchange  was  founded  by  Sir  Thomas 


Gresliam,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 
Tliis  was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  London, 
and  designed  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren.  This 
was  in  turn  burnt  down  in  1838,  and  has  been 
rebuilt  in  a  style  of  great  magnificence.  The 
architect  was  Mr.  Tite,  whose  death  oaurred 
about  a  year  ago.  In  (he  centre  is  a  statue  of 
Queen  Victoria,  executed  by  John  Graham 
Lough.  The  Eoyal  Exchange  occupies  the 
western  end  of  Cornhill,  and  midway  between 
the  Biink  of  England  and  the  Mansion  House. 

Eddystone  Lighthouse. 
Situated  about  fourteen  miles  south-west 
from  the  port  of  Plymouth,  and  directly  in 
tlie  path  of  English  vessels  returning  home 
heavily  laden  from  foreign  parts,  the  famous 
Eddystone  rocks  were  long  the  cccne  of  many 

a  story  of  nia- 
riSme  disaster. 
The  gnat  seas, 
bnraght  up  by 
the  south 
westerly  winds, 
broke  herewith 
terrific  vio 
lence,  often 
carryingvessels 
with  irresistible 
force  on  to  des. 
truction.  At 
other  times, 
during  the 
night  or  in 
foggy  weather, 
or  when  the  ex- 
tensive rang  3 
of  these  rocks 
was  covered 
with  high 
water,  lichly 
laden  vcs.sels, 
guided  even  by 
the  most  cau- 
tious captains, 
very  frequently 
came  to  sudden 
shipwreck  in 
these  treachep 
ous  places. 

To  erect  a 
permanent  bea 
con  upon  the 
Etldystone  was  therefore  from  the  earliest 
times  felt  to  be  highly  necessary ;  but  the  task 
which,  even  in  these  days  of  scientific  engi- 
neering, would  be  sufficiently  formidable,  was 
two  centuries  ago  considered  almost  beyond 
the  power  of  man. 

At  length  it  was  undertaken  by  Henry  Win- 
stanley,  of  Littlebury,  Essex,  who  had  distin- 
guished himself  in  a  certain  branch  of  mechan- 
ics, the  tendency  of  which  is  to  excite  wonder 
and  surprise. 

He  had  at  his  house  at  Littlebury  a  set  of 
contrivances,  such  as  the  following :  Being 
taken  into  one  particular  room  of  his  house, 
and  there  observing  an  old  slipper  carelessly 
lying  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  if,  as  was  nat- 
ural, you  gave  it  a  kick  with  your  foot,  up 
started  a  ghost  before  you  ;  if  you  sat  down  in 
a  certain  chair,  a  couple  of  arms  would  imme- 
diately clasp  you  in,  so  as  to  render  it  im- 


GEEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


8i7 


poseible  for  yon  to  dis- 
engage yourself  till  your 
attendant  Eat  you  at 
iiberty ;  and,  if  you  sat 
down  in  a  certain  arbor 
by  the  side  of  a  canal, 
you  were  forthwith  set 
out  afloat  into  the 
middle,  from  whence  it 
was  impossible  for  you 
to  escape  till  the  manager 
returned  you  to  your 
Sarmer  place. 

Winstanley's  design 
was  a  picturesque  and 
fanciful  structure  of 
many  sides,  somewhat 
resembling  a  Chinese  pa- 
goda, with  numerous 
galleries,  quaint  projec- 
tions, and  fantastic  or- 
naments. Its  sides  were 
decorated  with  numerous 
pious  inscriptions  in 
Latin  and  English.     But 

the  most  ominous   part  ""'^_    -    ' 

of  the  design  was  the 
announcement  that  the 
whole  structure  was  to 

be  composed  of  no  stronger  material  than  wood. 
Yet  the  result  showed  that  Winstanley's  ideas 
were  far  from  being  so  visionary  as  was  sup- 
posed. The  lighthouse  occupied  more  than 
four  years  in  building.  No  works  were  attempted 
except  in  the  Summer  weather,  and  even  then 
the  sea,  though  calm  elsewhere,  would  rage 
with  such  violence  around  the  rock,  that  for  a 
whole  fortnight  together  the  works  would  be 
covered,  and  all  approacli  to  them  rendered 
mi  possible. 

I  The  first  Summer  was  spent  in  making  twelve 
holes  in  the  rock,  and  securing'  twelve  large 
irons,  on  which  Winstanley  relied  for  holding 
the  work.  It  was  not  until  the  second  Summer 
that  the  indefatigable  mercer  and  his  brave 
companions,  after  being  a  hundred  times  forced 
to  fly  from  their  work,  suc- 
ceeded in  making  a  solid 
round  pillar,  twelve  feet  high, 
which,  for  the  first  time,  gave 
the  workmen  some  sort  of 
support  and  sheltc^r.  In  the 
third  Summer  the  edifice  was 
raised  to  the  height  of  eighty 
feet ;  and  Winstiinley,  to  his 
^reat  joy,  founl  his  work 
stand  out  bravely  against  the 
first  storms. 

' '  Being  all  finishe  1, "  he  say.s, 
■"  with  the  lantern  and  all  the 
rooms  that  were  in  it,  we  ven- 
tured to  lodge  there  soon 
after  midsummer,  for  the 
greater  dispatch  of  the  work. 
But  the  first  night  the  weather 
came  bad,  .ir.u  so  continued, 
that  it  was  eleven  days  before 
any  boats  could  come  near  us 
again ;  and  not  being  ac- 
quainted with  the  height  of 
the  sea  rising,  we  were  almost 
drowned  with  wet,  and  our 
provisions  in  ae  bid  a  con- 
dition, though   we   worked 


BANK   OF   ENGLAND. 

night  and  day  as  much  as  possible  to  make 
shelter  for  ourselves.  In  this  storm  we  lost 
some  of  our  materials,  although  we  did  what 
we  could  to  save  them  ;  but  the  boat  then  re- 
turning, we  all  left  the  house  to  be  refreshed 
on  shore  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  weather  did 
permit,  we  returned  and  finished  all,  and  put 
up  the  light  on  the  14th  of  November,  1098." 

The  fourth  year  was  spent  in  strengthening 
the  supports,  and  so  confident  did  Winstanley 
fe;;!  of  the  stability  of  this  edifice,  that  he  de- 
clared bis  wish  to  be  in  it  during  the  most 
tremendous  storm  that  could  arise.  This  wish 
he  unfortunately  obtained. 

While  Winstanley  was  there,  in  November, 
1703,  with  his  workmen  and  lightkeepers,  a 
tempest  began.     It   raged   most  violently  on 


THE  HOTAt   EXCHAK08. 


the  night  or  the  2eth  of 
the  month,  and  appeais 
to  have  been  one  of  the 
most  tremendous  ever 
experienced  in  Great 
Britain.  The  next  morn- 
ing, at  daybreak,  the 
hurricane  increased  to  a 
degre:  unpiralleled ;  and 
the  lighthouse,  no  longer 
able  to  sustain  its  fury, 
was  swept  into  the  deep, 
with  all  its  ill-fated  in- 
mates. When  the  storm 
abated,  about  the  29th, 
people  went  off  to  see  il 
anything  remained,  but 
nothing  was  left  save  a 
few  large  irons,  whereliy 
the  work  had  been  so 
faster.cd  into  a  clink 
that  it  could  never  after- 
ward be  disengaged,  till 
it  was  cut  out  in  the 
year  1756. 

The    lighthouse    had 

not  very    long    been 

destroyed,  before  the 

Winchelsea,     a     Virginia 

ship,  laden  with   tobacco,  for  Plymouth,  was 

wrecked  on  the  Eddystone  roeks  in  the  night, 

and  every  soul  perished. 

The  next  person  who  undertook  to  execute 
the  task  of  erecting  a  lighthouse  on  the  Eddy- 
stone  rock  was  John  Eudyerd,  a  silk  mercer  on 
Ludgate  Hill ;  but  Rudyerd  bad  raised  himself 
to  a  position  of  respectability,  and  by  his  in- 
genious turn  for  mechanics,  had  won  confidence. 
Instead  of  a  polygon,  like  Winstanley's  erec- 
tion, he  chose  a  perfectly  circular  form  for  his 
building,  and  carried  up  the  elevation  in  that 
shape  ;  and  instead  of  mere  wood,  it  was  built 
of  granite  and  solid  oak.  Rudyerd' s  lighthouse 
was  completed  in  three  years,  and  successfully 
resisted  the  storms  of  forty-six  years. 
For  many  years  it  was  attended  by  two 
lightkeepers  only,  whose  duty 
it  was  to  keep  the  windows  of 
the  lantern  clean,  and  to  watch 
four  hours  alternately  for  the 
purpose  of  snuffing  and  renew- 
ing the  candles.  It  was  the 
task  of  each,  at  the  conchision 
of  his  watch,  to  call  the  other, 
and  see  him  on  duty  before  he 
went  to  rest.  For  this  pur- 
pose two  men  were  long  con- 
sidered sufficient ;  but  a  tragic 
incident,  which  occurred  at 
this  period,  led  to  a  change  in 
this  respect.  It  happened 
that  one  of  the  watchers  in 
this  lonely  building  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill,  and  soon  died. 
The  survivor,  who  had  at- 
tended his  comrade  in  his 
sickness  without  assistance, 
had  now  no  means  of  making 
any  one  acquainted  with  his 
situation.  When  the  light- 
keepers  stood  in  need  of  any- 
thing, it  was  their  custom  to 
hoist  a  large  flag  fron  a  stafl 
in   the  upper  gallery,  which 


548 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


could  be  seen  in  fine  weather  from  tlic  heights 
0;i  the  mainland.  A  reward  of  half  a  guinea  was 
offered  te  the  pe'son  wlio,  at  any  time,  would 
bring  information  of  this  flag  being  exhibited 
to  tlie  agent  at  Plymouth  ;  and,  on  receiving 
such  information,  the  agent  immediately  sent 
a  boat,  if  the  weather 
would  permit,  to  as- 
certain the  meaning  of 
the  signal.  Accord- 
ingly, the  surviving  ^^^^' 
lightkeeper  lioistodliis  .  ^jw"""' 
flag,  which  was  speed-  -^^^^ 
ily  observed  on  the  '  *-~"' 
shore ;  but,  unfortun- 
ately, the  weather  was 
lor  a  long  time  so 
1x)isterou3  that  it  was 
impossible  for  any  boat 
to  approach  the  rocks. 
During  this  perioJ,  as 
Siiieaton  relates,  the 
living  man  found  him- 
self in  a  most  awful 
and  distressing  situa- 
tion ;  he  knew  n»t  how 
to  dispose  of  the 
€X)ipse  ;  for  if  he  threw 
it  into  the  waves, 
which  was  the  only 
means  of  getting  rid 
of  it,  he  feared  that  he 
might  be  charged  with 
the  murder  of  his  com- 
panion, for  stories  hal 
frequently  been  told  of 
quarrels  between  the 
men,  when  shut  up  in 
their  singular  prison  ; 
ind  yet  each  day  that 
the  body  remained  it 
was  endangering  his 
own  life  by  the  ex- 
treratly  offensive  con- 
lition  to  wliich  it  was 
reduced.  When,  at 
last,  the  people  from 
the  boat  effected  a 
landing,  they  found 
the  whole  building 
:lled  with  the  most 
insufferable  odor,  and 
the  dead  body  in  such 
a  state,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  remove 
it  to  Plymouth  for  in- 
terment ;  they  there- 
fore consigned  it  to 
the  sea ;  but  it  was  a 
long  time  before  the 
rooms  could  be 
purified. 

While  the  workmen 
were  engaged  in  con- 
structing it,  a  French 
privateer  suddenly  ap- 
peared off  the   rocks, 

nd,  seizing  the  men,  with  their  tools  and  ap- 
paratus, carried  them  to  France.  While  Rud- 
yerd's  men  lay  in  prison,  the  facts  reached  the 
ears  of  the  French  king,  Louis  XIV.,  who  not 
only  ordered  their  release,  but  restored  all 
their  tools,  and  st'nt  them  back  to  their  work 
with  presents,  at  the  same  time  dccl  irinj  that 


although  he  was  at  war  with  England,  he  was 
not  at  war  with  mankind. 

The  lighthouse  w^^s  accidentally  destroyed  by 
fire  on  the  2J  of  December,  IToo.  The  fire 
broke  out  in  the  lantern  at  the  top  of  the  light- 
house, and  the  three  men  who  now  formed  the 


BDDYSTONK  LICHTH0V8E. 

complement  of  watchers,  aft:r  persevering  at- 
tempt-i  to  extinguish  the  flnmes,  were  compelled 
to  retire  downward,  from  chamber  to  chamber, 
as  the  fire  crept  on  its  way.  Fortunately,  early 
in  the  morning  some  fishermen  perceived  the 
strange  light  in  the  tower,  and  intelligence  was 
given  of  the  perilous  situation  of  the  poor 


lightkeep:;rs,  but  the  fire  had  been  burning  no 
less  than  eight  hours  before  assistance  finally 
reached  them.  The  frequent  falling  of  red-hol 
iron,  molten  le^d,  and  burning  timbers,  had 
not  only  driven  the  men  from  the  rooms  and 
staircases,  but  had  compelled  them  to  take 
refugo  in  a  hole  in  the 
rock,  where  they  were 
found  almost  stupefied; 
and  whence,  the  surf 
being  very  high,  they 
were  only  got  off  by 
throwing  to  them  a 
coil  of  rope,  which 
they  had  fortunately 
sufficient  energy  to  tie 
round  their  bodies 
before  jumping  into 
the  sea. 

An  engineer,  pre- 
eminently fitted  to  un- 
dertake the  task  of 
rebuilding  the  Eddy- 
stor.e  liglithouse,  wa» 
scon  found.  This  was 
.John  Smeaton,  who, 
like  Watt,  I  egan  life 
ns  a  mathematical 
instrument  -maker; 
but  his  highly  in- 
ventive and  original 
mind  led  him  to  un- 
dertake works  of  more 
importance,  and  finally 
rendered  him  famous 
a?  the  architect  and 
engineer  of  some  of  the 
most  important  under- 
tiikii  gs  in  the  king- 
dom. 

i-meaton  took  as  his 
nicdel  the  trunk  of  a 
large  tree.  The  stones 
of  each  course  are  dove- 
tailed together,  and 
the  courses  connected 
by  stcne  dowels.  Tlie 
upper  surface  of  the 
work  was  cut  into 
steps,  so  that  every 
course  rested  on  a  horir 
zontal  bed. 

The  dianuter  of  the 
lowest  partial  course  is 
thirty  feet ;  that  of 
the  lowest  entire  one, 
twenty-six  feet.  The 
diameter  of  the  course 
under  the  coping  is 
fifteen  feet,  and  tlie 
whole  height  seventy- 
seven  feet.  The  tower 
is  surmounted  by  a 
parapet  wall  about  sis 
feet  high. 

Three  years  after  its 
completion  a  storm, 
scarcely  less  in  its  fury  than  that  which  had 
swept  the  unhaiipy  Winstanley  and  his  com- 
panions, with  all  their  work,  into  the  sea,  raged 
along  the  coasts  ;  but  when  it  liad  subsided  the 
stone  lighthouse  of  Sraeaton  still  stood,  as  it 
stands  to  this  day,  an  enduring  nn-numen.t  of 
its  designer's  energy  and  genius. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND'    IRELAND. 


5«9 


65a 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS, 


Egg  Marketing  in  Ireland. 

BEfORE  Bianconi  gave  an 
impulse  to  internal  commu- 
nication in  Ireland,  tlie  sup- 
plying of  the  larger  markets 
with  eggs  was  the  laboriou* 
work  of  women,  often  as 
picturesque  objects  as  tho 
fair  maid  shown  in  our  illus- 
tration. 

All  over  the  south  and 
west  of  Ireland  the  farmers' 
daughters  would  gather  eggs 
from  tlie  farm  or  the  neigh- 
bors in  a  kish  or  basket, 
like  that  here  shown,  and 
rairy  them  to  market ;  or. 
if  more  successful  and  richer, 
«liiig  two  with  a  straw  rope 
over  the  rough-coated  fa- 
vorite pony,  and  go  gayly 
on  with  her  fragile  load. 


Drowning  the  Shanjrock 
on  Patrick's  Day. 

Mosr  nations  have  some 
great  holiday  -  the  birthday 
of  the  reigning  monarch,  if 
nothing  better.  Ireland  has 
no  sovereign  to  whom  its 
psople  give  the  homage  of 
their  hearts,  no  government 
entitled  to  their  respect,  and 
in  her  dreary  history,  no 
day  of  dazzling  gloiy  to  he 
remembered  for  ages. 

Her  holiday  is  the  festival 
of  her  patron  saint,  the 
Breton  who  first  bore  tho 
light  of  Christianity  to  her 
shores.  It  is  not,  or  rather 
was  not,  formerly  observed 
ia  a  manner  that  seems  consistent  with  a  re- 
ligious festival. 

The  squire  gathered  all  his  friends  around 


BOO  MAKKETINO   IN   IRELAND. 

him ;  there  was  hard  drinking  in  tho  parlor, 
j  and  great  jollity  in  the  servants'  hall.  The 
'  ceremony  of  the  day  commenced  with  the  pre- 


sentation of  shamrocks  by 
the  servants,  who  always  re- 
coived  gratuities  for  theii 
attention.  Tlien  there  was 
a  hunt,  at  which  men  rode 
more  desperately  than  usual. 
This  was  followed  by  a 
steeple-chase,  when  horses' 
necks  and  riders'  bones  were 
frequently  broker.  —  four 
miles  over  a  sporting 
country,  interspersed  witU 
some  sixty  or  seventy  fences, 
of  all  sorts  ami  siz  s,  quick- 
set double  ditches,  and  six- 
foot  walls.  Night  brought 
its  own  amusements.  Tha 
piper  played  in  the  hall 
during  dinner,  and  was  ad- 
mitted into  the  parlor  after 
the  ladies  retired.  The  na- 
tional and  family  tunes 
came  first,  and  these  were 
followed — as  the  guests 
waxed  warm — by  the  "  Fox- 
hunter's  Jig,"  and  the 
"  HareintheCom."  Neither 
was  enjoyment  confined  to. 
the  upper  regions  of  the 
mansion  There  was  a» 
much  happiness  and  more 
boisterous  merriment  in  tho 
servants'  hall. 

Tho  cottager  imitated  hi? 

betters,   and,    after    at- 

_^  tending    church    in    the 

;?  morning  to  honor  the  saint, 

the  day  was  spent  in  revelry. 

Even   to  this  day,  with    a 

large  class,  to  drown  one's 

shamrock    is    a    necessity. 

How  this  is  done  is  simple . 

a   glass    of    steaming    hot 

whisky,    or  "punch,"  is: 

carefully  prepared,  due  attention  being  paid  to 

the  amount  of  water  used  in  the  manufacture. 

Into  this  the  shamrock,  which  has  been  norik 


CUMLOB   CAP,  NEAR  XIHABNEV,  lEBLAND. 


AKCIEM'   HUSH    IIABP. 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 


551 


all  day,  is  plun^eJ,  and  the  delicious  liquid  is 
tlien  imbibed  at  a,  draught.  Tlie  shamroclt  is 
then  t:ilien  from  the  glass,  and  replaced  in 
hat  or  button-hole  till  again  required.  How 
often  this  act  is  re- 
peated alto;?ether  de- 
pends upon  the  means 
and  capacity  of  the 
person  interested.  It 
is  needless  to  say  that, 
after  a  dozen  immer- 
sions and  consequent 
imbibition,  both  tlie 
shamroclc  and  its 
owner  begin  to  look 
rather  tiie"  worse  for 
wear,"  and  sundry 
attempts  are  made  at 
perambulation,  which 
ore  found  IneffectuaL 


A  DBAO-Hmrr  in  Ireland. 

trayed  in  our  cniraving,  took  place  recently  in 
the  County  of  Dublin,  and  excited  a  very  large 
amount  of  interest.  It  was  exfjected  to  pro- 
duce considerable  sport,  and  those  who  drove 


Brag -Hunt  in 

Ireland. 
The  practice  is 
adopted  in  Ireland  of 
dragging  a  red-herring- 
along  a  particular  line 
of  country,  in  order  to 
u'ct  up  a  modi  chase 
when  Ecynard  or  other 
subjects  of  sport  can- 
not be  got  to  rise.  A 
liunt  of  this  ('escrip- 
'ion,    which    ij     por- 


PSASAMTS   IX  A  POIAIO-FATCU,  AT   CUOSSAKBEL,  IBBLAND,  BESTING  FKOM  lUEIB  LABORS,  AKU 

Discussma  politics. 


to  Ashbourne  on  that  occasion  were  by  no 
means  disappointed.  Tlie  day  was  clear,  and 
the  sun  shone  brightly  ;  but  there  was  a  bitter 
wind  from  the  North,  and  all  the  wrappers 
and  overcoats  of  the 
sight-seers  were  called 
into  requisition.  There 
was  no  lack  of  excite- 
ment, nor  were  any  of 
the  amusing  accessories 
of  a  great  sporting 
event  wanting. 

The  arrangements 
made  by  the  stewards 
were  admirable.  A 
fine  course  of  nearly 
four  miles  was  chosen, 
commencing  at  the 
eight-mile  stone,  on 
the  Ashbourne  road, 
and  terminating  at  the 
Fairy  House,  which 
commanded  a  fine  view 
of  the  finish  of  the 
race.  There  were 
some  very  difficult 
leaps,  and  not  a  few  of 
the  starters  came  to 
grief  before  tlioy  had 
completed  the  first 
mile.  The  course  wrs 
nearly  straight,  anl 
there  were  some  capital 
adjacent  stand-points, 
■from    which    the 


552 


THE    WOELD'S    GEE  AT    NATIONS. 


spectators  saw  the  running  «o  great  advantage. 
Half-past  two  arrived,  and  every  one  stood  on 
tiptoe,  and  strainei  the  eyes  toward  Aslibourne, 
but  for  ten  minutes  or  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
tbere  was  no  sigu  of  the  red-coats.  Then  the 
cry  of  the  hounds  was  hoard  at  a  distance,  and 
presently  a  man  was  seen  running  through  the 


horse.  The  crowd  scattered  away,  and  uboui; 
forty  horses,  separated  by  long  intervals, 
crossed  Morriu's  licld  at  a  pace  by  no  means 
rapid.  The  ditch  brought  one  or  two  to  grief  ; 
but  the  chestnut  was  still  leading,  and  his 
rider  took  matters  exceedingly  co^l,  as  he  well 
might,  for  his  seotned  about  the  freshest  and 


The  Giant's  Causeway,  Ireland. 
The  entire  coast  of  the  extreme  north  of  Ire 
land  presents  a  succession  of  pictures  unspeak- 
ably grand.  The  Giant's  Causeway,  which 
forms  a  vast  promontory,  possesses  all  that 
the  imagination  can  conceive  in  its  fantastic 


field,  trailing  something  covered  up  in  canvas, 
at  the  end  of  a  long  string.  These  were  the 
herrings  ;  but  where  were  the  hounds  ?  The 
scarlet  coats  were  seen  in  less  than  !i  minute, 
and  a  long  string  of  riders  descended  a  little 
emineacc  about  half  a  mile  away,  led  by 
ten  lengths  or  so  by  soaic  qp«  oa  a  cliasaut 


IBISII  TUBF   GATHERERS. 

best  horse  in  the  field.  At  length  two  or  three 
couple  of  hounds,  completely  puzzled,  showed 
among  the  last  horse ;  but  by  this  time  the 
hunt  was  oyer,  and  t'le  prizes  were  won. 

'ITiere  is  always  something  bizarre  in  every 
thing  pertaining  to  the  Irish  «ports;  it  eeems 
to  Le  A  national  characteristic. 


developments.  ' '  Imagine,"  says  a  traveler  who 
has  well  described  this  marvel,  "  imagine  an 
immense  plm  of  columns  sculptured  with  cd- 
mirable  precision,  and  projecting  into  the  sea 
until  lost  to  the  sight.  These  columns  are  in 
turn  pentagonal,  hexagonal,  or  heptagonal, 
but  their  surfaces  ara  fitted  to  e;ch  other  with 


GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 

^fVpf '!':.'%  mil 


553 


654 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


perfect  symmetry. 
The  entire  coast  is 
spread  with  these  ad- 
mirably disposed 
basaltic  rocks,  each  of 
which  has  received  a 
picturesque  name  sug- 
gested liy  the  form 
which  it  presents  to 
the  sight  of  the 
natives.  Hence  we 
hav»  the  Giant's  The- 
atre, the  Crown,  the 
Bagpipe,  the  Giant's 
Chair,  etc.  ;  there  are, 
also,  pointed  out  to 
the  beholder  the  Priest 
and  his  Floclv,  tlie 
Nurse  and  her  Child, 
the  King  and  his 
Nobles." 

o 

Irish  Turf  Gatherers. 

Ireland  has  for  cen- 
turies, under  the  most 
wonderful   misgovern- 

mant,  ra  lintained  an  immense  population,  who 
had  become  mere  tcnants-at-will  of  absentee 
landlords,  chiefly,  if  not  solely,  by  the  potato 
as  food,  and  turf  as  fuel.  The  potato  lias 
failed,  anl,  l>y  its  failure,  swept  away  a  million 
of  people,  wlio  perished  by  starvation.  The 
fuel  has  not  given  out,  nor  is  it  likely  to. 

Much  of  Ireland  is  covered  with  bogs,  which, 
after  the  upper-crust  of  vegetation  is  removed, 
consists  of  peat  or  turf,  decayed  vegetable 
matter,  which,  when  dried,  makes  a  very  good 
fuel.  It  is  cut  with  a  spade,  in  brick-shaped 
blocks,  which  are  exposed  to  (he  sun,  and  then 
piled  in  open  stacks.  When  very  wet  it  is 
trodden  out  by  the  women  and  children  till  it 
will  easily  take  shape.  Women  there  do  much 
out-door  work,  and,  during  seasons  when  men 
are  off,  even  as  far  as  England,  in  gangs,  for 
agricultural  labor,  most  of  the  ■nork  on  their 
miserable  holdings  ii  done  by  women.  At  all 
times  they  may  be  seen 
gathering,  in  baskets 
slung  on  their  backs, 
the  fuel  that  is  then 
stacked  by  the  cot- 
tage doors. 

What  a  government 
can  do  that  gives 
people  fair  play,  we 
see  daily.  To  the 
English  mind,  the 
Irish  are  a  people  who 
connot  be  governed, 
and  will  not  improve. 
To  the  American  mind, 
they  are  good  mate- 
rial, somewhat  spoiled 
by  eight  hundred 
years  of  misgovern- 
nient,  but  whom  we  do 
not  ask  more  than  one 
or  two  generations  to 
turn  their  worst  types 
to  good  account,  and 
find  much  that  can  be 
made  of  use  to  them 
selves  and  ihe  world. 


SUMMIT   or   STORR,  ISLE   OK   SKVE. 

Ancient  Irish  Harp. 

Wherever  the  Celtic  race  has  dwelt,  hand-in- 
hand  with  their  valor  has  gone  their  love  for 
music.  From  the  earliest  history  of  the  Green 
Isle,  dating  back  far  beyond  that  of  many 
European  countries,  the  harp  is  mentioned  as 
in  requisition  on  .all  festive  occasions,  whether 
Oi  war  or  marriage,  christenings  or  holidays. 

Our  engraving  represents  one  that  might 
have  been  played  before  the  ancient  kings  of 
Ireland  on  that  Hill  of  Tara  of  whose  halls  Ire- 
land's most  gifted  modem  poet  has  so  elo- 
quently sung. 

' ii^ii 

The  Isle  of  Skye. 
The  Isle   of  Skye,  located  among  the   pic- 
turesque  Highlands  of  Scotland,  is  in  every 
respect  a  remarkable  island.     It  is  so  irregular 
in  shape,  that,  though  fifty  miles   long,  and 


aVIKANO,  ISLB   OF  SKT£> 


from  ten  to  twenty- 
five  broad,  there  is  no 
part  of  it  that  does  not 
come  within  three  or 
four  miles  of  ihe  sea, 
cither  in  open  ocean, 
or  by  means  of  some 
of  the  numberless  salt- 
water lakes  that  in- 
dent the  coast.  The 
hills  are  more  than 
three  thousand  feet  in 
height,  and  run  up 
straifiht  from  the  sea 
with  no  intervening 
rising  ground  to  break 
the  effect  of  their  full 
height.  The  central 
plateau  in  our  engrav- 
ing of  Quirang  is 
n  earl  y  a  per  feet  oblon  g» 
and  is  covered  with  a 
luxurious  growth  of 
moss.  The  detached 
masses  of  rocks,  and 
the  overhanging  pre- 
cipices, are  all  of  a. 
basaltic  formation.  The  Storr  is  not  so  fan- 
tastically fasliioned,  but  is  of  equal  interest  tc> 
the  traveler. 

The  Isle  of  Skye  has  an  interest  attached 
to  it,  irrespective  of  its  striking  natural  fea- 
tures. It  is  intimatejy  associated  with  th» 
escape  and  wanderings  of  Prince  Charles  Ed- 
ward Stuart,  at  the  time  there  was  a  premium 
of  £30,000  upon  his  head. 

The  Highlanders,  though  comparatively  poor, 
proved  incorruptible,  an<l  after  secreting  the 
prince  until  the  linglish  soldieiB  had  tracked 
him  to  his  place  of  concealment.  Flora  Mac- 
donald,  a  remarkable  young  Scottish  maid, 
came  to  the  rescue,  and  succeeded  in  eluding 
the  vigilance  of  the  soldiers,  and  delivering 
the  disguised  prince  to  the  care  of  liis  friends. 

The  use  that  Sir  Walter  Scott  has  made  of 
this  famous  heroine  in  his  novel  of  "  Waverly  " 
is  too  well  known  to  need  any  reference  beyond 
the  bare  mention   of 
her    name,    which    is 
synonomous  to  all  that 
is    charming    in     ro- 
mance  and    inspiring 
in  patriotism. 
o—  - 

The  Bass  Kock. 

The  Bass  Eock  is 
a  small  green -stone 
island,  situated  in  the 
Frith  of  Forth,  on  the 
coast  of  Scotland. 

It  would  be  scarcely 
any  value  were  it  not 
for  the  immense  num- 
ber of  solan  geese  and 
other  wild  fowl  which 
make  it  their  haunt, 
as  there  is  only  about, 
seven  acres  of  pastur- 
age land,  the  rest  cf 
the  surface  being  a. 
barren  rock. 

Numbers  of  men. 
obtain    a    precarious. 


I 


livelihooa  by  dsscending  the  face  of  the  rock, 
nnd  taking  from  tho  nests  of  the  wild  fowl  the 
e?gs  and  down,  which  form  a  not  unimportant 
branch  of  commerce. 

The  means  adopted  to  reach  the  nests  is 
hazardous  in  the  extreme.  A  sharp  stake  is 
driven  in  the  ground  at  the  top  of  the  cliff,  and, 
leaving  a  companion  to  watch  the  rope,  le.st  it 
should  chafe  against  the  rock,  the  fowler  lei- 
surely descends,  and  gathers  all  the  eggs  within 
hiii  reach ;  after  which   he   is  drawn  up,  and 


GEEAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND. 

heritance ;  and,  should  thcjr  ho  inherited  by  a 
daughter,  she  is  looked  upon  as  a  most  desir- 
ahlc  match. 

The  solan  goose  is  about  the  size  of  the  com- 
mon land  goose,  of  a  white  color,  except  the 
tops  of  the  wings,  which  are  black,  and  the  top 
of  the  head,  which  is  yellow. 

The  bill  is  long  and  very  sharp-'pointed. 
The  sharpness  of  the  bill  led  to  the  practice  of 
fastening  herrings  on  a  board,  and  then  setting 
it  afloat  on  the  water,  when  the  solan  geese,  on 


S>5 

of  it.  It  stands  on  the  plain,  at  the  eastero 
extremity  of  the  rising  ground  on  Trhich  Eldin- 
burgh  was  originally  huilt.  The  more  ancient 
part  of  the  palace,  as  it  now  stands,  was  built 
by  James  V,,  but  it  has  since  undergone  many 
alterations,  and  the  identity  of  the  present 
building  with  the  original  structure  is  entirely 
destroyed.  It  was  burnt  by  the  soldiers  of 
Cromwell,  and  rebuilt  after  the  Bestoration  of 
Charles  II. 
The  edifice  is  of  a  qu8,drangular  figure,  with 


the  rope  removed  to  a  different  locality,  where 
the  same  process  is  gone  over. 

On  the  western  coast  of  Ireland  the  same 
means  are  adopted  by  the  peasantry  to  reach 
the  otherwise  inaccessible  spots,  and  also  in 
the  Orkneys  and  Western  Isles. 

The  ropes  by  which  the  fowlers  descend  are 
made  of  hide,  carefully  cut  and  twisted.  They 
sometimes  constitute  the  greatest  part  of  the 
■wealth  of  a  family,  and  are  hauded  down  from 
the  father  to  the  son  as  a  most  valuable  in- 


THB  BASS  ROCK,  SCOTLAWU. 

seeing  the  fish,  would  dart  down  on  it,  and, 
driving  their  beaks  into  the  board,  would  be 
held  there  until  the  arrival  of  the  fowler. 

This  practice  has  of  late  years  been  prohib- 
ited by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 


Holyrood  Palace. 
The  palace  of  Holyrood,  in  Edinburgh,  has 
been  celebrated  by  many  poets  and  writers, 
but  it  is  not  known  who  was  the  first  builder 


an  open  court  in  the  centre,  with  piazzas.  Th& 
chamber  of  Queen  Mary  is  still  exhibited  in 
the  palace ;  and  the  bed  of  that  unfortunate 
princess  is  to  be  seen,  although  in  a  decayed 
state. 

In  a  spacious  hall  or  gallery,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  length,  which  is  decorated 
with  upward  of  one  hundred  mythical  por- 
traits of  Scottish  monarchs,  is  held  the  elec- 
tion of  representative  peers  for  Scotland. 

Considerable  improvements  have  recently 


S56 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


been  made  on  the  exterior 
walls  of  the  palace,  and  the 
locality  in  which  it  stands  has 
also  been  greatly  improve  i  by 
the  removal  ot  many  sur- 
rounding old  houses,  which, 
with  the  numerous  additional 
repairs  and  alterations  in  the 
p:ilace  tliat  have  been  made 
lately,  render  it  an  agreeable 
residence  for  the  present  Queen 
Victoria. 

Contiguous  to  the  royal 
palace  stands  the  Abbey  of 
Holy  rood,  founded  about  the 
year  1128.  Within  this  sacred 
building  were  interred  David 
II.,  James  II.,  James  V.,  his 
queen  Magdalen,  and  Darnley. 

The  most  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance connected  witli  this 
institution  is  its  privilege  of 
affording  p.  sanctuary  to 
debtors.  In  1544  it  was  sacked, 
and  in  part  destroyeJ,  by  the 
Earl  of  Hereford  when  be  .in- 
Taded  Scotland  ;  and  it  again 
met  with  a  similar  fate  jx  few  -  ■' 

years  subsequently.  Then.ive^ 
used  as  a  chapel,  was  desecrated 
and  dismantled  by  the  mob  in  1688,  at  the  time 
of  the  flight  of  Jaines  II.  of  Biigliind  ;  and  in 
1768  the  roof  fjll  in,  and  left  it  in  the  ruined 
condition  in  which  it  now  stands. 


Highland  Dance. 
:  'iiiERE  is  a  certain  wild  athleticism  in  all 
.Vottis'i  games.  This  is  partly  the  result  of 
the  climate,  and  their  brawny  constitutions, 
which  naturally  require  great  muscular  exer- 
cise. Some  of  the  favorite  sports  are  Throwing 
the  Hammer ;  but  the  most  popular  one  is  the 
Sword  D.ince,  since  it  combines  their  love  of 
dancing  and  their  passion  for  the  inevitable 
bagpipes. 

The  Broal  Sword  Dance  consists  in  placing 
two  cliymores,  or  swords,  across  e:ich  other 
upon  a  platform,  or  a 
piece  of  level  ground,  and 
dancing  between  them 
witliout  touching  or  mis- 
placing them.  To  win 
tlie  prize,  one  must  be 
Teiy  nice  and  dainty ; 
and  while  keeping  lima 
in  th^  fantastic  man- 
oeuvres of  a  Highland 
Reel,  and  excited  by  the 
fioul-stirring  melodies 
of  the  pip.'r,  it  is  very 
difficult  to  step  with 
sufficient  precision. 

Peat  Gathering  in 
Scotland. 

Peat,  the  decayed  ve- 
getable matter  that  forms 
the  contents  of  many 
swampy  districts,  is  be- 
coming in  this  country 
an  article  of  fuel,  where 
coal  is  too  Tt  mote  or  too 


HOLYROOD   PALACE,  EDINBURGH. 

dear.  Yet,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  peat  or 
turf  is  coal  in  process  of  formation.  In  Ire- 
land, turf  is  tlie  fuel  of  the  mass  of  the  popula- 
tion, and  the  bogs  seem  to  furnish  an  inex- 
haustible supply. 

Scotland  has  its  peat  mosses,  analogous  in 
origin  to  the  Irish  bogs,  and  resorted  to  for 
fuel. 

The  Scotch,  however,  as  will  lie  seen  in  our 
illustration  of  a  party  working  in  a  peat-ficld, 
have  brought  inventive  ingenuity  to  bear  on 
the  subject,  in  a  manner  apparently  almost 
unknown  yet  in  Ireland.  If  the  moisture 
could  bo  cxpellel  from  the  peat  in  a  shorter 
time,  it  could  be  more  iiromptly  brought  to 
market ;  and  this  is  done  in  Scotland  by  using 
a  coniprcssive-machine,  in  lieu  of  the  baio  feet 
and  the  field-drying  of  the  Irish  system. 


raachiiio. 


HIGHLAND   DANCS. 


It  was  considered  that  Euch 
a  machine  ought  to  be  so 
simple  that  t'.ie  rudest  me- 
chanic could  make  it  and 
keep  it  in  repair,  so  portable 
as  to  be  easily  moved  about 
from  one  part  of  a  field  to 
another,  and  to  be  cheap  in 
construction,  and  expeditious 
inaction.  Mr.  Tod's  madiine 
consii^ted  of  a  stage  on  which 
an  oblong  box  t  oiild  be  placed, 
anc  1  a  lever  which  pressed  down 
on  this  box  with  great  power. 
Tlie  box  was  filled  with  moist 
peat,  and  a  solid  block  or 
cover  was  pressed  down  upon 
it  with  a  force  so  sudden  and 
great  as  to  squeeze  out  the 
water,  and  leave  the  peat  as 
an  oblong  solid  nia.ss. 

Provided  with  two  of  these 
boxes,  the  process  went  on 
with  great  rapidity  ;  one  man 
digging  out  tlie  peat,  another 
lifting  it,  and  bringing  it  to 
the  machine  ;  two  were  empty- 
ing, filling,  and  placing  the 
boxes,  and  one  man  working 
the  lever  of  the  compressing- 
Tlie  peats,  when  taken  from  the 
niacliiue,  were  built  up  like  small  stacks  cf 
bricks,  but  so  open  as  to  admit  a  free  circula- 
tion of  air ;  and  the  stacks  put  up  in  this  way 
became  perfectly  dry  before  being  moved. 

The  Scotch  Fishwives  of  Newhaven,  near 

Edinburgh. 
I.N  Europe  women  ply  many  trades  that  seem 

strange  to  our  American  ideas.     In  some  cases 

tliis  is  revolting,  as  in  the  picture   that  Sala 

fives  of  women  digging  a  sewer  in  tlie  streets 

of  Vienna. 
But  the  fishwives  of  Frajice  and  of  Scotland 

do  not  strike  us  so  repulsively. 

The   Scottish   fishwomen,   or  "  fishwives "  of 

Newhaven  and  Fisherrow,  as  they  are  usually 
designated,  wear  a  dress 

==i--i^^^  of  a  peculiar  and  appro- 

priate fashion,  consist- 
ing of  a  long  blue  duffie 
jacket,  w'itli  wide  sleeves, 
a  blue  petticoat,  usually 
tucked  up  so  as  to  form 
a  pocket,  and  in  order 
to  show  off  their  ample 
under  petticoat  of  brigh  t- 
colored  woolen  stripe, 
reaching  to  the  calf  of 
the  leg. 

As  the  women  carry 
their  loads  of  fish  on 
their  backs  in  crcola, 
supported  by  a  broad 
leather  belt  resting  for- 
ward on  the  forehead,  a 
thick  napkin  is  their 
usual  hea  d-d  r  e  s  c- , 
although  often  a  muslin 
cap,  or  mutch,  with  a 
very  broad  frill,  edged 
with  lace,  and  turned 
back  on  the  head  is  seen 


GREAT     BIUTAIN    AND     IBELAm). 


557 


CO 

o 

o 


''^fflmrnmnwriWFi'Wmi 


558 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


peepins'from  under  the  napkin.  A  variety  of 
kerchiefs,  or  small  shawls,  similar  to  that  on 
the  head,  encircle  the  neck  and  hosom,  which, 
•with  their  thick  worsted  stockings  and  a  pair 
•of  stout  shoes,  complete  the  costume. 

Before  the  railway  era,  the  Newhaven  fish- 
-wife  was  a  great  (act,  and  could  be  met  with 
in  Edinburgh  in  her  picturesque  costume  of 
short  but  voluminous  and  gaudy  petticoats, 
shouting  "  Caller  herrings  !"  or  "  Wha'll  buy 
my  caller  cod  ?"  with  all  the  energy  that  a 
strong  pair  of  lungs  could  supply.  Then,  in 
the  evening,  there  entered  the  city  the  oyster- 
wench,  with  her  prolonged  musical  aria  of 
••'  Wha'll  o'  caller  ou  ?"  But  the  spread  of  fish- 
mongers' shops  and  the  increase  of  oyster 
taverns  is  doing  away  with  this  picturesque 
hranch  of  the  business. 

Thirty-seven  years  ago  nearly  the  whole  of 
the  fishermen  of  the  Frith  of  Forth,  in  view 
«f  the  Edinburgh  market,  made  tor  Newhaven 
-with  their  cargoes  of  white  fish  ;  and  these,  at 
that  time,  were  all  bought  up  by  the  women, 
who  tarried  them  on  their  backs  to  Edinburgh 
in  creels,  and  then  hawked  them  through  the 
city. 

The  sight  of  a  bevy  of  fishwives  in  the  streets 
of  tlie  modem  Athens,  although  comparatively 
rare,  may  still  occasionally  be  enjoyed  ;  but 
the  railways  have  lightened  their  labors,  and 
■we  do  not  find  them  climbing  the  Whale  Brae 
with  a  hundred-weight,  or  two  hundred-weisht, 
perhaps,  of  fish,  to  he  sold  in  driblets,  for  a 
few  pence,  all  through  Edinburgh. 

The  industry  of  fishwives  is  proverbial,  their 
chief  maxim  being  that  "the  woman  that 
•canna  work  for  a  man  is  na  worth  ane";  and 
accordingly  they  undertake  the  task  of  dispos- 
ing of  the  merchandise,  and  acting  as  Chan- 
<:enor  of  the  Exchequer.  Their  husbands  have 
only  to  catch  the  fish,  their  labor  being  finished 
■as  soon  as  the  boats  touch  the  quay. 

The  Newhaven  fishwives'  mode  of  doing 
business  is  well  known.  She  is  always  supposed 
to  ask  double  or  triple  what  she  will  take  ;  and, 
on  occasions  of  bargaining,  she  is  sure,  in  allu- 
sion to  the  hazardous  nature  of  the  gudeman's 
•occupation,  to  tell  her  customers  that  "  fish  are 
no  fish  the  day  ;  they're  just  men's  lives." 

The  style  of  higgling  adopted  when  dealing 
^ith  the  fisher-folk,  if  attempted  in  other  kinds 


of  commerce,  gives  rise  to  the  well-known 
Scottish  reproach  of  "  D'ye  tak'  me  for  a  fish- 
wife?" 

The  style  of  bargain-making  carried  on  by 
the  fishwives  may  be  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing little  scene  : 

A  servant-girl  having  just  beckoned  to  one 
of  tlicm,  is  answered  by  the  usual  interrogatory, 
"What's  yer  wuU  the  day,  my  bonnie  lass?" 
and  the  "miptress"  being  introduced,  the  fol- 
lowing conversation  takes  place  : 

"  Come  awa",  mem,  an'  see  what  bonnie  fish 
I  ha'e  the  day." 

"  Have  you  any  haddocks  ?" 

"  Ay,  ha'e  I,  mem,  an'  as  bonnie  fish  as  ever 
ye  clappit  yer  twa  een  on." 

"What's  the  price  of  these  four  small  ones  ?" 

"  What's  yer  wuU,  mem?" 

"  I  wish  these  small  ones." 

"  What  d'ye  say,  mem  ?  sma'  baddies !  they's 
no  sma'  fish,  an'  they're  the  bonniest  I  ha'e  in 
a'  ma  creel." 

"  Well,  never  mind  ;  what  do  you  ask  for 
them  ?" 

"  Weel  mem,  it's  lieen  awfu'  weather  o'  late, 
an'  the  men  canna  get  fish  ;  ye"  11  no  grudge 
me  twenty-pence  for  thac  four  ?' ' 

"Twenty-pence  !" 

"Ay,  mem,  what  for  no  ?" 

"  They  are  too  dear  ;  I'll  give " 

"  What  d'ye  say,  mem  ?  ower  dear  !  I  wish 
ye  ktnt  it;  but  what'll  ye  gi'e  me  for  thae 
four?" 

"I'll  give  you  a  sixpence." 

"  Ye'U  gi'e  me  a  what  ?" 

"  A  sixpence." 

"  I  d;iur  say  ye  wull,  my  bonny  leddy,  but 
ye'll  no  get  thae  four  fish  for  twa  sixpences 
this  day." 

"  I'll  not  give  more." 

"Weel,  mem,  gude-day"  (making  prepara- 
tions to  go)  ;  "I'll  tak'  eighteenpence  an'  be 
dune  wi't." 

"  No,  I'll  give  you  twopence  each  for  them." 

And  so  the  chaffering  goes  on,  till  ultimately 
the  fishwife  will  take  tenpence  for  the  lot, 
and  this  plan  of  asking  double  what  will  be 
taken,  which  is  common  with  tliem  all,  and 
sometimes  succeeds  with  simple  housewives, 
will  be  repeated  from  door  to  door,  till  the 
supply  be  e.thausted. 


Conclusion  of  Scotland. 

In  the  fifth  century  we  hear  of  the  Scots  as  a 
people  inhabiting  Ireland.  About  the  year  60-3 
a  colony  of  the  Scots  from  the  north  of  Ireland 
emigrated  to  North  Britain,  and  effected  a 
settlement  in  the  district  now  known  as 
Argyle.  Here  they  remained  for  more  than 
three  hundred  years,  during  which  tlie  rest 
of  the  island  to  the  north  of  the  Friths  of 
Forth  and  Clyde  formed  the  kingdom  of  the 
Picts,  which  nation,  although  governed  by  a 
king,  appears  to  have  been  divided  into  two 
populations — the  Lowland  and  the  Southern 
I'icts.  Throughout  the  tenth  century,  North 
Britain  was  ruled  as  one  kingdom,  under  the 
name  of  Albania  ;  but  about  a  century  later 
we  find  the  name  of  Scotland  applied  to  this 
land,  and,  from  that  time,  the  people  were 
generally  designated  as  Scots. 

Scotland  was  divided  into  three  districts : 
1.  The  Eastern  portion  called,  Lodonia,  a  Teu- 
tonic term  signifying,  the  March,  or  Border 
Land  ;  2.  The  Kingdom  of  Strath  Clyde,  in  the 
North-west;  and  3.  The  District  of  Galloway,  in 
the  South-west. 

About  this  time,  the  Norwegians  took  posses- 
sion of  the  Orkneys  and  Western  Islands.  The 
Norwegian  kingdom  thus  founded  lasted  for 
thirty  years,  and  was  routed  by  Macbeth,  who 
commanded  the  Scottish  forces  of  King  Duncan. 
The  readers  of  Shakespeare  will  remember  the 
use  he  has  made  of  this  episode  in  bis  famous 
plav  of  "Macbeth."  We  have  not  space  to 
record  the  numerous  kings  that  reigned  from 
843,  when  Kenneth  II.  reigned,  to  1567,  when 
James  VI.,  son  of  the  celebrated  and  unfor- 
tunate beauty,  Mnry  Queen  of  Scots,  a.'^cended 
the  throne  of  Scotland,  wliich  he  held  till  1603, 
when  the  death  of  Queen  Elizabeth  made  him 
King  of  England.  In  all  there  were  forty-four 
sovereigns,  which  gives  to  each  an  averase  of 
seventeen  years,  a  figure  which  demonstrates 
the  shortness  of  their  reigns. 

In  the  year  1707  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
was  united  to  England,  the  whole  island  being 
called  Great  Britain.  It  is  characteristic  of  the 
Scotch  that,  witli  the  memorable  exceptions  of 
1715  and  1745,  the  people  have  acquiesced  in 
the  government  of  the  British  Parliament 
without  complaint. 


rUK   NEW    U.MVKRSITY   COLLEGE    AT   NOTTIHOHAM. 


UNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL  AND   HISTORICAL   SUMMARY. 

ru£i  Sabbath  of  the  pilokim  Fathers  ly  America— The  Reception  of  CoMJMBrs  after  his  first  Voyagf^the  deathbed  of  Ooldmbcs 
—Mount  Vernon  — The  Charter  Oak  — Kooer  Williams s  Departure  from  Salem— Natural  Bridge  over  Cedar  Creek- masked 
Men  Destroying  Firearms  on  Board  the  Steamer  "  Hesper  "— Pocahontas  Saving  the  Life  of  John  Smith— John  Browns  Raid 
—Morton  Killing  the  Pawnee  Indian— Jake  McCrea— The  Mammoth  Cave— The  Yo-Semite  Valley,  California— Natural  Bridge 
IN  California- Vigetation  in  California— The  Mammoth  Trees  in  California— Trial  of  A.nxe  Hutchinson— Desperate  Conflict 

ON  THE  PKAIEIES— A.  TOURIST  PARTY  IN  THE  ROOKY   MOUNTAINS— MRS.  CLAYTON  PLANTING  THE  NATIONAL   FLAG  ON  THE  SUMMIT  OF  THB 
BOCKY  MOUNTAINS— OLD  NEW  ORLEANS— THE  MOUNTAINS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA— PROGRESS  OF  MEANS  OF  TRAVEL— THE  BROOKLYN  BRIDGE 

—THE  Caverns  of  Lurat,  Virginia— The  Royal  Gorge  of  Colorado— Camp  in  the  Woods— Indian  Dance— Three  months  in  Alaska 

— IKTERIOE  OF  AN  INDIAN  HOUSE— CONCLUSION. 


UPON  (he  discovery  and  progress  of  onr 
Great  Republic  it  is  not  our  intention  to 
dilate.  The  history  of  the  most  won- 
derful example  of  political  growth  in  the 
world  is  too  well  known  to  every  citizen  in 
America  to  need  anything  heyond  a  brief 
risumi  of  the  chief  events  in  the  liistory  of 
OUT  country. 

When  America  was  first  discovered,  the  in- 
liabita.its  were  a  copper-colored  race,  and  in  a 
etate  of  the  grossest  ignorance.  They  went 
under  the  generic  term  of  Indians,  a-.d  althongli 
they  spoke  a  great  variety  of  dialects,  (here 
verc  only  eight  distinct  l^ngunges.  They  were 
dividel  into  families,  or  tribes ;  but  in  color, 
eize,  moral,  character,  religion  and  govern- 
ment, they  werj  almost  identicsd.  In  person 
ihcy  were  tall,  straight,  and  well  formed. 
Their  eyes  were  black,  their  hair  long,  coarse, 
and  straight.  The  men  employed  their  time 
in  war,  hunting  and  fishing,  ^^hile  the  women 
did  all  t'.ie  labor  of  every  kind  required  by 
family  w.ants.  Thoy  livcJ  in  wigwams  mado 
of  bark  of  trees,  and  skins  of  beasts,  stretched 
upon  poles — in  short,  a  species  of  tent.  Their 
food  was  the  flesh  of  animals  found  in  the  forests, 
•with  fish  and  few  a  vegetables.  Maize,  com- 
monly c  died  Indian  corn,  was  in  ordinary  use. 

In  Summer  they  were  generally  naked,  ex- 
cepting a  covering  around  their  loins.  In 
Winter  they  were  clad  in  the  skins  of  wild 
boasts.  Their  money  was  shells,  and  was  called 
tcampum.  They  had  no  written  language,  ex- 
cepting a  kind  of  rude  hieroglyphics,  or  pic- 
tures. War  and  plunder  were  the  principal 
business  of  the  men — drudgeiy,  that  of  the 
women,  who  were  the  mere  slaves  of  their 
brutal  masters.  Their  weapons  were  bows  and 
arrows,  tomahawks,  and  scalping-knivos.  They 
tortured  the  prisoners  they  took  in  l>»ttlo,  and 


prized  the  scalps  of  their  vanquished  enemies  as 
so  many  trophies  of  valor.  Their  funeral  cere- 
monies were  the  sime  among  all  the  Indian 
nations.  The  deal  body  was  wrapped  in  skins, 
when  it  was  laid  upon  sticks  in  the  bottom  of 
a  shallo.v  pit,  or  place  1  on  a  high  scaffold  out 
of  the  reacli  of  wild  beasts. 

Their  religion  was  simple  in  belief  and  cere- 
monies. T"hey  believed  In  a  Great  Good  Spirit, 
and  a  Great  Evil  Spirit,  and  considered  the  sun, 
moon,  stirs,  meteors,  fire,  water,  thunder, 
wind,  and  everything  they  could  not  them- 
selves control,  as  deities. 

Pope  makes  the  following  use  of  their  re- 
ligious faith  : 

"I.o!  tho  poor  Indian,  whoso  untutored  mind 
Sees  God  in  clouds,  and  hears  Hira  in  the  wind; 
His  soul  proud  Science  never  taught  to  stray 
Far  as  tho  solar  beam  and  Milky  Way, 
But  thinks,  admitted  to  that  equal  sky, 
His  faithful  do^  shall  bear  him  company.'* 

The  government  was  a  mixture  of  family  rule 
and  kingly  use  of  authority.  The  Sachem  was 
tho  Chief  Ruler,  chosen  for  his  wisdom,  while 
tho  Chief,  who  commanded  the  warriors,  was 
chosen  for  his  deeds  in  battle. 

Such  were  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  of 
the  present  United  States  when  discovered  by 
the  Europeans. 

On  the  3d  of  August,  1492,  Christopher 
Columbus,  a  Genoese,  i:i  tlie  service  uf  Fer- 
dinand anl  Isabella  of  Spain,  embarked  in 
three  small  vessels  from  Palos,  in  Andalusia,  in 
his  search  for  his  "short  cut  "to  the  Indies. 
After  steering  west  for  many  days  he  flr^t  saw 
Ian  1  on  the  11th  October,  1492.  It  was  one  of  the 
Bahamas,  now  called  Cat  Island.  Next  day 
he  went  ashore,  rich!y  dre:sed  in  scarlet  rolies, 
and  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Spain.  The  natives 
received  him  with  awe,  and  Columbus  uamed 


the  island  San  Salvador.  He  then  discovered 
several  other  islands,  and  designated  the  group 
as  the  West  Indies.  On  his  return  to  Spain  he 
was  received  with  great  honors.  He  made 
several  other  voyages,  and,  in  1498,  discovered 
the  coast  of  South  America  ;  yet  he  died  in  the 
belief  tliat  he  had  only  found  a  portion  of 
Eivsteru  Asia.  One  of  his  companions  revealed 
the  secret  to  Ameriuo  Vespucci,  a  Florentine 
navigator,  who  explored  the  eastern  coast  of 
South  America,  and  on  his  return  to  Europe 
he  published  a  glowing  account  of  the  great 
continent  which  ho  claimed  to  have  discovered. 
In  his  honor  the  New  World  has  been  called 
America,  thus  robbing  the  great  navigator  of 
his  due  fame. 

We  must,  however,  confine  ourselves  to  that 
part  of  our  continent  which  is  known  as  the 
United  States. 

On  April  4, 1609,  Henry  Hudson,  an  English- 
man, in  the  employ  of  the  Butch  East  India 
Company,  sailed  from  Amsterdam,  in  a  yacht 
of  eighty  tons,  named  the  Half  Moon,  and 
steered  for  Spitzbergcn.  The  ice  was  im- 
passable ;  he  therefore  sailed  west,  across  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  and,  touching  the  Continent 
of  America  at  Penobscot  Bay,  coasted  south- 
ward to  the  Capes  of  Virginia.  Retracing  hia 
course  northward,  he  sailed  into  the  harbor  of 
New  Tork,  in  September,  1609,  when'he  cast 
anchor.  On  his  return  to  Holland  his  nar- 
rative aroused  the  commercial  enterprise  of 
the  Dutch.  The  result  was  the  founding  of  a 
settlement  they  called  Now  Amsterdam,  und 
which  is  now  New  York. 

After  flourishing  nnder  the  old  Dutch  Gov- 
ernors, New  Amsterdam  was  compelled  to 
surrender  to  the  English  forces  in  1662,  when 
the  renowned  Peter  Stuyvesant,  tho  last  of  the 
Burgomaster-governors,  piarched  out,  with  the 


5fl0 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


lienors  of  war,  and  the  English  Governor 
■walked  in  with  the  honors  of  possession.  What 
human  enterprise  can  accomplish,  we  have 
only  to  give  New  York  as  an  example. 

Previous,  however,  to  the  settlement  of  New 
Amsterdam  was  the  English  colony  in  Eoanoke 
Island.  In  December,  1606,  the  London  Com- 
pany sent  three  ships,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Christopher  Newport,  with  one  hundred 
and  five  emigrants,  to  make  a  settlement  on 
Eoanoke  Island.  They  did  not  arrive  on  the 
American  coast  till  April,  1607,  when  they 
were  driven  by  a  storm  into  Chesapeake  Bay. 
They  discovered  and  sailed  up  the  James  Kiver, 
and  founded  Jamestov^n,  so  called  in  honor  of 
that  miserable  old  pedant,  the  sou  of  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots.  Among  this  party  was  the  far- 
famed  John  Smith,  a  great  military  adventure  r, 
and  a  man  of  remarkable  presence  of  mind. 

Smith  was  a  born  adventurer,  and  on  the 
shores  of  the  New  "World  he  found  full  scope 
for  the  exercise  of  his  daring  nature.  His  re- 
markable exploits  with  the  Indians  are  among 
the  most  entertaining  chapters  of  our  early 
history.  Intimately  associated  with  the  name 
of  Captain  Smith  is  that  of  Pocahontas — the 
beautiful  Indian  maiden,  daughter  of  King 
Powhatan.  How  the  intrepid  captain  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Indians ;  how  he  was  con- 
demned to  be  brained  by  the  war-club  of  the 
chief ;  and  how  Pocahontas  braved  her  father's 
anger,  saved  the  captain's  life,  and  eventually 
married  his  friend  John  Kolfe,  needs  no  reca- 
Ijitulation  at  our  hands.  The  tale  is  a  gem  of 
poesy  and  romance  set  in  the  iron  circumstances 
of  that  time,  and  ha?  ever  since  been  a  fruitful 
theme  for  the  sentimental  pen.  The  marriage 
was  performed  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  has  been  made  the 
subject  of  one  of  the  superb  paintings  that 
griice  the  walls  of  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol  at 
Washington. 

But  the  true  backbone  of  our  Great  Republic 
is  the  vitality  breathed  into  the  United  States 
by  the  Puritan  blood,  which,  slowly  emerging 
from  the  merciless  bigotry  of  the  feudal  ages, 
gave  a  power  and  a  grim  intensity  to  the  new- 
born Eugland  of  America. 

In  1620,  on  the  19th  of  December,  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers  (as  they  are  popularly  called) 
arrived  at  Plymouth  Eock,  and  certainly  on 
that  Ri)ek  a  greater  than  St.  Peter  has  founded 
the  Empire  of  the  World. 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  give  in  detail 
the  amazing  growth  of  the  Great  Eepublic  of 
the  West.  From  the  germs  of  a  few  isolated 
efforts  in  Virginia,  New  York,  and  Massa- 
chusetts, respectively  made  "by  those  three  most 
discordant  elements  of  colonization,  the  Cav- 
aliers, the  Dutch,  and  the  Puritans,  there  has 
grown  out  of  these  acorns  of  human  enterprise 
the  most  gigantic  civilization  the  world  has 
ever  seen.  In  about  one  hundred  years,  the 
settlers  of  Jamestown,  New  Amsterdam  and 
Boston  fomifid  tb.e  Thirteen  Colonies,  which 


became  the  nucleus  of  the  United  States,  and 
waged  a  successful  war  with  the  greatest 
Power  then  existing ;  in  1783,  it  had  gained 
the  recognition  of  the  -world  as  an  established 
Power  among  nations,  with  about  three  millions 
of  people ;  and  it  has  in  another  century  ex- 
l^anded  into  thirty-eight  States,  and  nearly 
sixty  millions  of  inhabitants.  It  is  a  spectacle 
which  history  may  well  pause  to  contemplate. 

There  is  also  another  aspect  to  re<^ard  this 
spectacle  in  ;  there  never  has  been  a  nation 
which  has  combined  so  great  a  diversity  of  vari- 
ous races.  The  experience  of  all  nations  proves 
that  human  perfection,  mentally,  morally,  and 
physically,  depends  largely  on  the  amalgama- 
tion of  the  best  races  together,  working  out 
the  problem  of  a  sane  mind  in  a  sane  body. 

The  character  of  the  present  work  does  not 
require  either  a  geographical  or  historical 
summary  of  the  United  States.  Our  intention 
is  to  present  a  few  scenes  of  the  ever-moving 
jjanorama  of  American  life,  with  sufficient  de- 
scription to  make  the  sketches  intelligible. 

General  Viele,  in  a  lecture,  gives  a  pleasant 
view  cf  the  early  condition  of  New  Amsterdam. 
After  curiously  glancing  at  the  character  of  the 
Stiite  in  its  physical  resources  and  its  aboriginal 
inhabitants,  he  gave  a  description  of  the  tribes 
at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  Hudson,  in  1609. 
The  French  had  arrived  in  Canada  the  year 
previous,  and  then  began  a  struggle  which 
lasted  a  century  between  these  two  forms  of 
civilization.  From  the  first  there  was  great 
cordiality  between  the  Hollanders  and  the 
Indians.  They  treated  the  Indian  justly,  and 
retained  his  friendship  so  long  as  their  occuj^a- 
tion  of  the  soil  continued.  The  French,  on  the 
other  hand,  landed  with  the  cross  in  one  hand 
and  the  sword  in  the  other,  and  attempted  to 
subdue  the  Indian  by  fear,  which  was  a  great 
mistake.  This  island,  when  the  Dutch  first 
came  here,  was  inhabited  by  several  small 
tribes  of  Indians  ;  but  in  time  these  all  became 
tributary  to  the  Iroquois,  and  this  necessitated 
on  the  part  of  the  settlers  the  establishment  of 
settlements  more  in  the  interior  of  the  State. 
These  men  located  at  Albany,  Schenectady, 
and  other  places,  and  most  of  the  names  upon 
the  genealogical  map  exhibited  by  the  lecturer 
were  names  of  the  early  settlers  of  these  places. 
General  Viele  here  read  a  French  account  of  the 
mas.sacre  of  the  inhabitants  of  Schenectady  by 
the  French  in  1689,  which  he  said  was  the  most 
terrible  calamity  ever  known  on  this  continent. 
Eeferring  next  to  the  genealogical  chart,  he 
said  the  most  striking  feature  of  it  was  that 
there  was  one  woman  who  was  the  ancestress 
of  three  of  the  largest  families  in  the  State 
through  three  different  husbands. 

The  first  family  upon  the  chart  was  the  Vieles, 
whose  ancestor  came  to  New  Y'ork  State  in  1636. 
The  next  was  the  Schermerhorus,  the  first  of 
which  was  John  Jansen,  who  came  here  in  16-10. 

The  history  of  the  early  settlers  showed  that 
a  love  of  domestic  life  was  a  paramount  quality 


with  them,  neither  men  nor  women  remaining, 
single  long  after  the  death  of  their  partners, 
and  it  was  not  an  uncommon  thing  to  find  a. 
widow  of  two  or  three  husbands  marry  again 
with  a  widower  of  a  couple  of  wives.  The 
families  were  prolific,  ten  or  a  dozen  children 
being  common. 

As  to  the  Knickerbockers,  some  had  sup- 
posed it  to  be  simply  a  general  term  implying, 
aa  ancient  New  Y'orker ;  but  this  was  not  so. 
John  Van  Bergen  Knickerbocker  was  the  an- 
cestor of  the  family,  and  he  was  a  captain  in 
the  army  of  the  Netherlands.  He  had  two 
sons,  one  of  whom  died  in  Holland,  and  the 
other  settled  here,  and  married. 

The  descendants  of  this  union  were  Tery 
numerous,  and  one  of  them  was  prominent  as 
a  Congressman  during  the  Administration  of 
Mr.  Madison.  He  was  a  man  of  great  humor, 
and  Washington  Irving,  then  a  young  man, 
was  introduced  to  him  in  Washington,  and 
from  that  acijuaiutance  obtained  the  material 
for  his  "Knickerbocker's  New  York." 

General  Viele  concluded  by  relating  various 
anecdotes  of  the  early  settlers  among  these 
families,  their  difficulties,  and  the  hardships 
and  privation  they  passed  through  during  tho 
early  history  of  the  State.  Most  of  them^  he 
said,  passed  through  three  great  contests — tho 
Indian,  the  French  and  the  Eevolutionary 
wars ;  and  there  was  scarcely  a  family  but  what 
lost  one  or  more  members  in  those  struggles. 

The  old  family  mansion  of  the  Knicker- 
bockers is  still  standing  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation  at  Schaghticoke,  and  in  its  rear  i? 
the  old  tree  under  which  the  counc^s  of  the 
Indians  used  to  be  held.  The  old  family 
graveyard  is  near  tha  house,  in  which  ara 
buried  six  generations  of  the  Knickerbockers. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  about  the  Great 
Eepublic  is  the  wonderful  elasticity  with  which 
it  recovers  from  reverses.  We  will  not  dwell 
long  upon  the  enormous  vigor  with  which  thej" 
raised,  in  some  six  years,  a  sum  more  than  hall 
the  amount  of  the  British  national  debt,  which 
debt  had  been  accumulating  for  nearly  two 
centuries.  There  is  also  another  remarkable 
fact  connected  with  American  elasticity — that 
the  bitterness  of  the  most  terrific  civil  war  in 
the  history  of  the  world  has,  in  less  than  thirty 
years,  subsided,  and  the  warring  brothers,  tho 
victor  and  the  vanquished,  now  are  ready  to 
march  side  by  side  against  a  common  foe. 

There  is  another  fact  which  we  hope  soon  to 
chronicle,  and  that  is,  the  restoration  of  our 
maritime  sovereignty.  In  1860  our  tonnage 
equaled— indeed  it  had  a  shght  preponderance 
over — that  of  Great  Britain.  The  war,  and  the 
depredations  of  the  Confederate  privateers, 
caused  tho  transfer  of  nearly  two  millions  of 
tons  into  foreign  ships,  principally  British. 
We  are,  however,  slowly  regi  ining  our  lost 
ground,  and  ten  years  will,  no  doubt,  place  all 
our  commercial  interests  in  a  far  more  pros- 
perous condition  than  they  ever  have  been. 


UNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA. 


561 


piOXG  tho  names  of  the  pioneers  in 


the    settlement  of   this    continent, 
pre-eminently  s  ands  that  of  John 
Winthrop,  the  first  governor  of  the 
colony  of  Massachnsctts  Bay. 

Previous  to  the  emigration  to  America  under 
Governor  John  AVinthrop,  attempts  had  been 
made  to  settle  the  country  about  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  but  which  succeeded  to  a  very 
limited  extent.  The  emigrants  were  com- 
paratively few  in  number,  and  most  of  tliem 
had  either  returned  to  England,  or  perished 
through  the  hardships  encountered — a  small 
number  of  colonists  at  Salem,  without  any 
effective  organization,  being  all  that  remained 
of  them. 

But  in  1C30,  tne  Massachusetts  Kay  Company, 
under  the  direction  of  John  Winthrop,  obtained 
from  Charles  I  a  confirmation  of  their  patent 
previously  obtained  fiom  the  Council  of  Ply- 
mouth,  Ki'tmting  them  all  the  territory  extend- 


THE  WHITE   HOUSE. 

transportation  to  this  new  world  of  a  noble 
body  of  emigrants,  under  the  lead  of  John 
Winthrop.  Among  them  were  many  persons 
of  wealth  and  distinguished  reputation. 

Previous  to  leaving  England,  John  Winthrop 
was  chosen  governor,  and  Thomas  Dudley 
deputy  governor.  These,  with  eighteen  as- 
sistants, appointed  at  the  same  time,  and  the 
body  of  the  freemen  who  should  settle  in  the 
province,  were  to  constitute  a  legislative  and 
executive  body,  in  which  all  the  rights  of  tlic 
colony  were  vested.  On  March  29,  1630,  they 
sailed  from  Southampton,  and,  after  a  pleasant 
voyage,  arrived  in  the  harbor  of  Salem  on  tho 
14th  of  June.  It  had  been  thdr  design  to 
make  Salem  their  principal  settlement ;  but  on 
landing  there,  Governor  Winthrop  and  most  of 
his  party  were  not  pleased  with  its  situation  ; 
and  after  a  brief  period  of  rest  from  the  fatigues 
of  the  voyage,  they  established  themselves  in 
places  about  the  bay,  thus  laying  the  founda- 


and  there,  on  the  30th  of  July,  the  foundation 
of  the  first  church  in  the  settlement  was  laid. 

A  fine  spring  of  pure  water  was  discovered  oa 
the  peninsula,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
and  most  of  the  colonists  changed  their  re- 
gidence  to  that  locality  ;  thither,  also,  the  frame 
of  the  governor's  house  was  sulsequently 
brought  over  and  put  up. 

The  peninsula  jutted  boldly  out  into  the 
broad  bay  of  Massachusetts,  and  united  by  a 
narrow  neck  to  the  main  land.  Three  rounded 
eminences,  swelling  from  the  water's  brink, 
gave  the  penmsula  the  name,  by  the  colonists, 
of  Trimouutain,  from  which  has  arisen  the 
modern  name  of  Tremont. 

■ »^^i> 

The   First  Sabbath  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
in  America. 
Eeligion  was  the  prime  and  controlling  mo- 
tive of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in  their  transatlan- 
tic emigration.    To  them  the  religion  evolved 


ing  In  length  from  three  miles  north  of  the 
Merrimao  River,  to  three  miles  south  of  Charlcg 
Eivcr,  and  in  breadth,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Bouthern  Ocean 
Preparations  were  immediately  made  lor  the 
27 


LANDING  OF  GOVERNOH  WINTHROP  AT  SALEM,  1630, 

tions  of  Charlestown,  Watertown,  Dorchester, 
Roxbury,  and  other  towns  now  forming  the 
suburbs  of  Boston.  Governor  Winthrop  and  a 
material  partion  of  his  comnany  first  settled  at 
Charlestown,  on  the  north  side  of  Charles  River, 


by  their  own  thought  was  all  supreme.  It  con  ■ 
tained  a  scheme  of  domestic  and  social  life,  a 
civil  polity,  as  part  of  the  preparation  for  a 
hereafter.  Amid  the  thousand  forms  of  opln- 
ica  that  had  arisea  bom  the  tim^  wbeo.  tiiod 


563 


THE    WORLDS    GREAT    NATIONS 


of  nnity,  the  human  mind  spnng  bade  to  the 
period  of  creating  deities  and  creeds,  these 
•nthosiasts  saw  their  own  theories  so  certain, 
so  true,  tlmt  nothing  could  instill  into  their 
minds  a  drop  of  doubt  or  suspicion.  They  had 
evolred  tmUi  in  theory  and  in  action.   To  them 


sterile  shore  of  the  land  that  they  had  chosen. 
A  bleak  Winter,  a  desolate,  rocky,  unpromising 
land,  could  not  quench  in  those  hearts  grati- 
tude, religious  fervor,  boundless  hope.  They 
were  free  !  No  king,  no  parliament,  was  there 
to  interfere  with  their  experiment.    They  were 


trolled  those  inflnenccd  by  minds  less  energetic, 
more  tolerant. 

Differ,  as  many,  of  course,  must,  all  will, 
nevertheless,  respect  those  stem  old  enthusiasts, 
as  they  bow  in  reverence  to  the  only  Superiof 
they  acknowledge. 


WM  the  mission  to  create  a  State  which  should 
surpass  in  purity  that  formed  by  the  Almighty 
through  the  ministry  of  Moses. 

Beligion  was  to  dominate,  and  the  artist  can 
but  feebly  depict  with  all  his  ability  the  first 
Bablmtb  of  these  men  as  they  gathered  on  the 


free  to  follow  the  way  which  seemed  right  to 
their  eyes,  even  though  the  end  thereof  should 
be  death. 

The  determined  character  of  the  men  gave 
them  success.  They  established  a  series  of  Com- 
moawealths,  which  in  their  gpiiit  have  con- 


Thus  we  see  how  strong  an  emigrating  agenft 
religion  has  been,  especially  In  the  past ;  and, 
although  in  modem  times  the  ledger  has  walked 
somewhat  in  advance  of  the  Bible,  yet  the  first 
great  impulse  sprang  from  oppression,  whicU 
wag  caused  by  religious  intolerance. 


UNITED    STATES    OV   AM£ItICA. 


663 


THB  RBCBPTTOM  Of  OOLnHBCS  AFTEB  HIS  FIRST  TOTAaB. 


The  Reception  of  Oolumbus  after  his  First 

Voyage. 

It  was  April,  1493,  a  beautiful  Spring  day. 

Sarcelona's  walls  were  draped  with  banners; 

tht  ahiiw  riding  iu  the  port  gleamed  vitb  th« 


of  Europe.  From  rampart  and  from  stately 
shtp  flashed  gleams  of  light,  followed  by  the 
mimic  thunder  that  silenced  for  the  moment 
the  sonnd  of  bells  and  trumpets,  the  glad  cries 
of  men.  Then  the  great  bell  of  St.  Gulalia 
would  send  out  its  deep  chimes,  to  b«  uiswered 


by  the  musical  tones  of  Santa  Maria  del  Mar, 
There  was  something  imposing  in  all  thig 
gladness.  The  city  was  celebrating  a  festiv*l- 
without  a  name,  a  feast  never  to  be  renewed. 

Seven  Indians,  in  a  dress  never  before  wit- 
Bewedt  ^tb  aukieta  of  gold  and  ooroueta  oC 


664 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


% 
O 

o 

H 

<J 

R 


UNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA. 


S65 


THE  CHARTER  OAK. 


feathers  of  Tinimagined  beauty,  bore  rare  birds 
from  their  native  isles.  The  crews  of  the  suc- 
cessful ships  followed  with  golden  crowns, 
rich  idols,  strange  birds,  animals  and  plants. 

Then  came  the  banner  of  Spain,  and  behind 
it  that  of  Columbus,  inscribed  :  "Par  Oastilla 
y  por  Leon  Nuevo  Mundo  hallo  Colony  In 
the  Casa  de  la  Deputacion,  in  a  gothic  hall 
newly  adorned,  two  new  thrones  had  been 
erected,  over  which  waved  thirty  standards, 
taken  from  the  Moors  at  Malaga  and  Granada. 
Here  sat  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  kings  of 
Spain.  When  Columbus  entered,  they  rose 
amid  the  vi'cas  of  the  assemblage  of  the  proud- 
est nobles  of  Spain.  As  he  bent  the  knee  in 
reverence,  Isabella  at  once  prevented  him  : 

"Don  Cristoval  Colon,  our  admiral  and  vice- 
roy of  the  lands  of  India,  rise." 

"  The  queen  and  king,  my  sovereigns,  have, 
after  God,  aided  and  favored  me.  May  it  please 
their  highnesses  to  give  me  tiieir  hands  to  kiss  ?" 

"  Sir  Admiral,"  said  Ferdinand,  "  that  were 
a  mark  of  vassalage ;  ye  shall  here  have  but 
■marks  of  honor.    Be  seated,  Don  Cristoval." 


Columbus  kissed  the  hand  of  Isabella,  and 
took  his  seat  amid  the  grandees  of  Spain. 

The  triumph  of  that  day  was  undisturbed  by 
the  clouds  of  the  future. 


The  Deathbed  of  Oolumbuui 
The  sense  of  deep  wrong  on  a  sensitive, 
imaginative  man  who,  amid  all  the  bustle  of 
an  active  and  exciting  life,  ever  seemed  to 
walk  in  an  atmosphere  of  his  own,  could  not 
but  be  enduring.  In  Columbus  it  was  in- 
effaceable. 

During  the  last  years  of  his  life  the  chains 
he  had  so  unjustly  worn  were  ever  before  him, 
and  when  the  chilling  hand  of  death  set  its 
impress  upon  his  frame,  the  chains  still  held 
a  prominent  part  in  his  thoughts. 

When,  as  he  lay  on  his  dying-bed  at  Valla- 
dolid,  after  having  by  his  will  disposed  of  all 
his  worldly  goods,  made  provision  for  perpe- 
tuating his  name  through  his  son  Diego,  and 
commended  to  that  eldest  son  his  second  wife, 
Beatrice  Enriquez  and  her  son  Fernando,  he 


seems  to  have  devoted  his  last  hours  to  prayer 
and  devotion.  But  the  chains  were  ever  before 
him,  and  as  his  son  Diego  knelt  by  the  side  of 
hi£  bed,  the  great  discoverer  pointed  to  his 
chains,  and,  as  his  last  injunction,  required 
them  to  be  interred  with  him  in  his  coffin,  as 
if  to  rise  on  the  last  day  with  this  proof  against 
his  enemies. 

A  French  artist  has  seized  this  moment  for  a 
touching  painting,  which  we  reproduce.  It 
deserves  the  study  of  every  American,  as  a  fit- 
ting tribute  to  the  first  great  wrong  connected 
with  our  history. 

Thus  died  Columbus,  on  Ascension  Day, 
May  20th,  1506,  in  his  seventieth  year.  Diego 
faithfully  carried  out  his  father's  wishes,  and 
the  admiral  was  interred  with  his  chains  in  the 
Convent  of  St.  Francis,  amid  the  friars  ■whom 
he  loved. 

In  1513  his  remains  were  transferred  to  So- 
ville,  thence  in  1536  to  Santo  Domingo,  and 
when  African  rule  began,  they  were  removed 
from  that  island  to  Ha'nu]«,  vbazie  Qis^  ooa 
repose. 


566 


THE    TTOBLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 

'lil!i!l!|||||fflBliil!lll||!!i''| 


THE     WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


567 


/ 


Mount  Yemon. 


MoPBT  Vebnon  is  nine  miles  below  Alexandria, 
end  is  approached  by  land  from  that  city  by 
means  of  a  road  almost  impassable  on  account 
of  gulleys,  washed  from  time  to  time  by  rains. 
The  most  agreeable  way  to  reach  it  is  to  tiko  a 
steamer,  and  go  down  the  Potomac.  By  the 
land  route,  which  is,  of  course,  the  most  varied 
by  incident,  when  within  two  miles  of  the 
venerated  mansion,  you  pass  a  large  stone 
\rhich  denotes  the  boundary  of  the  estate. 
From  this  land-mark  to  the  residence,  the 
road,  imfenced  and  devious,  passes  through  a 
greatly  diversified  region,  some  of  it  cultivated. 


trating  only  what  we  have  deemed  most  worthy 
of  attention. 

Washington's  mansion  from  the  lawn,  looking 
down  the  potomac. 

This  venerable  building  is  of  wood,  cut  80  as 
to  resemble  stone,  and  is  two  stories  in  height. 
The  central  part  of  the  building  was  erected  by 
Laurence  Wiishington,  the  wings  were  added 
by  the  General.  Through  the  centre  of  the 
building  is  a  spacious  passage,  level  with  the 
portico,  and  paved  with  tesselated  Italian 
marble.  The  hall  communicates  with  three 
large  rooms  and  with  the  main  stairway  lead- 
ing to  the  second  story.    From  the  observatory 


me,  though  he  he  dead,  yet  shall  he  tUie."  Intioetng 
this  tomb  is  a  structure  of  brick  twelve  feet 
high ;  in  front  is  an  iron  gateway,  opening 
several  feet  in  advance  of  the  vault  door,  and 
forming  a  kind  of  ante-chamber.  This  gateway 
is  flanked  by  pilasters,  surmounted  by  a  stcno 
coping,  covering  a  pointed  Gothic  arch.  On 
this  arcli  is  inscribed — "  Within  this  inclosure 
rest  the  emains  of  General  George  Washington. ' ' 
The  material  of  which  this  tomb  is  built  is 
perishable,  and  is  altogether  tm worthy  of  tho 
dead.  The  origin  of  this  tomb  is  to  IJe  found 
in  Washington's  will,  the  clause  referring  to  it 
being  as  follows  :  "The  family  vault  at  Moimfc 
Vernon  requiring  repairs,  and  being  improperly 


A 


some  of  it  returning  to  the  wilderness  state, 
and  some  appearing  as  if  never  touched  by  the 
hand  of  industry.  Suddenly,  on  ascending  a 
low,  but  steep  hUl,  a  mansion  and  its  sur- 
roundings are  before  you,  and  beyond,  the 
distant  bay  of  the  Potomac. 

The  Jlount  Vernon  estate  was  inherited  by 
Laurence  Washington,  who  named  it  in  honor 
of  Admiral  Vernon  ;  he  bequeathed  it  to  George 
Wafihington,  into  whose  jwssession  it  passed  at 
Laurence's  death,  which  occurred  on  the  26th 
of  July,  1752.  Too  much  has  been  written 
awire  niotini  Vernon  to  clemana  a  (letniieii 
description  of  all  the  interesting  rolics  to  be 
met  with,  or  the  sacred  associations  Bug  jested. 
We  shaU  therefore  confine  ourselves  to  illus- 


WASHINOTON  S  NEW   FAMILY  VAULT. 

and  cupola,  in  the  centre  of  the  roof,  is  com- 
manded an  extensive  view  of  the  country. 

WASHINOTOn'S  MANSION,  WESTERN  FRONT 

This  view  is  from  the  lawn  looking  east.  The 
buildings  seen  on  each  side  connected  with  the 
mansion  by  arcades,  are  the  servants'  houses. 

Washington's  new  pamilt  vault. 

The  new  vault  i.s  built  upon  the  side  of  a 
steep  hill,  on  tlie  edge  of  a  deep  wooded  dell, 
leading  toward  the  river.  The  front  of  the 
tonib  is  rouga,  and  has  a  plam  iron  door  in- 
serted in  the  freestone  casement.  Upon  a 
stone  over  the  r'.oor,  ar<»  in^f-'""!  th*"  words — 
'■  lam  t.'ie  re.ur,ecl'OH  and  ttie  UJe ;  he  that  believetk  m 


situated  besides,  1  desire  that  a  new  one  of 
brick,  and  upon  a  large  scale,  may  be  built  at 
the  foot  of  what  is  called  the  Vineyard  in- 
closure, on  the  ground  which  is  marked  out, 
in  which  my  remains,  and  those  of  my  de- 
cease 1  relatives  (now  in  the  old  vault)  and 
such  others  of  my  family  as  may  choose  to  he 
entombed  there,  m  y  be  deposited."  It  should 
be  remarke  J  that  the  vault  originally  built  wa« 
found  too  small  and  too  damp,  and  the  exterior 
structure  was  added  for  the  accommodation  atiH 
preservation  of  the  sarcophagi  inclosed  within  it. 

TKB  ANTB-CHAMBBK  OP  THE   rOMIi 

Looking  through  the  grating,  you  perc^iJty. 
two  marble  sarcophagi,  which  contain  tbo  do  i 


56^ 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


ANTE-CHAMBER  OF  THE  TOMB  OF  WASHINGTON 


of  George  and  Martha  Washington.  That  of  the 
patriot  has  a  sculptured  lid,  on  which  is  re- 
presented the  American  shield  suspended  over 
tlie  flag  of  the  Union  ;  the  latter  hung  in 
festoons,  and  the  whole  surmounted  as  a  crest, 
by  an  eagle,  with  open  wings,  perched  upon  the 
superior  bar  of  the  shield  Below  the  design, 
and  deeply  cut  in  the  marble,  is  the  name  of 
Washington. 

The  sarcophagi  of  Wasliington  consists  of  an 
excavated,  solid  block  of  Pennsylvania  marble, 
eight  feet  in  lengtn  and  two  in  height.  ITie 
marble  cofBn  of  Martha  Washington  stands 
upon  the  left,  and  is  plainly  wrought.     Both 


ikikik 

^ 

1 

iniy  be  seen  by  the  visitor  as  re- 
presented in  our  engraving. 

POHICK   CHURCH. 

Al)Out  seven  miles  south-west 
of  Mount  Vernon,  upon  an  ele- 
vation, surrounded  by  ancient 
oaks,  chestnut  and  pines,  is  to 
be  seen  the  old  Pohick  church, 
made  memorable  as  the  place 
where  George  Washington  wor- 
shiped his  Maker.  It  has  of  late 
years  been  left  to  decay.  In  the 
days  of  Washington  it  was  con- 
sidered a  large  and  respectable 
church,  and  had  a  large  and 
wealthy  congregation  in  constant 
attendance.  Upon  the  walls 
back  of  the  chancel  are  in- 
scribed the  Law,  the  Prayer, 
and  the  Creed,  upon  which  the 
eyes  of  Washington  must  have 
rested  whenever  he  attended 
church  His  pew  was  near  the 
pulpit. 

Washington's  pew. 

The  pews  were  large  and  had 
seats  on  three  sides,  and  painted 
lead-color.  Upon  the  doors  of 
several  of  these  pews  are  still  to 
be  seen  the  initials  of  the  former 
occupants,  among  which  are  G. 
Wm.  Fairfax,  George  Mason, 
who.  with  Washington,  were  the 
leading  men  of  the  parish. 

THE   PtILPIT. 

The  pulpit  is  placed  by  itself 
on  one  side  of  the  church,  away 
from  tlie  chancel.  It  was  in  its 
day  considered  a  fine  specimen 
of  church  architecture,  and  p<5s- 
sesses  the  peculiarity  of  a  sounding  board,  once 
considered  so  necessary  to  help  out  the  voice 
of  the  speaker,  and  also  serve  as  an  ornament 
to  the  main  structure  itself. 

Pohick  Church  derived  its  name  from  a  small 
river  near  it,  called  by  the  Indians  Powheck, 
which  was  finally  corrupted  into  the  present 
name.  Mount  Vernon  was  in  Truro  Parish, 
and  in  the  affairs  of  the  church  Washington 
took  a  lively  interest.      About  1764  the  old 

church,    which    stood  in   a 

different  part  of  the  parish, 
had  fallen  into  decay,  and  it 
was  resolved  to  build  a  new 
one.  Its  location  became  a 
matter  of  considerable  excite- 
ment, some  contending  for 
the  old  site,  others  for  one 
nearer  the  centre  of  the 
parish. 

Among  the  latter  was  Wash- 
ington. A  meeting  for  settling 
the  question  was  finally  held. 
George  Mason,  who  led  the 
party  favorable  to  the  old  site, 
made  an  elegant  harangue, 
conjuring  the  people  not  to 
desert  the  sacred  spot,  conse- 
crated by  the  bones  of  their 
ancestors.  It  produced  a  power- 
ful effect,  and  it  was  thought 
there  would  not  be  a  dissenting 


TOP  OF  THE  SARCOPHAGUS. 

Washingtoa  then  rose,  and  drew  from  his 
pocket  an  accurate  survey  which  he  had  made 
of  the  whole  parish,  in  which  he  had  marked, 
together  with  the  place  of  residence  of  each 
parishoner,  the  site  of  the  old  church,  and  the 
proposed  location  of  the  new  one.  He  spread 
his  map  before  his  audience,  briefly  explained 
it,  expressed  a  hope  that  they  would  not  allow 
their  judgment  to  be  guided  by  their  feelings, 
and  sat  down.  The  silent  argument  of  the 
map  was  potent ;  a  large  majority  went  in 
favor  of  the  new  site,  and  in  1765  Pohick 
Church  was  built 

"»«>«»■ 

The  Charter  Oak. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  1856,  this  noble  old 
historic  tree  was  blown  down  by  a  tornado 
which  swept  over  Hartford,  Conn. 

Our  engraving  is  the  very  latest  taken  of  the 
living  Charter  Oak,  and  therefore  possesses  a 


_<^ 


HX 


in 


i. ; 


f 


^i 


'.m 


Am 


UmOKIAL  BBAKINQS  Or  TUG  WASUINOTONg. 


UiaCBIFnON   OTBK   THE  DOOR   OF   IBE  il0C»£  OJi 
WiSBINOTONa. 


CNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA. 


669 


Yalue  that  increases  with  years.  It  stood  upon 
the  beautiful  grounds  of  Hon.  Isaac  W.  Stuart, 
late  the  Wyllys  estate,  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  city.  About  twenty-eight  years  ago  some 
boys  built  a  fire  in  the  hollow  of  this  tree, 
■which  burnt  out  the  jjunk,  and  though  it  was 
feared  that  this  would  kill  it,  such  was  not  the 
tact.     Fresh    sprouts    sprung    out    the    next 


poniCK  CHUBcn,  where  WASHiNaroN  worshiped. 

I  Spring,  and  Mr.  Stuart  took  great  pains  to  pre- 
serve this  valued  relic  of  the  original  forests  to 
New  England,  but  more  especially  interesting 
'  as  the  tree  in  which  the  old  British  charter  of 
i  Connecticut  was  secreted  and  preserved. 

At  this  time  the  hollow  in  the  trunk  of  the 
old  oak  was  so  large  that  a  fire  company  of 
twenty-seven  full-grown  men  stood  up  in  it 
together.  Before  Governor  Wj'llys  came  to 
America  he  sent  his  steward  forward  to  pre- 
pare a  place  for  his  residence. 

As  he  was  cutting  away  the  trees  upon  the 
hillside  of  the  beautiful  Wyllys  Place,  a  depu- 
tation of  Indians  came  to  him  and  requested 
that  he  would  spare  this  old  hollow  oak.  They 
declared  that  it  had  ' '  been  the  guide  of  their 
ancestors  for  centuries." 

It  was  spared,  to  fall  on 
the  above  day,  having  fin- 
ally yielded  to  the  process 
of  natural  decay. 

On  the  31st  of  October, 
1687,  Sir  Edmund  Andross, 
attended  by  members  of  his 
council  and  a  body-guard 
of  sixty  soldiers,  entered 
Hartford  to  take  the  charter 
by  force.  The  General  As- 
sembly was  in  session.  He 
was  received  with  courtesy, 
but  coldness.  He  entered 
the  Assembly  -  room,  and 
publicly  demanded  the 
charter.  Remonstrances 
were  made,  and  the  session 


was  protracted  till  evening.  The  Governor 
and  his  associates  appeared  to  yield.  The 
charter  was  brought  in  and  laid  upon  the 
table.  Sir  Edmund  thought  that  the  last  mo- 
ment of  the  colony  had  come,  when  suddenly 
the  lights  were  all  put  out,  and  total  darkness 
followed.  There  was  no  noise,  no  resistance, 
but  all  was  quiet.  The  candles  were  again 
lighted,  but  the  charter  was  gone.  Sir  Edmund 
Andross  was  disconcerted.  He  declared  the 
government  of  Connecticut  to  be  in  his  own 
hands,  and  that  the  colony  was  annexed  to 
Massachusetts  and  other  New  England  colonies, 
and  appointed  officers. 

While  he  was  doing  this.  Captain  Jeremiah 
Wadsworth,  an  ardent  patriot  of  those  troubled 
times,  was  concealing  the  charter  in  the  hollow 


TrASBINGTON'S  FKV. 


570 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa  j 


of  Wyllys  Oak,  now  known  as  the  Charter 
Oak. 

In  1689  King  James  abdicated,  and  on  the 
9th  of  May  of  that  year.  Governor  Treat  and 
his  associate  oflScers  established  the  govern- 
ment of  Connecticut  under  the  charter  which 
had  been  preserved  in  the  old  hollow  oak. 
►-•-< 

Eoger  Williams's  Departure    from  Salem. 

In  the  early  history  of  New  England  there  is 
no  more  interesting  character  than  Koger  Wil- 
liams. At  that  time  in  our  history,  the  great 
interest  of  men  was  in  theological  subjects,  and 
their  differences  arose  from  disputes  on  points 
of  doctrine,  the  meaning  of  which  the  mo- 
dem world  can  scarcely  comprehend. 


his  own,  the  fundamental  article  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  which  estabUshed  a  pure  democracy 
with  absolute  inhibition  of  control  over  the 
consciences  of  those  who  joined  it. 

This  character  remained  with  the  colony 
during  the  remainder  of  Williams's  life,  the 
history  of  which  for  nearly  half  a  century  is 
the  history  of  Providence  and  Ehode  Island. 


Natural  Bridge  over  Oedar  Oreekj 
This  bridge  is  as  perfect  as  if  made  by  man. 
Everything  is  on  so  grand  a  scale,  that  we  hardly 
imagine  it  two  hundred  and  fourteen  feet  from 
the  roadway  to  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and 
about  the  height  of  a  three -story  house  from 
the  centre  of  the  span  to  the  top    Then  glancing 


so,  when   standing  at  the  top  and   looking 
down. 

A  number  of  years  ago,  a  young  man  from 
one  of  the  neighboring  counties  came  to  visit 
the  bridge,  and,  after  looking  around,  com- 
menced the  usual  operation  by  carving  his 
name,  when  the  initials  "  G.  W.,"  high  up  on 
the  face  of  the  rock,  met  his  eye,  and  imme- 
diately the  desire  seized  him  to  carve  his  own 
name  still  higher.  By  digging  holes  in  the 
soft  sandstone,  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
little  tracks  in  the  rock,  he  worked  his  way 
step  by  step  until  the  desired  height  was 
reached.  When  it  is  remembered  that  this  was 
greater  than  that  of  an  ordinary  three-story 
house,  some  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  under- 
taking    After  cutting  his  name  he  tried  to 


Early  in  1631  Eoger  Williams  arrived  in  Bos- 
ton with  his  wife  Mary,  having  the  reputation 
of  a  "young  minister,  godly  and  zealous,  hav- 
ing precious  gifts,"  but  soon  incurred  the  hos- 
tility of  the  authorities  by  his  religious  opinions, 
and  chiefly  by  denying  that  the  magistrates  had 
a  right  to  punish  for  any  but  civil  offenses. 

He  soon  left  Boston  and  went  to  Salem, 
where  he  was  settled  as  an  assistant  minister. 

His  ministry  here  was  brief,  and  he  retired 
to  Plymouth  for  ten  years. 

Keturning  then  to  Salem,  he  became  the 
Buccessor  of  Skelton,  whose  assistant  he  had 
formerly  been,  but  in  the  Autumn  of  1635  was 
banished  by  a  decree  of  the  General  Court, 
who  ordered  him  to  depart  in  six  weeks  from 
its  jurisdiction. 

Being  thus  forcibly  ejected  from  the  colony, 
Williams  retired  to  what  is  now  the  State  of 
Jihode  Island,  and  there  founded  a  colony  of 


BOOEB  Williams's  defabtitre  fboh  balem. 

from  the  massive  walls  of  rock  to  the  little 
stream  bubbling  at  our  feet,  we  wonder  if  it  be 
really  possible  for  that  slender  thread  of  water 
to  have  worn  its  way  through  so  much  solid 
rock.  From  almost  every  possible  crevice  hang 
fern  leaves,  or  bunches  of  wild  flowers,  and  the 
various  greens  of  the  foliage  around  contrast 
very  beautifully  with  the  cool  gray  of  the  lime- 
stone, which  is  itself,  in  many  places,  frescoed 
over  with  lichens. 

Directly  under  the  arch  is  a  stain,  by  some 
thought  to  be  a  very  good  representation  of 
the  American  Eagle  conquering  the  British 
Lion,  and  by  others  to  be  an  excellent  likeness 
of  General  Washington.  We  could  not  our- 
selves see  much  resemblance  to  either,  and  so 
refrain  from  an  opinion. 

A  story  is  told  and  vouched  for,  whichOs 
very  thrilling  as  one  stands  at  the  bottomvof 
the  chasm  and  looks  up,  or  perhaps  even  more 


descend,  but  here  was  the  trouble ;  he  could 
not  put  his  hands  in  the  same  hole  wher.e  his 
feet  were,  and  so,  in  an  instant,  the  terrible 
nature  of  his  situation  flashed  across  him  :  he 
must  climb  to  the  top  Being  "blessed  with  a 
stout  heart  and  a  good  knife,  he  again  com- 
menced his  fearful  climb.  Quickly  the  news 
spread,  and  groups  of  men  collected  to  watch 
this  struggle  for  life,  and,  «Sf  possible,  lend 
their  aid.  As  he  climbed  higher,  the  rock  grew 
harder,  and  slow  and  difficult  his  progress, 
until  at  last  his  knife  broke ;  then  he  had  to 
take  the  smaller  blade,  and  work  still  slower 
and  more  carefully. 

The  day  passed  on,  and  the  sun  was  sinking, 
when,  weary  and  exhausted  by  hard  labor  and 
mental  torture,  the  poor  fellow  reached  a.point 
so  as  to  be  visible  from  above,  when  a  rope 
was  let  down  over  his  shoulders,  and  h6  WSB 
drawn  up. 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMEBIOA. 


571 


,    NATURAL    BRIDGE    OVER    CEDAR    CBEEK. 


672 


THi    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


•      %. 


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UNITED    STATES    OF   AMERICA. 


57S 


Masked  Men  Destioyinf:  Firearms  on  Board 
the  Steamer  "  Hesper." 
The  steam-tug  Nettie  Jones,  Captain  Ford, 
left  the  wharf  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  on  Thursday 
afternoon.  October  15th,  18G8,  for  Pickering, 
having  a  barge  in  tow.  The  tug  reached  her 
destination  and  landed  a  line,  but  had  scarcely 
made  fast  when  the  scene  was  covered  with 
men,  securely  masked,  probably  one  hundred 
in  number.  They  quietly  boarded  the  tug, 
took  possession  of  the  pilot-house  and  engine- 
room,  and  ordered  the  captain  to  start  down 
the  river.  When  approaching  Cat  Island, 
twenty-five  miles  below,  and  near  the  Arkan- 


in  an  attack  on  Jamestown,  and  the  expulsion 
of  the  colonists;  being  offered,  as  an  induce- 
ment, as  much  land  and  as  many  wives  as  he 
chose  to  demand.  He  refused  the  proposal, 
when  a  solemn  assembly  was  held  of  all  the 
chiefs,  over  whom  Powhatan  presided,  and 
they  decided  on  his  death. 

' '  After  so  many  escapes,  he  now  felt  that  his 
doom  was  sealed.  Two  long  stones  were  placed 
at  the  feet  of  the  king,  on  which  Smith  was 
stretched.  The  chiefs  stood  round  him ;  be- 
hind them  were  the  common  people  ;  there  was 
profound  silence.  Powhatan  himself  claimed 
the  right  of  being  the  executioner.  Ho  rose 
from  his  seat,  lifted  his  club,  and  was  about 


liberty,  and  two  Indian  gnides  conducted  him 
to  Jamestown.  As  a  gage  of  peace  he  sent 
back  to  the  king  two  muskets,  some  lead,  and 
a  mold  for  casting  bullets. 

"Pocahontas  was  not  thirteen  years  of  ag© 
when  she  saved  Smith's  life.  On  Smith's  death, 
the  colonists  seized  and  detained  her  as  an 
hostage,  to  secure  themselves  against  violence 
or  treachery  from  the  savages,  and  at  length, 
with  her  own  consent  and  that  of  her  father, 
she  married  a  Mr.  Rolfe,  who  took  her  to  Eng- 
land. She  lived  some  years  in  London  and. 
Brentford,  but  died  of  consumption  at  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  at  Gravesend,  as  she  was 
preparing  to  start  to  America,  the  physicians 


MASKED  MKN  DBSTROfTNO  PIBBAKMS  OV  BOARD  THE  STEAMBOAT  "  HESFEK."  OFK  CAT  ISLA;«D,  ARKANSAS  SHORE. 


sas  shore.  Captain  Ford  was  ordered  to  run 
the  tug  alongside  the  little  steamer  Hegper, 
which  was  tied  up  wooding.  This  was  no 
sooner  done  than  the  men,  leaving  a  party  on 
guard,  sprang  aboard  the  Hesper,  placed  the 
crew  under  surveillance,  and  then  proceeded 
to  throw  into  the  water  all  the  firearms  and 
ammunition  they  could  find  in  tha  steamboat. 
The  party  returned  to  the  tug,  and  it  was  run 
ashore  at  a  point  below  Memphis,  the  masked 
men  effecting  their  escape  in  a  skiff. 


Pocahontas  Saving  the  Life  of  John  Smith. 

This  interesting  event  in  the  early  history  of 
Virginia  is  thus  related  by  an  American  writer : 

"After  being  led  from  tribe  to  tribe,  he  was 
asked  to  live  with  the  savages,  and  lead  them 


to  strike  the  fatal  blow,  when  a  young  girl 
sprang  forward  and  placed  her  head  between 
the  head  of  Smith  and  the  impending  club. 
She  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  Powhatan,  his 
favorite  child,  the  beautiful  Pocahontas.  She 
stretched  out  her  arms  toward  her  father,  and 
besought  him  to  spare  the  prisoner's  life. 

"At  first  the  king  was  highly  incensed  at 
this  interruption,  but  he  was  too  fond  of  Poca- 
hontas to  be  untouched  by  her  tears.  He  looked 
round  the  circle  of  his  warriors,  and  sought  in 
the  expression  of  their  countenances  a  stern- 
ness of  resolution  in  which  he  had  faUed.  In 
fact,  they  all  evidently  compassionated  the 
victim  whom  a  short  time  before  they  had 
doomed  to  sacrifice. 

"  '  Let  him  live  !'  at  last  exclaimed  Powhatan, 
On  the  following  day  Smith  was  restored  to 


having  recommended  a  return  to  her  native 
air.  She  left  a  son,  who,  twenty  years  after  his 
mother's  death,  established  himself  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  to  this  ancestry  many  Virginian 
families  are  proud  of  tracing  their  origin. 

"  Smith  is  considered  the  real  founder  of 
Virginia,  for  he  gave  it  stability  and  a  durable 
organization.  He  afterward  explored  the  shores 
of  New  England  ;  and  his  name  will  always  be 
remembered  in  American  history  as  one  ot 
the  most  enterprising  and  able  pioneers  (A. 

civilization." 

. >  >  < 

John  Brown's  Eaid. 
On  the  17th  of  October,  1859,  this  country- 
was  astonished,  to  learn  by  the  electric  tele^ 
graph    that    a    well-known    politician,    Johi^ 
Brown,   sumamed  Ossawattomie  Brown,  bad. 


574 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


at  tbe  head  of  some  twenty  or  thirty  enthusi- 
asts, seized  the  arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and 
bade  defiance  to  the  State  authorities. 

The  attempt  was  so  unexpected  and  daring, 
that,  for  the  moment,  the  GoTernment  was 
paralyzed ;  but  soon  regaining  its  presence  of 
mind,  troops  were  dispatched  to  the  scene  of 
action,  and  after  a  desperate  resistance  on  tbe 


gnished  all  the  lights  in  the  town,  and  then 
took  possession  of  the  armory,  which  was  only 
guarded  by  three  watchmen.  At  half-past 
ten  o'clock  the  watchman  at  the  Potomac 
Bridge  was  seized  and  secured.  A  little  after 
midnight  the  house  of  Colonel  Washington 
was  visited  by  six  of  Brown's  men,  who  took 
him  prisoner. 


sabre-cut  in  the  face.  AH  of  tbe  insnrgentl 
would  have  been  killed  on  the  spot  had  the 
Virginians  been  able  to  distinguish  them  from 
their  prisoners. 

On  October  19,  the  four  surviring  prisoners 
were  conveyed  to  the  jail  at  Charlestown.  Oa 
the  1st  of  November,  after  a  short  trial,  Brovm 
and  hia  fellow-prisoners  were  found  guilty, 


part  of  John  Brown  and  his  little  band,  the 
arsenal  was  stormed  and  the  conspirators  were 
taken  prisoners,  several  of  them  having  been 
killed  in  the  action.  It  was  then  discovered 
that  Brown's  forces  amounted  to  but  seventeen 
white  men  and  five  colored  men.  The  entry 
of  this  petty  army  into  Harper's  Ferry,  on 
Sunday  evening,  October  17th,  was  effected 
frithout  causing  any  alarm.  .They  first  extin- 


JOHN   BBOWN. 

About  one  o'clock  p.  m.,  a  militia  force  of 
one  hundred  men  arrived  from  Charlestown, 
and  was  so  stationed  as  to  completely  com- 
mand the  armory,  so  as  to  prevent  the  escape 
of  any  of  Brown's  followers.  At  seven  o  clock 
the  next  morning  the  door  was  broken  open 
by  the  militia,  using  a  ladder  as  a  battering 
ram.  Several  were  kiUed  and  wounded,  and 
Brown  himself  received  two  severe  stabs  and  a 


and  on  the  2d  of  December  Brown  was  pxfti 
cuted  at  Charlestown,  about  eight  miles  from 
Harper's  Ferry.  Brown  met  his  fate  with  the 
greatest  dignity  and  courage,  winning  the  re- 
spect of  even  Governor  H.  A.  Wise  of  Virginia 
— who,  some  two  years  afterward,  lost  his 
son  in  the  battle  of  Koanoke,  fighting  against 
the  Bepublic.  The  rest  of  tho  coospiratora 
were  executed  soon  afterward. 


CNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


675 


Morton  Killing  the  Pawnee  Indian. 

The  mawMah  sentiment  evinced  for  the  cold- 
blooded red  men  is  a  disgrace  to  humanity. 
They  have  not  one  redeeming  virtue.  The 
infamous  manner  with  which  they  treat  their 
own  females  shows  that  they  are  many  de- 
grees below  the  beasts  of  the  field.  Much  of 
this  imbecile  sympathy  with  the  "  red  devils," 
as  they  are  truly  called  by  those  who  know 
them  best,  is  the  result  of  those  distorted  fic- 
tions with  which,  fifty  years  ago,  Fenimore 
■Cooper  inundated  the  public.  The  creed  of 
those  goriUa-like  beings  is  murder  and  theft, 
and  the  candid  inquirer  will  not  be  able  to  find 
a  single  virtue  except  a  brute  indifference  to 
physical  suffering.  It  must  be  confessed  that 
ihey  both  know  but  to 
■endure  and  inflict. 

We  illustrate  one  of 
those  thrilling  scenes 
with  which  our  border 
history  is  so  rife.  The 
occurrence  happened 
eome  twelve  years  ago 
in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Eocky  Mountains, 
where  a  tribe  of  Pawnee 
savages  had  located  for 
some  time.  A  settler 
named  Morton  dwelt  in 
a  log  hut  with  his 
brother,  and  both  of ' 
them  had  for  years  been 
on  good  terms  with  the 
chief  and  his  tribe.  A 
quarrel  had,  however, 
arisen  between  the  Mor- 
tons and  the  chief,  who 
had  been  accused  by 
the  elder  one  of  stealing 
one  of  his  horses.  With 
the  usual  vindictiveness 
of  the  redskin,  Big 
Thunder,  the  chief, 
threatened  vengeance  — 
but  he  had  to  deal  with 
men  as  fearless  and 
sagacious  as  himself. 

One  day,  the  elder 
Morton  got  a  glimpse  of 
Big  Thunder  hiding  be- 
hind some  foliage,  and  he  at  once  suspected 
his  errand.  His  brother  being  at  a  distant 
part  of  the  ranch,  he  had  only  his  own  arm 
to  depend  on.  With  that  instinctive  sagacity 
■which  living  in  these  wild  parts  gives  to  our 
countrymen,  he  knew  the  Indian  would  en- 
deavor to  steal  a  march  on  him  by  furtively 
getting  in  at  the  loft-window.  Quick  as  a 
thought  Morton  seized  a  heavy  and  sharp  axe, 
and  climbing  up  the  ladder  that  led  from  the 
lower  floor  to  the  upper,  he  awaited  the  com- 
ing of  his  cowardly  assassin.  He  had  not 
long  to  wait.  Noiselessly  and  slowly  the 
«hutter  of  the  loft  was  opened,  and  the  dusky 
form  of  Big  Thunder  was  about  entering  when 
tia  eyes  caught  the  upraised  axe  of  the 
-white  man.  The  next  instant  it  fell,  and  the 
baflJed  brars  lunk  dsad  into  the  loft  with  a 
claft  ikttll. 


Jane  McOrea. 

There  are  few  American  woman  around 
whom  more  interest  has  centred  than  Jane 
McCrea,  her  sad  fate  amid  the  complexities  of 
civil  war  investing  her  career  with  everything 
that  can  awaken  the  sympathy  of  the  human 
heart. 

Born  in  the  parsonage  of  a  little  Episcopal 
church  in  New  Jersey,  over  which  her  father 
presided  till  his  death,  a  few  years  before  the 
outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  she  had  grown  up 
a  beautiful  blue-eyed  girl,  with  auburi  hair 
and  a  fresh  complexion.  Her  brother  having 
resolved  to  try  his  fortune  in  Northern  New 
York,  she  accompanied  him  to  the  Upper 
Hudson,  the  old  battle-ground  between  New 


JOHN   BROWN   BtTBTIKG   THE   DEAD  INSURGENTS. 

York  and  Canada,  now,  with  both  colonies 
under  one  rule,  promising  to  grow  in  popula- 
tion and  importance  with  inconceivable  rapid- 
ity. Settling  near  Fort  Edward,  the  McCreas 
became  general  favorites,  and  Jane  won  the 
heart  and  devotion  of  a  young  man  named 
David  Jones. 

The  fair  horizon  began  to  cloud  over ;  war 
was  again  to  sweep  over  the  frontier.  The 
Eevolution  began,  and  before  the  revolted 
colonies  declared  independence,  when  their 
officers  scarcely  knew  in  whose  name  they 
acted,  their  troops  were  marching,  as  of  old, 
on  the  Canada  borders.  Families  divided, 
friends  parted  for  ever,  to  side  with  king  or 
colony. 

Young  Jones  hastened  to  Canada,  to  give  his 
arm  to  the  royal  cause,  and  when  Burgoyne 
advanced  into  New  York  Jones  was  a  captain 


in  a  Loyalist  regiment.  As  the  British  forces 
approached  the  scene  of  his  former  life,  the 
spot  where  she,  whom  he  prized  above  life, 
still  lingered,  his  fears  were  awakened  for  her 
safety.  And  Jane,  on  her  side,  lingered  at  the 
house  of  Mrs.  McNiel,  a  widow  lady,  whose 
house  stood  near  the  foot  of  a  hill,  a  shorti 
distance  north  of  Fort  Edward.  Captain  Jonesf 
at  last  sent  some  Indians  with  a  letter  to  her, 
in  which  he  entreated  her  to  put  herself  under 
their  guidance,  as  he  saw  no  other  means  by 
which  she  could  safely  reach  him,  any  attempt 
on  his  own  part  being  too  perilous,  frcm  the 
hatred  felt  for  him  by  his  old  associates.  She 
accordingly  started  with  Mrs.  McNiel,  and  had 
proceeded  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the 
summit  of  the  hill,  to  a  fine  spring  near  a  huge 
\)ine-tree.  Here  her  In- 
dian guides  halted,  and 
were  suddenly  joined  by 
another  party,  who  bad 
attacked  a  neighboring 
picket  of  American 
soldiers,  killing  the  lieu- 
tenant and  five  others. 
These  men,  flushed  with 
victory  and  heated  by 
the  sight  of  blood,  had, 
it  seems,  been  included 
by  CaiJtain  Jones  in  those 
to  whom  he  promised  a 
reward  for  bringing  in 
Miss  McCrea,  whom  they 
supposed  some  prisoner 
of  importance  whose  per- 
son he  desired  to  secure, 
and  apparently  quite  un- 
conscious of  his  real 
wishes. 

They  began  to  quarrel 
about  the  fair  division 
of  the  expected  reward, 
and  even  came  to  vio- 
lence and  blows.  In  the 
midst  of  it,  a  chief  coolly 
drew  a  pistol  and  fired 
at  Miss  McCrea.  Pierced 
to  the  heart,  the  poor 
girl  fell  and  expired 
without  a  struggle. 

The  bloodthirsty  brute 
then  seized  her  long 
auburn  locks,  and  in  a  moment  bounded 
up  with  the  scalp-cry,  as  he  tossed  the  bloody 
trophy  in  the  air.  It  was  all  he  bore  to  Cap- 
tain Jones  to  prove  that  he  had  fulfilled  his 
commission. 

The  body  of  the  murdered  girl,  left  under 
the  tree,  gashed  and  mangled,  was  found  by 
the  American  party  sent  out  in  pursuit  of  the 
savage  assailants.  Her  brother  soon  hastened 
to  the  spot,  and  bore  her  remains  to  a  quiet 
resting-place  on  the  river-side. 

Mystery  long  hung  over  the  cause  of  her 
death,  but  the  return  of  Samuel  Standish,  a 
picket  taken  by  one  of  the  parties,  and  a  help- 
less, wounded  spectator  of  the  scene,  rsmoved 
all  doubt. 

The  Loyalist  captain  never  recovered  from 
the  shock ;  he  lived  a  few  years^  and  soon  diad 
broken-hearted. 


676 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


04 


M 
o 

E-t 

o 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


577 


MUKDER    OF  JANE    MoCREA    BY    THE    INDIANS. 


6T8 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Mammoth  Cave. 
Ahong  the  great  wonders  of  the  world  the 
Mammoth  Cave  of  Kentucky  stands  prominent. 
It  is  In  Edmondson's  County,  and  is  on  the  line 
between  Nashville  and  Louisville,  the  railroad 
between  these  two  cities  taking  the  traveler 
within  eight  miles.  The  country  around  is 
very  romantic — now  ascending  lofty  mountains, 
and  now  traversing  dense  woods,  of  almost 
primeval  appearance.  Near  to  the  Cave  is  the 
well-known 

CAVE    HOTBX, 

which  is  two  stories  high,  and  two  hundred 
feet  long,  with  brick  buildings  at  each  ex- 
tremity. Our  engraving  is  a  faithful  represen- 
tation.    The 

BNTKANCB  TO  THE  CAVE 

is  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  back  of 
the  hotel.  To  reach  it,  the  visitor  has  to  pass 
down  a  romantic  ravine,  whose  towering  trees 
form  a  fine  arch  overhead,  so  dense  as  to  throw 
a  sombre  shade  over  the  daylight.  A  descent  of 
about  thirty  feet  of  rude  stone  steps  leads  to  a 
small  stream  of  water.  Here  the  guide  puts 
into  the  hands  of  each  explorer  a  small  lamp. 
After  a  short  progress,  a  doorway  is  reached. 
It  is  called  ''the  Narrows,"  and  leads  into  the 
great  ante-chamber  of  the  Cave.  Here  now  the 
visitor  finds  himself  in  complete  darkness.  The 
Audubon  Avenue  is  over  a  mile  long,  about 
fifty  feet  wide,  and  as  many  high.  In  it  a  well 
twenty-five  feet  deep,  and  containing  the 
purest  water,  has  been  discovered.  It  is  filled 
with  innumerable  stalagmitic  columns — the  re- 
flection of  the  lights  from  which  is  very  beauti- 
ful. The  Little  Baboon  is  a  branch  of  this 
avenue,  and  contains  a  pit  two  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  deep.  Here,  during  the  Winter, 
thousands  of  these  ominous-looking  birds, 
which  the  vulgar  mind  associates  with  vam- 
pires, bang  in  a  torpid  state.  When  Spring 
comes  thcv  mysteriously  disappear. 

from  the  vestibule  the  grand  gallery  takes  its 


THE   CAVE   HOTEL. 

way.  The  exact  length  is  not  precisely  known, 
but  it  must  extend  many  miles.  It  is  about 
fifty  feet  in  height,  and  the  same  in  width. 

In  leaving  the  grand  gallery,  or  main  ctive, 
as  it  is  sometimes  called,  and  ascending  a  flight 
of  steps  of  about  thirty  feet,  the  visitor  comes 
to 

THE   GOTHIC    AVENUE, 

SO  called  from  its  strong  resemblance  to  a 
Gothic  building.  The  dimensions  are  forty  feet 
in  width,  fifteen  feet  in  height,  and  two  miles 
in  length.  The  appearance  of  the  ceiling  is 
quite  smooth,  while  an  excellent  road  has  been 
in;ide  underneatli ;  the  atmosphere  is  very  tem- 
perate.    Near  the   entrance,   some   years   ago. 


ENTRANCE  TO   THE   CAVE. 

two  mummies  were  found  ;  one  was  that  of  a 
woman ;  a  third  mummy  was  founi  bv  some 
minens,  in  1814  ;  but  it  is  not  known  what  has 


become  of  them.  At  tiie  side  of  one  of  the 
liodies  were  found  a  pair  of  moccasins,  a  knap- 
sack and  a  kind  of  bag.  The  mocciisiiis  were 
made  of  wove  or  knit  bark  ;  the  workmansliip 
was  very  neat ;  the  knapsack  was  also  made  of 
the  same  material.  The  has,'  containeil  beads, 
strings,  the  claw  of  an  eagle,  some  needles  of 
horn  and  bone,  two  whistles  made  of  cane,  and 
two  rattlesnake  skins. 

Thes>;  were  all  to  mark  the  date  when  this 
now  discolorel  dry  bit  of  dead  humanity  walked 
the  earth.  The  Gothic  Avenue  is  sometimes 
called  the  Haunted  Chamber  ;  why,  there  is  no 
special  reason  to  give,  since  only  one  of  the 
mummies  referred  to  was  found  in  it. 

In  it  are  a  number  of  stalactites— one  of 
which  is  called  the  Bell,  from  its  formerly  sound- 
ing like  one,  when  struck  with  any  heavy  sub- 
stance. An  enterprising  tourist  from  Penn- 
sylvania, however,  by  his  violent  efforts  to  get 
a  louder  sound  out  of  it,  broke  it  some  twenty- 
four  years  ago,  and  since  then  it  has  1  een  quite 
mute. 

The  tourist  now  comes  to  Louisa's  Bower,  and 
Vulcan's  Fiunace ;  then  come  the  New  and 
Old  Eegister  Booms.  The  ceiling  of  these  rooms 
is  perfectly  smooth,  and  would  be  of  an  un- 
sullied white,  had  not  numerous  persons,  witli 
a  vulgar  and  disgusting  egotism,  traced  their 
obscure  names  upon  it  with  the  smoke  of  a 
candle. 

When  the  visitors  leave  the  Old  Register 
Boom,  they  give  up  their  lamps  to  the  guide, 
who  retains  his  own  for  the  purpose  of  explora- 
tion. In  the  Cave  are  signs  and  tokens  of 
other  days,  and  of  uses  ditferent  to  those  which 
pertain  to  it  at  present.  Here  are  the  ruins  of 
old  nitre  works,  vats,  pump-frames  and  wooden 
pipes.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  nitrous 
earth  in  the  Mammoth  Cave  is  sufficient  to 
supply  the  whole  world  vlth  saltpetre.  So 
deeply  impregnated  with  tht  nitrate  of  linif 
is  the  earth  in  the  Cave,  that  it  yields  from 
three  to  five  pounds  per  bushel.    During  tl.e 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


679 


I 


war  of  1812,  the  works  here  were  in  full  blast, 
and  yielded  a  large  profit ;  but  the  return  of 
peace  brought  the  saltpetre  troin  the  East 
Indies,  and  drove  the  American  article  entirely 
from  the  market.  An  idea  may  be  formed  of 
the  extent  of  the  numufacture  of  saltpetre  in 
these  years,  from  the  fact  that  the  contract  for 
the  supply  of  the  fixed  alkali  alone  from  the 
Cave,  in  1814,  wi.4  $27,000. 

TIIK   fiOTIIIC   CMAPF.I. 

is  one  of  the  greatest  natural  architectural  curi- 
osities in  the  world.  It  is  elliptical  in  form,  its 
dimensions  being  eighty  feet  long 
by  fifty  wide.  The  two  ends  are 
ncirly  blocked  up  by  stalagmitic 
colunms  of  large  size  ;  two  rows  of 
pillars  smiller  than  the  others 
reach  from  the  tloor  to  the  ceiling. 
Thay  are  equi  li.stant  from  the  wall 
1)11  cither  si  le,  and  extend  the  full 
h'iigth.  We  have  already  men- 
tioned that  the  guide  took  all  the 
li'4"hts  aw.iy  excoiit  tlie  one  he 
cirried. 

The  reason  is  n')W  apparent.    He  ■"'-'Vsi' 

has,  in  the  intervid  of  departure 
from  the  old  Register  Hall  to  the  (  ^,. 
arrival  in  the  present  portion  of  v' 
the  cave,  so  dispose  1  of  the  lamps 
as  to  cause  their  reflections  to  fall 
ipon  the  pillars  and  ceiling,  bring- 
in!;  out  every  detail  of  the  chapel. 

The  I'lfjct  is  very  striking.    You 
'  bok  around,  and  you   see   before     y 
^ou  what   so:!ms    the    fli'st  grand, 
rough  idei  of  a  Gothic  cfithedVal, 
with   all    the     delicite    unfinished 
tracery   ere   it    b;comes  waked   up 
1 1  artistic    nicety   by  the   hand  of 
mm.     Nature,    whose    common 
function  is   to  supply  the  material    Iq 
tor  human  skill  to  work  upon,  has     -' 
acted  a  double   part  here,  for  she     ; ' 
has  not  only  given  the  means,  lut     y^ 
has  blende  1  them  into  rocognize  1 
form  and  proportion. 

Here   i-i    situated    the    curie  sity 
calle  1  th3 

devil's    Al!M-CH.\tR, 

which  is  a  large  stalagmitic  column, 
the  centre  of  which  forms  a  spacious 
seat.  When  visitors  are  shown  this 
chair,  and  are  told  whose  it  is, 
there  is  a  great  desire  to  rest  in  it. 
After  proceeding  a  short  distance 
along  gloomy  corridors,  the  tourist 
comes  to  the 

STAR   CHAMBER, 

which  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
most  curious  sights  there.  It  is  a 
m  i'.;nificent  long  hall,  with  perpendicular  arches 
oneitherside,  and  a  fiat  ceiling.  The  side  rocks 
ire  of  a  light  color,  and  stand  out  in  relief 
against  the  dark  ceiling,  which  is  studded  with 
innumerable  sparkling  substances  resembling 
stars. 

The  guide,  on  approaching  the  chamber  takes 
the  lanterns  from  each  visitor,  and  places  them 
in  a  hole  in  the  rock,  to-subdue  the  light,  and' 
make  the  illusion  more  perfect. 

The  side  rocks  do  not  reach  within  three  feet 
of  the  ceiling,  and  no  connection  can  be  seen 
bHween  it  and  the  sides  ;  the  contrast  between 


the  dark  ceiling  and  the  light  side  rocks  is  so 
great  that  the  ceiling  appears  to  be  at  an  im- 
mense distance,  and  after  gazing  at  it  for  a  few 
minutes  the  spectator  fancies  he  is  standing 
beneath  the  starry  canopy  of  heaven. 

Leaving  the  Star  Chamber,  the  visitor  will 
perceive,  in  the  cavity  of  the  wall,  an  oak  pole, 
about  ten  feet  long  and  six  inches  in  diameter, 
witli  two  round  sticks  about  half  the  thickness, 
and  three  feet  long,  tied  to  it  transversely,  at 
about  four  feet  apart.  An  ascent  to  this  cavity 
is  made  by  means  of  a  ladder ;  the  visitor  then 
finds  the  pole  to  be  firmly  fixed,  one  of  its  ends 


rNSIDE  VIEW   OF  THE   ENTRANCE   OF   THE   CAVE. 

resting  on  the  bottom  of  the  cavity,  the  other 
reaching  across  and  forced  into  a  crevice  about 
three  feet  above.  The  general  supposition  is, 
that  this  was  a  ladder  used  by  the  former  deni- 
zens of  the  place,  in  procuring  the  salts  which 
are  encrusted  on  the  walls  in  several  parts. 
A  different  opinion,  however,  was  entertained 
by  Dr.  Locke,  who  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
a  dead  body  had  once  been  placed  on  it. 
Quartz,  chalcedony,  red  ochre,  gypsum,  and 
salts,  are  found  in  some  parts  of  the  cave. 

In  the  vicinity  of  this  place  is  a  room  called 
the  Salts  Boom,  the  ceiling  and  walls  of  which 


are  covered  with  salts  hanging  in  crystals. 
These  frequently  fall  like  flakes  of  snow, 
through  the  agitation  of  the  air.  In  this  room 
are  the  Indian  houses.  These  are  built  under 
the  rocks  ;  many  of  them  contain  burnt  ashe  i 
and  other  charred  remains.  The  next  portion 
of  these  subterranean  regions  are  aiUed  the 
Black  Chambers.  They  contain  several  ruins, 
which  consist  of  large  blocks  of  different  kinds 
D.  strata.  They  are  cemented  together,  and 
bear  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  walls  and 
po  lestals  of  the  old  baronial  castles  of  Euro- 
pean countries.  The  low,  plaintive  murmurings 
of  a  distant  waterlall  are  heard  as 
the  visitor  proceeds.  They  grow 
louder  and  louder,  until  we  find 
ourselves  close  to  the  cataract,  when 
a  perfect  roar  breaks  upon  our  ears. 
Very  large  perforations  are  seen  in 
the  roof,  on  the  right  hand  side, 
from  which  water  is  always  falling, 
generally  not  in  considerable  quan- 
tities, but  after  heavy  rains  in  com- 
plete torrents,  and  with  a  roar  that 
resounds  afar,  and  thunders 
through  the  cave.  The  water  falls 
into  a  funnel-shaped  pit,  and  is  lost 
immediately  to  sight. 

Continuing  our  course  a  little 
further  on,  we  come  to  the  Humblo 
%■  Chute,  and  the  Cataract.  The 
Humble  Chute  is  the  entrance  to 
■^''-  the  solitary  chamber,  but  before 
entering  it  we  find  it  necessary  to 
crawl  on  our  hands  and  knees  about 
eighteen  feet  under  a  low  arch.  In 
this  cave  is  the  Fairy  Grotto,  a 
place  worthy  its  name.  Tens  of 
thousands  of  stalactites  are  sten  ft 
various  distances,  reaching  from  tht 
roof  to  the  floor.  They  assume 
every  possible  shape,  some  of  them 
ranging  themselves  like  the  root*-, 
of  trees  TTie  lights  here  are  rr- 
fiected  in  numerous  colors,  and 
resemble  a  kaleidescope  more  than 
"a  fixed  fact." 

We  are  now  near  a  place  called 

THE  BOTTOMLESS   PIT, 

which  is  like  a  horseshoe  in  form, 
having  a  tongue  of  land  twenty- 
seven  feet  in  length,  running  into 
the  middle  of  it.  From  the  ex- 
tremity of  this  land  a  bridge  ol 
substantial  workmanship  has  been 
;hrown  across  to  the  other  side, 
jome  idea  of  the  depth  of  the  pit 
may  be  formed  when  we  state  that 
it  is  the  practice  of  the  guides  to 
let  down  lighted  pieces  of  pejxjr 
into  the  abyss,    which   take  some 

considerable  time  before  they  go  out  of  sight 

entirely. 

THE  BIVBR   STYX    AND  DEAD  SEA. 

The  most  curious  features  in  the  case  aie  the 
rivers,  which  are  called  Ekiho  and  Styx.  There 
is  a  boat  here  which  will  hold  four,  and  the 
whole  appearance  is  eminently  ghastly.  When 
the  visitors  embark  in  this  spectral  barque, 
the  guide  puts  a  lamp  at  the  prow  of  the  boat, 
which  throws  its  ghastly  image  in  the  stream 
below.  Sometimes  the  persons  in  the  boat  sing 
a  song  while  gliding  down  this  river  Lethe 
The  effect  is  very  impressive. 


580 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIOXS. 


An  English  traveler 
thus  describes  the 
Dead  Sea  and  the 
Btyx: 

"After  a  fair  sliaro 
of  ups  and  downs,  we 
came  under  the  iJam- 
moth  Dome,  which  is 
one  h  u  n  dr  e  d  and 
twenty  yards  high, 
and  covers  an  immense 
Epaee  with  its  cupola. 
Notwithstanding  the 
many  oiled-paper 
lights  which  we  made 
use  of,  it  was  impos- 
iible  to  discern  the 
peculiar  structure  of 
the  dome.  It  was  lost 
in  profound  darkness. 
A  man  is  but  a  small 
affair  in  presence  of 
these  grand  works  of 
Nature. 

"A  stone  fragment 
detaching  itself  from 
the  vault,  and  falling 
upon  the  contem- 
plative traveler,  would 
finally  extinguish  his 
ecstatic  curiosity.  This 
reflection  made  me 
take  to  the  slippery 
path  which  leads 
almost  to  the  summit 
of  the  dome. 

"  At  a  short  distance 
I  remarked  an  arched 
vault  of  black  stone, 
glittering  with  bril- 
liant substances.  'We  are  now,' 
said  my  guide,  '  in  the  Star  Cham- 
ber. Wait  a  moment  and  I  will 
show  you  something,  the  like  of 
which  you  never  witnessed  in  all 
your  travels.' 

"  Saying  which,  he  slipped  behind 
a  rocky  column,  and  I  immediately 
saw  millions  of  diamonds,  upon  a 
black  background.  While  I  looked, 
I  could  have  sworn  I  was  con- 
templating the  firmament  and  all 
the  stars  which  spangle  it.  Sud- 
denly the  light  disappeared. 

"  Mat  then  proposed  that  we 
should  see  daybreak  and  rughtfall ; 
and  instantaneously  a  gentle  light 
stole  feebly  along  the  cavern — it 
increased  and  faded;  and  as  it 
gradually  declined,  a  million  stel- 
lated fires  covered  the  celestial 
vault.  For  truth  and  effect,  this 
natural  diorama  exceeded  anything 
that  art  has  yet  been  able  to  effect 
in  the  same  way.  From  this  enchant- 
ing spot  we  directed  our  steps  toward 
the  shores  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Its 
dimensions  —  some  eight  or  ten 
yards — illustrated  the  tendency  of 
the  Americans  to  bestow  grand 
names  upon  small  objects.  Soon, 
however,  we  found  our  passage 
interrupted  by  a  rivulet,  to  which 
has  been  given  the  name  of  'The 


DEVII.  S     MIV-OHAIR. 


B«TKANCE    TO    THE    GOTHIC   OATS. 


Styx.'  1  entered  the 
great  baigeot'  Charon  ; 
my  black,  navigator 
shouted  in  a  loud 
voico,  and  the  vast 
concave  returned  a 
volley  of  echoes, 
which  conveyed  the 
ilea  that  they  were 
the  groans  of  ron- 
do m  n  e  d  souls  in 
eternal  darkness ! 

' '  Our  tlambeau  cast 
a  red  hue  on  tie 
rocks,  throwing  them 
into  a  variety  of  cu- 
rious fcrnis.  and  ex- 
hibithig  the  reflecticn 
of  the  negro's  .stalwart 
figure  in  tl.e  waters, 
which  glittered  like 
the  overhanginj:  dome. 
These  strango  eouibi- 
nations  threw  nu'  into 
a  reflective  mood, 
from  which  I  was 
startled  by  a  sudden 
loud  noise,  rcscmliling 
a  peal  of  thunder.  I 
fancied  a  porticn  of 
the  cavern  must  have 
fallen  in.  But  it  was 
merely  an  innocent 
trick  of  Mat's,  who, 
wishincr  to  surprise 
me,  had  quietly  disem- 
barked, and,  striking 
his  oar  upon  a  piece 
of  rock,  hail  produced 
the  awful  leverlierii- 
tion  which  had  disturbed  nii\ 
When  I  had  recovered  from  my 
astonishment,  I  found  Mat  grin- 
ning and  showing  his  white  teeth, 
in  delight  at  the  success  of  his  little- 
scheme. 

' '  After  half  an  hour's  navigation , 
we  grounded  close  to  the  shore. 
on  a  fine  bed  of  sand,  which  con- 
stitutes the  bottom  of  the  river  at 
high  water.  The  traces  of  the  diff(  r 
ent  levels  are  perfectly  discernible. 
"A  little  further  on,  we  came 
upon  a  small  sulphurous  sprini  , 
and  then  upon  Cleveland  Avenue, 
the  walls  of  which  iippear  to  le 
covered  with  charming  flowers  of 
extraordinary  delicacy.  This  c  beer 
vation  is  made  by  everyl  ody,  m  t 
even  excepting  the  most  prosaic 
travelers. 

"  The  avenue  is  terminated  by 
the  Snowball  Room,  so  called  le- 
eause  of  the  snowy  whiteness  of 
its  walls.  I'ussaies,  by  turns  broad 
and  narrow,  rugged  or  scraped,  led 
us  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
we  werR  obliged  to  clamber  over 
huge  reagments  of  rocks  Jetached 
from  the  roof. 

"Over  these  asperities,  and; 
through  liirg"  fissures  whieh  ap-3 
peared  to  presige  other  jonsider-f 
able  breakages,  we  came  at  last  tol 


I 

tites,  ranged    in  colonnade-s,   lormeJ    elegant 
arches  of  a  truly  fairy  character.     Un  all  sides 
water  leaked  in  ;  drippings  might  be  heard  in 
every  direction,  which  resounded  sonorously  in 
the  dark,  retreats.    At  the  bottom  of  the  grotto, 
there  is  actually  a  group  of  stalactites  resem- 
bling the  top  of'  aa  immense  palm-tree.     The 
branches,  gracefully  inclined,  appear   to  have 
been  carved  out  of  a  blojk  of  Oriental  alabaster. 
^         "From  the  summit  of  this  beautiful  eimmble 
H:    gushed  a  fountain,  the   secular   creator  of  all 
K   t;ie  calcareous   deposits,  which   sparkled  with 
^E   the  reflection  cast  by  our  torches.     The  whole 
^kgrotto  resembled  a  marble   tunnel,  by  which 


tTNITED    STATES    OF    AMERTOA. 

derives  its  singular  name  from  its  obvious  re- 
semblance in  lorm  to  a  coflSn.  It  is  an  object 
of  great  interest,  and  cannot  easily  be  passed 
Ijy  without  commanding  the  notice  of  even  the 
most  careless  of  tourists. 

In  this  portion  of  the  Mammoth  Cave  begin 
those  incrustations  which  have  struck  so  m  luy 
thousands  with  wouder  and  admiration.  How 
varied  are  they  in  form  ;  and,  separately,  how 
changeable !  Y  onder  you  recognize  what  appears 
to  be  the  frame  of  some  huge  animal.  Look 
again,  and  you  fancy  a  group  of  birds  are  before 
you ;  viewed  from  another  point,  and  some  of 
the  finny  tribe  may  be  suggested  to  you.  All 
is  wonderful,  indeed. 


581 

with  the  visitors,  when  gazing  on  the  brilliant 
scene  before  them  :  well  have  they  proved  its 
existence  ;  some  by  loud  expressions,  others  by 
sileucd  ;  some,  too,  have  wept,  and  many  have 
prayed.  How  sublime  must  be  the  scene  to 
elicit  all  this ! 

Tlie  Sick  Room  Cave  is  opposite  to  the  Great 
Bend.  It  bears  the  name  from  the  sudden  sick- 
ness of  a  visitor  some  years  since,  it  is  supposed, 
from  his  having  smoked,  with  others,  cigars  iii 
one  of  its  most  contined  nooks.  A  row  o< 
cabins,  built  for  consumptive  patients,  would 
be  found  immediately  beyond  the  Great  Bend. 
Two  are  of  stone,  the  rest  are  frame  buildings. 
Standing  in  a  line  from  thirty  to  one  hundred 


I 


uame  it  ij  d  ^signaled  by  different  tourists.  The 
Fairy  Grotto  U  situated  at  one  of  the  extremi- 
ties of  the  cavern,  at  a  distance  of  nine  miles 
from  the  opening.  I  reached  the  latter  after 
having  passsd  ten  hours  in  ths  subterranean 
abodes.  I  had  need  of  the  sight  of  the  sky, 
and  I  saluted  it  gratefully.  When  I  set  foot 
upon  the  upper  earth,  the  light  and  the  land- 
scape appei.red  to  me  particularly  charming — 
doubtless  owing,  in  a  me-xsure,  to  their  con- 
trast with  tiie  darkness  in  which  I  had  passed 
an  entire  day.  But,  in  truth,  the  evening  was 
beautiful  " 

The  visitor  will  now  pass  the  Well  Cave, 
Eocky  Cave,  etc.,  and  arrive  at  the  Giant's 
Coffin.     This  is  a  large  rock  on  the  right,  and 


WEDDING   IN   THE    GOTHIC   CHAPEL. 

Proceeding  about  a  hundred  yards  beyond 
the  "Coffin,"  the  visitor  will  perceive  that  the 
Cave  takes  a  curve,  swepping  round  the  Great 
Bend  or  Acute  Angle,  and  then  continuing  its 
proper  course.  On  entering  this  vast  and 
matnificent  amphitheatre,  the  guide  always 
ignites  a  Bengal  light.  The  effect  is  brilliant- 
such,  indeed,  as  a  poet  may  reidily  imagine, 
but  with  difiSculty  describe.  Enchantment  is 
the  only  word  we  can  apply  to  the  scene  thus 
presented.  As  in  other  portions  of  the  Cave 
which,  like  the  present,  exhibit  characteristics 
of  the  beautiful  or  the  sublime,  we  have  seen, 
in  the  place  we  mention,  the  various  ways  in 
which  a  single  feeling  or  passion  may  be 
manifested.    Delight  has  been  in  the  ascendant 


feet  apart,  their  appearance  is  picturesque 
although  the  visitor  cannot  divest  his  mind  o) 
melancholy  impressions  while  contemplating 
them  ;  for  the  malady  which  brings  so  many 
persons  to  those  habitations  is  one  that  attacks 
the  young,  that  withers  lieauty  and  destroy;; 
life  in  its  early  phase.  These  houses  for  the 
ailing  are  well  furnished ;  and  though  we 
believe  that  there  is  no  cure  for  confirmed  de- 
cline, we  are  confident  that  it  is  to  be  eradi- 
cated in  its  young  or  mild  stages.  The  genial 
quality  of  the  air  is  so  favorable  to  all  lung 
complaints,  that  a  physician  of  high  repute, 
who  lived  for  many  years  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  tested  its  curative  properties,  announcee  it 
a  certain  cure  for  consumption. 


M 


THE  WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


DESCENDINQ   THE   YO-SKMITK   VALI.KY. 


The  To-Semite  Valley,  Oalifornia. 

As  A  subject  of  always  abiding  interest,  we 
give  several  illustrations  of  this  wonderful  spot, 
and  at  the  same  time  we  know  that  we  are  only 
skimming  the  surface  of  the  wonders  of  this 
lately  opened  world. 

The  Yo-Semite  was  first  Drought  to  the  notice 
of  the  civilized  world  by  a  party  of  explorers, 
in  the  Summer  of  1850,  under  Captain  Boiling 
and  Lieutenant  Chandler,  who  penetrated  that 
region  not  only  for  the  purposes  of  discovery, 
but  to  put  an  end  to  Indian  outrages  upon  the 
whites,  who  were  anxious  to  settle  thereabout. 
We  shall  take  a  few  points  of  illustration  from 
it,  without  attempting  to  follow  out  any  succinct 
description  of  its  beauties,  commencing  with  an 
account  of  the  descent  into  the  valley  from 
the  mountain.     The  traveler  says: 

"  About  a  mile  further  on,  we  reacSed  that 
point  where  the  descent  of  the  mountain  com- 
mences, and  wh„/e  our  guide  requires  us  to  dis- 
utoBot,  wliile  be  ucxa^^  the  eaddle-bkaketo 


and  cruppers,  and  tightens  the  saddle-girths. 
Some  persons,  perhaps,  are  for  walking  down 
this  precipitous  trail  to  the  valley,  but  the  guide 
informs  us  that  it  is  nearly  seven  miles  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  ;  when  such  a  desire,  for 
the  time  being,"is  overcome. 

' '  Yet,  in  some  of  the  steepest  places  of  the 
trail,  one  or  two  of  the  most  timid  of  the  party 
■will  be  disposed  to  dismount  and  walk,  as  at 
some  points  the  descent  is  certainly  very  trying 
to  the  nerves. 

' '  We  will  here  remark  that  there  are  but  three 
localities  by  which  this  valley  can  be  safely  en- 
tered— two  at  the  lower  or  western  end,  on 
which  the  Coulterville  and  Mariposa  trails  are 
laid ;  and  one  at  the  upper  or  eastern  end,  by 
a  tributary  of  the  river  which  makes  in  from 
the  main  ridge  cf  the  Sierras,  and  which  is 
traveled  mostly  by  persons  going  and  returning 
to  and  from  the  Walker's  Kiver  mines." 

The  next  remarkable  spot  is  the  South  Dome, 
and  our  engraving  represents  it  as  seen  from 
the  canon  of  the  iSonth  is'otlt.    Tliis  Dome  is 


known  by  the  Indian  name  of  Tis-sa-ack,  and 
from  that  point  of  view  presants  a  most  sia- 
f 'i^ax',  conical  shape,  unlike  any  other  mountain 
in  the  world. 

'-L he  South  Dome  is  so  named  to  distinguish  it 
from  the  To-coy-ac,  or  North  Dome,  a  still  more 
remarkable  mountain,  the  ascent  of  which  we 
illustrate.     Our  traveler  says: 

"  On,  on,  we  march,  in  Indian  file,  until  wt 
are  nearly  on  the  margin  of  the  river.  When 
we  reach  it,  we  find  that  a  small  yet  tall  tree 
has  fallen  across  to  form  a  bridge,  over  which  we 
walk,  while  the  thundering  water  splashes,  and 
surges,  and  eddies,  as  it  sweeps  against  the 
rocks,  much.tothe  discomposure  of  the  nervous 
system  of  some,  knowing  that  we  have  to  follow 
suit  or  stay  behind. 

' '  This  accomplished ,  we  soon  begin  the  ascent 
of  the  mountain,  over  loose  fragments  of  dibrts 
and  among  huge  masses  of  fallen  rocks,  lying  at 
the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  in  the  bed  of  a 
small  but  very  deep  canon  ;  but  these  are  soon 
left  behind,  and  we  have  to  commence  climbing 
around  and  over  points  of  rocks,  walking  on 
narrow  edges,  or  feeling  our  way  past  some  pro- 
jecting point,  or  tree,  or  shrub  ;  steadying  our- 
selves by  a  twig,  or  crevice,  or  jutting  rock ;  or 
holding  on  with  our  feet,  as  well  as  our  hands, 
knowing  that  a  slip  will  send  us  down  several 
hundred  feet  into  the  deep  abyss  beneath. 

' '  In  some  places,  where  the  ledges  of  rock  are 
high  and  smooth,  broken  branches  of  trees 
have  been  placed,  so  as  to  enable  the  Indians  to 
climb  above  them ;  and  then,  by  removing  the 
means  of  their  ascent,  cut  off  the  pursuit  of 
any  advancing  foe.  These,  although  risky  places 
to  travel  over,  and  in  no  way  inviting  to  a 
nervous  man,  are  of  considerable  assistance  in 
the  accomplishment  of  our  task. 

"  After  >«l  exciting  and  fatiguing  exercise  of 


i^SNDIKe  TBB  LOWIS  SOUS  OF  THB  XO-SEUITB. 


UNITED    STATES    OP   AMERICA. 


Md 


I 


about  three  hours,  we  reach  a  large  projectinfc 
rock,  that  forms  a  cave,  Here  we  take  a  rest  of 
%  few  minutes,  and  then  renew  our  efforts  to 
reach  tlie  top  iif  the  mountain.  A  little  before 
noon  this  is  accomplished. 

"To  our  great  comfort  and  satisfaction,  a  cool 
and  refreshing  breeze  is  blowing  upon  us  us  soon 
as  we  reach  the  summit  ;  and  this  is  especially 
welcome,  as  the  heat,  on  tlie  sheltered  side,  by 
which  wo  liave  ascended,  has  be  n  very  oppres- 
sive potning  down  upon  xis  from  a  hot  sun, 
without  the  sliglitcst  breeze  to  fan,  or  shadow 
tvj  filielter  us,  as  wc  climbed. 

"The  realer  must  not  anticipate  our  nar- 
rative, by  supposing  that  the  difficult  tisk  of 
ascending  the  Great  Dome  is  now  accomplished  ; 
far  frum  it ;  for,  althou'rh  we  have  reached  the 
top  of  tlie  elevated  plateau,  or  mountain  ridge, 
to  the  height  of  about  three  thousand  seven 
liundred  feet  above  the  valley,  the  great,  bald- 
headed  object  of  our  aspirations  is  still  lifting 
its  proud  summit  more  than  a  thousand  feet 
»boTe  us. 

"An  abundance  of  gool  water  being  fcjund 
issuing  from  a  crevice  in  the  rock,  a  Bli')rt  dis- 
tance down  the  mountain,  we  repair  thither  to 
fini.-h  our  repast,  and  take  a  good,  hearty 
draught,  before  attempting  the  ascent.  Here 
v,o  find  several  new  varieties  of  flowering 
shrubs,  in  addition  to  some  bulbous  roots,  a;id 
very  pretty  mosses. 

"'ITie  inner  man  being  satisfied,  the  rapidly 
descending  sun  admonishes  us  to  make  the  best 
of  daylight  t>  accomplish  the  task  we  have  set 
our.Kelves^  Accordingly,  we  repair  to  the  Lower 
Dome,  which  is  one  immense  spur  of  granite, 
belonging  to  the  Great  Dome  ;  and,  as  its  sur- 
face, by  time  an  1  the  elements,  is  made  toler- 
ably rou'ja,  there  is  found  comparatively  hut 
little  ditfioidty  in  climl>ing  it,  especially  with 
a  little  assista.ice. 

"  In  some  of  the  fissures  or  searasof  this  rock, 
some  low.  stunted  shrubs  are  growing.  When 
we  raach  the  top  of  the  Lower  Dome,  which  is, 
perhaps,  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above 
t!ie  average  level  of  the  main  ridge,  to  our 
dismay  and  disappointment  we  find  that  not 
only  is  tlie  g.'ntly  rounding  surface  of  the  Great 
Dome  itself  at  an  angle  of  about  sixty-eight  or 
seventy  degress,  but  it  is  overlaid  and  over- 
lapp3d,  so  to  speak,  wit'.i  vast  circular  granite 
shingles— as  smooth  as  glass — ;:bo"t  eighteen 
inches  in  thi(,!cness,  and  extending  around  the 
Dome  as  far  as  our  eyes  can  reach.  These 
put  every  hop^  to  flight,  of  our  feet,  or  those 
of  any  o;her  visitors,  ever  treading  upon  the 
lofty  crown  of  this  I.)ome,  without  extensive 
artificial  adjuncts  to  aid  in  its  i-xomplishment. 
On  the  top  of  this  immense  moimtain  of  smooth 
rock,  one  solitary  pine  is  grow  ing  ;  and  although 
it  is  barely  discernible  from  tlic  valley  (and  not 
at  all  from  the  Liwer  Dome,  where  we  are 
sta  :ding),  by  the  aid  of  a  telescope,  it  is  seen 
to  be  a  tree  of  goo  Uy  Bize. 

"  Much  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  the 
V.incipal  object  of  the  enterprise,  we  will  place 
our  national  banner  upon  the  highest  point 
attainable,  in  the  hope  that  the  day  is  not  far 
distant  when  (he  n_mber  of  visitors  who  shall 
annually  come  to  worsliip  at  this  sublime 
temple  of  nature,  may  create  the  necessity  for 
the  construction  of  a  strong  iron  staircase  to 
the  very  summit  of  Mount  Tis-sa-ack  ;  and, 
that  from  the  topmost  crown  of  Jier  noblr 


yO-SEUJTE  JTAU. 


R«4 


THE     WORLD'S    GBEAT    NATIONa 


head,  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  may  wave  tri- 
■umphantly  —  as  from 
this  elevation  the 
whole  surrounding 
country  can  be  seen 
afar  off — and  a  thou- 
sand times  fully  re- 
ward the  perseverance 
and  fatigue  of  the 
ascent." 

From  the  valley  of 
the  Yo-Scmite  we  will 
transport  our  traveler 
to  the  Frczno  Grove. 

"  About  6  p.  M.,  we 
arrived  at  some  of 
the  mammoth  trees, 
that  stood  on  the 
ridge,  like  sentinel 
guards  to  the  grove. 
These  were  from  fifty 
to  sixty  feet,  only,  in 
circumference. 

"As  the  sun  was 
fast  sinking,  we 
deemed  it  the  most 
prudent  course  to  look 
out  for  a  good  camp- 
ing-ground. Fortu- 
nately, we  discovered 
at  first  the  only  patch 
of  grass  to  be  found 
for  several  miles ;  and, 
as  we  were  making 
our  way  through  the 
forest,  feeling  that 
most  probably  we  were  the  first  whites 
had  ever  broken  its  profound  solitudes, 
heard  a  splashing  sound,  proceeding  from 
direction  of  the  bright 
green  we  had  seen. 
This,  with  the  riistling 
of  bushes,  reminded 
us  that  we  were  in- 
vading the  secluded 
home  of  the  grizzly 
l)ear,  and  that  good 
sport,  or  danger,  would 
soon  give  variety  to 
our  employments. 

' '  Hastily  dismount- 
ing, and  unsaddling 
our  animals,  we 
picketed  them  in  the 
swampy  grass-plat, 
still  wet  with  the  re- 
cent spirtirgs  of 
several  Ijears'  feet 
that  had  hurriedly 
left  it ;  then  kindling 
a  firo,  to  indicate  by 
its  smoke  the  direc- 
tion of  our  camp,  we 
started  quietly  out 
on  a  bear-hunt. 

"  Cautiously  peering 
over  a  low  ridge  but 
c  few  yards  from 
camp,  we  saw  too 
large  bears  slowly 
tioving  away,  when 
a  slight  sound  from 
"8   arrested    their  s.U 


UPPER  SIDE  OF  THE  NATURAL   BRIDGE  OVER    CATOTTE  CREEK. 


who 

,  we 

the 


tention  and  progress.  One  of  our  party  was 
about  raisinpc  his  rifle  to  fire,  when  we 
whispered  :  'Hold,  if  you  please — let  us  have 


the  first  shot  at  tU't 
immense  fellow  there. ' 
'  With  pleasure,'  was 
this  response,  and  at 
a  distance  of  twentv- 
five  yards,  a  heavy 
charge  of  pistol-balls, 
from  ar  excellent  shot- 
gun, was  poured  ini.o 
his  body,  just  behind 
the  shoulder,  when 
he  made  a  plunge  a 
lew  feet,  and,  wheel- 
ing round,  stood  for  a 
few  moments  as 
though  debating  in 
his  own  mind  whether 
he  should  return  the 
attack,  or  retreat ;  but 
a  ball  from  the  un- 
erring rifle  of  our 
obliging  guide  deter- 
mined him  upon  the 
latter  course.  The 
other  had  preceded 
him. 

' '  We  immediately 
started  in  pursuit : 
and  although  their 
course  could  readily 
be  followed  by  blood 
dropping  from  the 
wounds,  a  dense  mass 
of  chaparal  prevented 
us  from  getting  sight 
of  either  again,  al- 
though we  walked 
around  upon  the  look-out  until  the  darkness 
compelled  us  to  return  to  camp,  where,  aftei 
supper,  we  were  soon  soun  lly  sleeping.  Early 
the  next  morning  we 
followed  up  the  diver- 
tisement,  for  a  few 
hours ;  but  meeting 
with  no  game  larger 
than  grouse,  we  com- 
menced the  eiplora- 
==        tion  of  the  grove." 


NAIUHAL  BBISOE  OVER  CAYOTTE  CREEK,  CALAVERAS    COVMl'v 


Natural  Bridge  in 
California. 
Nature  has  shown 
her  most  sportive 
moods  in  the  land  of 
gol  d .  S  u  c  E  variety 
and  supplies  of  mine- 
rals, such  gigantic 
trees,  such  stupendous 
waterfalls,  such  su- 
llime  scenery,  are 
found  in  no  other  part 
of  the  world.  Verily, 
it  is  a  land  of  wonders. 
We  give  two  illustra- 
tions of  a  remarkable 
natural  bridge  over 
the  Cayote  Creek,  in 
Calaveras  Cornty. 

Approaching  it  from 
the  east,  along  the 
stream,  the  entrance 
beneath  presents  the 
appcarauce  oi  »«om«^; 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA- 


686 


MOKUJUENT    iiDCK,  ECHO    CAlTOi}. 


5M 


tfiE    WOitiib'S    GREAT    NATIOKfa 


WOKKMKN    I'KI.I.INU 


Gothic  arch  of  mi^ssivc  stono-work,  tbirtj'-two  ,  or  flattf  ueJ  ;  the  skies  are  uuw  ;  the  birds  aud 
feet  in  Iiiight  above  Uie  water,  and  twenty-five  I  plants  are  new ;  and  grouping  a  few  for  ilUis- 
feet  in  w  idth  at  the  abutments  ;   while  the  rock    tration,  we  but  carry  the  conviction  deeper  ;  the 


and  earth  above,  supported  by  tlie  arch,  are 
thirty  or  more  feet  in  thickness,  and  overgrown 
to  some  (extent  with  trees  and  shrubbery. 

Passing  under  the  bridge,  the  walls  extend 
tijiward  to  an  almost  perfectly  formed  and 
jiointed  arcli,  and  maintaining  their  width  and 
elevation,  but  with  here  and  there  an  irreg- 
ularity, serving  to  heighten  the  interest  of  the 
beautifid  scene  presented.  Along  the  roof  hang 
innumerable  stalactites,  like  opa(pie  icicles,  but 
solid  as  the  marble  of  which  they  are  formed. 
As  we  advance,  the  width  of  the  arch  increases 
to  forty  feet,  ami  its  height  to  fifty  feet,  and 
the  spacious  roof  resembles  an  immense  cathe- 
dral, with  its  vaulted  arches  and  numberless 
colmiius,  with  here  and  there  a  jutting  por- 
tion, as  though  an  attempt  had  been  :uade  to 
rough-hew  an  altar  and  corridor,  with  massive 
.';t<'i)s :  while  stalagmites,  springing  from  the 
bottom  and  sides,  appear  like  waxen  candles 
ready  to  be  lighted.  Approaching  the  lower 
side  of  this  immense  arch,  its  form  becomes 
materially  changed,  increasing  in  width  ;  while 
the  roof,  becoming  more  iJattened,  is  brought 
down  to  within  five  feet  of  the  water  of  the 
creek. 


atmosphere,  crisp,  though  warm,  is  unlike  any 
in  the  world  but  that  of  Southern  Australia. 


In  the  interior  valleys  not  a  sound  breaks  the 
oppressive  stillness  that  reigns,  save  the  occa- 
sional chirping  and  singing  of  birds  as  they  fly 
to  their  nests,  or  the  low,  distant  sighing  of  the 
breeze  in  the  tops  of  the  forests.  Crystal 
streams  occasionally  gurgle  and  ripple  across 
the  path — their  sides  fringed  with  willows,  and 
wild  flowers  that  are  ever  blossoming,  and 
grass  that  is  ever  green. 


The  Mammoth  Trees  of  Oaliforn'a. 

About  ninety-seven  miles  from  Sacramento, 
in  a  gently  sloping,  heavy^mbered  valley,  are 
the  largest  and  tiiUest  trees  in  the  world.  It  is 
rightly  called  the  Mammoth  Tree  Grove.  We 
give  a  sketch  of  the  method  by  which  this  giant 
of  the  forest  was  felled,  not  by  chopping  it 
down,  but  by  boring  it  off  with  pump-augers, 
and  it  employed  five  men  for  twenty-two  days 
constantly  at  work  to  effect  it.  Its  height  was 
three  hundred  and  two  feet,  and  its  circum- 
ference at  the  ground  was  ninety-seven  feet. 
Upon  the  stumji,  one  4th  of  July,  thirty-two 
persons  were  engaged  in  dancing  at  one  time. 

The  bark  was  eighteen  inches  in  thickness, 
which  gave  it  a  diameter  of  over  thirty  feet. 
But  monstrous  as  were  the  dimensions  of  this 
tree,  at  a  short  distance  from  it  lies  the  prostrate 
and  majestic  body  of  a  still  larger  one.  This  is 
known  as  the  Father  of  the  Forest.  It  is  half 
buried  in  the  soil.  It  measured  in  circumference 
one  hundred  and  ten  feet :  it  was  four  hundred 
and  thirty-five  feet  in  height ;  it  is  two  hundred 
feet  to  the  first  branch ;  the  centre  of  it  is  now 
hollow,  and  a  jjerson  can  walk  erect  through  it. 

A  short  distance  from  these  immense  trees  is 
a  double  tree,  called  the  Siamese  Twins. 


Vegetation  in  California. 
To  AN  English  traveler  much  of  our  country 
resembles,  in  its  vegetable  growth  as  well  as  in 
the  homes  and  language  of  the  ])eople,  parts  of 
the  old  land ;  as  to  an  American  the  English 
village  recalls  the  older  and  better  cultivated 
parts  of  our  land.  But  in  California  we  are  all 
in  a  new  laud.     The  bills  are  weirdly  peaked 


IHB  ''nnw,"  XABirosi. 


UNITED    STATES    OF   AMEBICa 


587 


2! 

W 


i 


o 


9 

r/; 


I, 

H 

K 

C 


r 

o 
-^ 

a 

B 

a 

o 


688 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Trial  of  Anne  Hutchinson. 

In  the  early  history  of  stern  Puritan  New 
England,  woman  does  not  play  a  very  conspi- 
cuous part.  She  is  not  the  heroine,  the  mis- 
tress of  court  or  chivalry,  nor,  even  in  the 
spiritual  order,  is  she  seen  possessing  that 
liberty  accorded  in  the  older  time  and  world 
of  female  association  in  cloister  for  a  religious 
life,  the  works  of  charity,  education,  or  labor. 

One  woman,  who  endeavored  to  be  a  power, 
stands  out  with  her  strange  history  and  tragic 
death — Anne  Hutchinson. 

She  was  the  daughter  of  a  clergyman  in 
Lincolnshire,  and  having  in  England  become 
interested  in  the 
preaching  of  John 
Cotton  and  John 
^Vheelright,  came  to 
-\merica  in  1634. 

On  her  voyage  she 
showed  her  religious 
zeal,  and  her  active, 
energetic  mind  was 
not  slow  in  assuming 
views  different  from 
those  of  her  guides. 
Private  judgment  was 
not  broad  enough  for 
her,  any  fettering  of 
church  discipline  was 
wrong. 

To  her  mind  each 
believer  was  not  only 
the  unerring  judge 
in  faith,  but  the  abode 
of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whose  inward  revela- 
tions were  of  para- 
mount authority. 

On  arriving  in  Bos- 
ton she  began  to  hold 
meetings  of  women, 
and  her  views  drew 
to  her  side  Vane, 
Cotton,  Wheelright, 
and  almost  all  the 
Church  in  Boston, 
The  country  Churches 
rose  against  her.  The 
Synod  of  Newton,  in 
.\ugust,  1637,  con- 
ilemned  eighty  -  two 
opinions,  including 

hers.  In  the  November  following  she  was 
brought  to  trial  before  the  General  Court. 
She  defended  herself  with  great  ability  and 
eloquence,  but  all  in  vain.  She  was  sentenced 
to  banishment.  With  a  courtesy  that  was  un- 
usual, they  allowed  her  to  spend  the  Winter 
in  Eoxbury,  instead  of  ordering  her  instant 
departure. 

With  the  coming  of  Spring  she  retired  to 
Rhode  Island,  home  of  the  Baptists,  and  after 
losing  her  husband,  sought  a  refuge  within  the 
confines  of  the  Dutch  colony. 

Unfortunately,  at  this  time  the  Dutch  had 
provoked  the  Indians  to  war,  and  in  August, 
1643,  a  party  of  the  red  men  assailed  the  house 
in  which  she  lived,  in  what  is  now  Westchester 
County,  and  there,  doubtless,  the  heroic  woman 
pedslaed  in  the  flames. 


Desperate  Oonfliot  on  the  Prairies. 
In  the  beginning  of  May,  1862,  a  party  of 
travelers  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  being 
murdered  by  a  band  of  hostile  Indians,  who 
were  on  their  usual  war-path,  seeking  whom 
they  might  rob  and  murder.  The  travelers 
consisted  of  Mr.  Somes,  his  wife,  his  wife's 
sister,  and  her  betrothed  husband.  They  were 
not  far  from  a  military  camp  of  United  States 
soldiers,  and  they  had  pitched  their  tent  in  a 
fancied  security  which  very  nearly  proved 
fatal  to  them.  Fortunately,  one  of  the  ladies 
was  tempted  by  the  beauty  of  the  day  to  wan- 
der about  fifty  paces  from  their  tent,  in  which 


alarm.  The  Indians,  seeing  the  troops  riding 
toward  them,  left  their  dead  and  wounded 
companions  and  endeavored  to  escape,  but 
they  were  pursued,  and  their  entire  band 
was  either  killed  or  captured. 


TRIAL   OF   ANNE   HUTCHINSON. 

Mr.  Somes  and  his  friend  were  taking  a  nap. 
Of  a  sudden,  she  saw  several  Indians,  about 
two  hundred  yards  distant,  crouching  down 
among  the  grass.  She  immediately  retreated 
into  the  tent  and  aroused  the  sleepers.  In  an 
instant  they  were  both  prepared  for  the  en- 
counter, and  being  well  armed  with  revolvers, 
they  resolved  to  sell  their  lives  dearly. 

Telling  the  ladies  to  retire  within  the  tent, 
they  took  their  post,  revolvers  in  hand,  and 
awaited  the  coming  of  the  savages.  Perceiving 
they  were  discovered,  the  Indians  gave  a  loud 
yell,  and  rushed  on,  but  the  greater  part  of 
them  fell  before  the  steady  and  unerring  fire 
of  the  white  men.  How  the  conflict  would 
have  terminated  it  is  impossible  to  say :  but, 
most  providentially,  one  of  the  soldiers  had 
been  watching  the    red  men,   and  gave  the 


A  Tou'.ist  Party  in  tha  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  English  passion  for  travel  has  led  somo 
young  English  noblemen  to  peril  life  and  limb 
in  the  very  wildest  of  our  Western  mountains. 
Viscount  Milton  recently  spent  some  time  in 
striking  through  from  the  Eed  River  Settle- 
ment to  Frazer's  River,  and  his  adventures 
were,  as  might  be  expected,  neither  few  nor  at 
all  times  agreeable. 
He  and  his  compan- 
ion, Dr.  Cheadle,  had 
as  guides  a  family  of 
Assiniboins,  as  the 
Algonquins  style  the 
most  northerly  branch 
of  the  Dakotas,  from 
the  rocky  territory  in 
which  they  live.  The 
weary  way  and  its 
hardships  were  en- 
livened, too,  by  the 
imf ailing  wit  and 
never  -  failing  contre- 
temps of  a  clerical 
Irish  gentleman,  who 
joined  them  on  the 
route.  Unlike  most 
of  his  countrymen, 
he  was  not  a  horse- 
man, and,  after  being 
nearly  drowned  on 
one  occasion  while 
trying  to  swim  a 
stream,  avoided  care- 
fully all  display  of 
equitation.  But  after 
a  time  riding  was 
abandoned.  They 
began  to  lose  their 
way:  their  horses 
gave  out,  and  they 
could  only  lead  them 
along,  often  scarce 
able  to  overtake  them 
when  they  strayed. 

The  dense  woods 
were  gameless.  In  the 
VH.st  solitude,  shut  out  even  from  light,  they 
expected  to  perish  ;  nor  was  hope  infused  into 
their  hearts  by  the  first  sign  of  hiimanity  which 
they  met— the  dead  body  of  an  Indian,  seated 
on  the  ground,  with  his  hatchet  and  imple- 
ments around  him.  Further  on,  similar  relics 
met  their  gaze.  Fortunately,  a  couple  of  birds 
were  found  at  an  opening,  where  their  dazzled 
eyes  could  scarcely  stand  the  glare  of  day. 
But,  nevertheless,  they  were  soon  forced  to 
kill  one  horse.  As  the  supply  afforded  by  it 
was  running  out,  they  came  to  a  stream  which 
it  was  necessary  to  cross.  O'Brien  hung  back. 
The  rest  plunged  in,  and  he  stood  hesitating 
on  the  shore ;  but  when  the  last  horse  was  a 
yard  or  two  from  the  bank,  he  ventured  in, 
and,  grasping  the  tail,  reached  his  bourne  in 
safety.      The  laughter  that  greeted  bis   feat 


CXITED    SL'ATES     C-F    Arj-'-iL-i.. 


589 


I 

o 

o 


o 

o 


W 

!> 


590 


THE    WOELD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


diverted  their  luiuds  from  their  hard- 
ships, and  the  next  day  the  smoke  of 
an  Indian  camp  rose  more  welcome 
on  their  view  than  Mecca  ever  did 
to  pilgrim  of  the  Orient. 

Our  lively  sketch  from  the  doc- 
tor's pencil  shows  his  bearded  self 
in  the  foreground  and  the  boyish 
viscount  beside  him,  questioning  their 
guide,  whose  sou  leads  the  way  as 
the  squaw  closes  the  line,  O'Brien  s 
position  being  well  defined.  • 


Mrs.  Olayton  Planting  the  National 
Flag  on  the  Summit  of  the  Eocky 
Mountains. 

On  Friday,  August  7th.  1868,  thc' 
last  sjiike  was  driven  in  the  last  rail 
on  the  Atlantic  slope  of  the  great 
Union  Pacific  Kailroad.  Captain 
Clayton,  who  has  superintended  the 
laying  of  the  track  from  the  com- 
mencement, suggested  to  the  em- 
ployes and  a  party  of  excursionists, 
the  idea  of  erecting  a  monument 
commemorative  of  the  event,  and 
of  planting  the  national  flag  on  the 
continental  divide. 

All  parties  concurring,  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  the  interesting 
ceremony,  and  on  Sunday  afternoon, 
August  9th,  a  goodly  company  as- 
sembled at  a  point  about  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  from 
Omaha. 

The  Kev.  Mr.  Gierlow  was  master 
of  ceremouies.  A  hole  was  dug  by 
Captain  Clayton,  and  our  national 
banner  was  there  planted  by  the 
fair  hands  of  his  excellent  wife.  Mr. 
Gierlow,  Mrs.  Clayton  holding  the 
flag,  pronounced  the  following 
beautiful  consecration  ervice ; 

' '  In  the  name  of  Wisdom, 
Strength  and  Beauty,  in  the  name 
of  Faith,  Hojie  and  Charity,  in  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  we  con- 
secrate this  flag  to  the  glory  of 
God,  the  benefit  of  civilization  and 
the  happiness  of  mankind.  And 
when  this  lone  star  shall  have  been 
surrounded  by  the  sister  constella- 
tions, may  its  ample  folds  protect 
us  in  the  path  of  virtue,  so  that  at 
last  we  may  become  worth}'  citizens 
of  the  land  of  the  beautiful,  the 
land  of  the  free." 

The  reverend  gentlemtin  thin 
called  upon  General  Estabrook,  of 
Omaha;  Judge  Wright,  and  E.  S. 
BaUey,  Attorneys  of  the  North- 
western railroad  ;  W.  A.  Cotton  and 
M.  E.  Ward,  in  succession,  who  each 
made  appropriate  speeches.  Mr- 
Gierlow  then  pronounced  the  fol- 
lowing closing  benediction ; 

"May  the  blessing  of  God  rest 
upon  us  and  oui-  families ;  may 
brotherly  love  cement  us,  and  evxy 


UNITED    STATES    Of   AMeSiOA. 


Ml 


693 


THE     WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


moral  and  social  Tirtuo  adorn  onr  liTes,  now 
and  for  ever." 

The  spot  where  the  flag  is  planted  is  the  true 
continental  summit.  A  point  much  higher 
above  the  sea-level  was  reached  in  the  Black 
Hills,  but  there  the  waters,  though  running 
both  ways,  afterward  meet  in  the  Platte,  and 
go  commingled  to  the  Atlantic.  But  at  this 
continental  divide,  a  drop  of  rain  falling,  un- 
less carried  back  to  its  native  cloud  by  the 
process  of  exhalation,  one-half  of  it  would  go 
to  the  Atlantic  and  the  other  to  the  Pacific. 


Old  New  Orleans. 
In  1717,  after  exploring  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, Grovemor  Bienville  selected  the  present 


erect  cabins,  Bienville  returned  to  Fort  Biloii 
to  make  preparations  for  removing  the  colony. 
Meeting  with  opposition  from  the  Home  Gov- 
ernment, and  unfortunate  in  having  his  work  in- 
terrupted by  the  overflowing  of  the  Mississippi, 
he  did  not  succeed  in  actually  getting  New 
Orleans  settled  untU  1723.  In  the  meantime 
he  continued  improving  the  then  frontier  town 
of  New  Orleans,  to  which  he  had  gradually 
transferred  the  troops  and  Government  stores. 
Bienville  erected  for  his  own  occupani:y  a 
brick  residence,  considered  in  that  day  a  spa- 
cious one  ;  this  he  took  possession  of  in  August, 
1723,  at  the  same  time  formally  declaring  New 
Orleans  the  provincial  seat  of  government. 

Charlevoix,  a  chronicler  of  that  day,  writes : 
•'  There  are  in  the  city  fifty  log  cabins,  placed 


to  look  new  by  contrast.  Although  they  are 
mellowed  and  furrowed  by  time,  they  seen 
veritable  parvenus  who  have  encroached  on 
ground  already  made  sacred  by  the  history, 
traditions  and  legends  of  a  remote  era.  The 
Governor's  grim  mansion  was  once  the  centre 
of  wealth  and  power ;  there  congregated  the 
beauty,  fashion  and  chivalry  of  colonial  days. 
The  mystic  charm  of  a  brilliant  past  hangs  over 
it  and  the  narrow  street  where  once  resounded 
the  clink  of  cavaliers'  swords,  knightly  spnrs, 
and  the  tap,  tap  of  red-heeled  slippers  worn 
by  highborn  dames.  The  impress  of  former 
grandeur  is  heightened  by  stepping  within  the 
age-darkened  house  where  are  now  offered  for 
sale  quaint  china,  dusty  bronzes,  carved  ftirni- 
ture  whose  rich   upholsterings  are  faded  and 


OLD  NEW   ORLEANS.  —  80VERN0B  BIENVILLE'S   HOUSE,  CHARTRE3  STKEET. 


kite  of  New  Orleans  as  the  most  appropriate 
one  whereon  to  build  the  chief  city  and  capital 
of  the  Province  of  Louisiana.  He  appointed 
Sieur  le  Blond  de  la  Tour  to  survey  the  ground, 
stake  off  the  squares  and  mark  out  the  streets. 
He  ordered  that  the  city  be  laid  out  in  imita- 
tion of  Kochefort,  the  town  from  which  he  and 
his  brother  D'IberviUe,  with  SauvoUe,  had 
sailed  on  leaving  France  to  renew  La  Salle's 
explorations  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

The  position  of  the  Parish  Church — now  the 
St.  Louis  Cathedral — was  selected  by  Bienville, 
and  the  exact  location  of  the  edifice  was  traced 
on  the  ground  by  him  with  the  point  of  his 
trusty  sword,  which  France  had  bestowed  on 
him  and  the  Church  had  blessed.  The  Pres- 
bytery, Conseil  deVille  and  City  Warehouses 
were  also  assigned  their  exact  situations  by  him. 
J-ieuving   fifty   men  (0  clear  the  ground  and 


with  little  order  among  the  brambles  and  trees, 
three  dwellings — one  of  them  was  Bienville's — 
a  chapel  and  storehouse :  a  population  of  200 
men  and  a  few  women  ;  the  town  presents  the 
appearance  of  a  camp  in  the  wilderness." 
Such  was  the  foundation  of  the  "Crescent 
City"  iu  1724. 

The  first  residence  of  Governor  Bienville 
exists  still  in  the  ancient  French  quarter,  on 
the  corner  of  Chartres  and  Ursuline  Streets. 
Though  the  oldest  house  in  the  city,  it  is  yet 
well  preserved.  It  is  a  large,  low,  thick-walled 
structure,  time-stained  and  covered  with  pic- 
turesque brick  tiles  ;  a  style  of  roofing  not  in 
general  use  until  after  1794,  when  the  city  had 
been,  for  a  second  time,  almost  destroyed  by 
fire.  This  building  is  so  antique  in  appear- 
ance, that  it  causes  others  surrounding  it, 
which  have  themselves  stood  for  over  a  century, 


worn.  These  are  relics  of  former  greatness, 
sad  mementoes  of  the  decay  of  noble  families 
whose  descendants'  dire  poverty  has  compelled 
them  to  part  with  their  old  heirlooms.  The 
whole  form  a  mute,  but  eloquent,  appeal  to 
our  sympathy  for  a  people  whose  grandeur 
and  influence  have  perished. 

New  Orleans  is  a  city  of  strong  contrasts,  of 
anachronisms,  even ;  the  past  exists  ever  here 
in  the  present.  An  American  city,  yet  its 
Cathedral  perpetuates  the  memory  of  a  French 
monarch.  Its  streets  bear  the  names  of  the 
great  men  of  France  and  Spain.  It  has  its 
being  under  a  republican  form  of  government ; 
but  its  society  is  controlled,  to  a  great  extent, 
by  the  manners  and  opinions  brought  nigh  twc 
centuries  ago  from  the  courts  of  Paris  and  Ma- 
drid ;  a  society  which  has  its  ancien  riginu 
of   old-time   aristocracy,  to  which  birth  and 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMEBIC  A. 


593 


594 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Calturo,  not  gold,  form  the  obligulory  "open 
sesame"  as  tnily  as  ever  they  did  to  the  fa- 
iaous  salons  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain. 
Nor  are  the  above  facts  ever  regretted  by  those 
who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  admission 
within  the  select  circle  -where  gather  the  ante- 
bellum Creole  aristocrats,  recognize  the  spotless 
purity  of  their  wives  and  daughters,  the  un- 
tarnished honor  of  their  men,  and  realize  the 
influence  which  they  so  fully  exemplify  of 
noblesse  oblige.  ,  ^  ^ 

The  Mountains  of  Nortli  O.irolina. 
There  is  a  country  that  '•  lieth  afar  between 
mountains  " — as  every  fairyland  should — which 


prairie  is  surrounded  by  the  balsam  forest, 
which,  on  the  North  Carolina  side,  gives  way, 
at  a  certain  degree  of  elevation,  to  the  decidu- 
ous growth  that  clothes,  luxuriantly,  the  lower 
slopes  of  the  mountain.  On  the  Tennessee  side, 
however,  an  abrupt  precipice  descends  into  far 
abysmal  gorges.  It  is  from  the  brow  of  this 
stupendous  cliff  that  the  view  is  obtained  of 
which  description  can  give  no  idea. 


Progress  of  Means  of  Travel. 
In  these  days  of  hurry  and  bustle,  where  time 
is  money,  and  the  annihilation  of  space  by  sea 
and  land  seems  to  have  reached  its  utmost 


system  of  stagecoach  communication  between 
the  cities  and  towns.  Every  morning,  from 
the  different  booking  offices  and  taverns  in 
the  larger  places,  long  lines  of  great  yellow, 
thorough-brace  coaches,  drawn  by  splendid 
horses,  would  rattle  away  to  the  music  of  key 
bugles  and  snapping  whips,  bound  for  differ- 
ent points  near  and  far  away.  The  inside  and 
outside  seats  would  be  full  of  passengers,  and 
the  spacious  leathern  boots  packed  with  trunks 
and  boxes.  Comfortable  vehicles  were  these 
old  stagecoaches  of  our  fathers,  strong  and 
massive,  rocking  in  their  great  leathern  springs 
as  easily,  almost,  as  a  palace  car,  unless  the 
roads  were  very  bad,  when  the  tendency  of  th 


Is  only  beginning  to  receive  the  attention  that 
is  its  due  from  lovers  of  science  as  well  as  from 
lovers  of  the  picturesque.  It  is  the  culminating 
point  of  the  great  Appalachian  system,  the  r"- 
,  gion  where  peaks  and  valleys  alike  attain  their 
highest  altitijde,  and  where  Nature  in  her  most 
prodigal  mood  has  lavished  every  gift  that  can 
make  a  country  desirable.  One  of  its  famous 
mountains  is  the  Eoan  of  the  Smoky  range. 
Long  known  for  its  wonderful  view,  this  noble 
height  has  now  become  a  place  of  Summer  re- 
sort since  the  erection  of  a  hotel  on  its  summit, 
more  than  six  thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 
Like  all  the  great  peaks  of  the  Smoky,  its  top 
is  a  treeless  expanso,  covered  with  luxuriant 
grass  and  mountain  heather.     This  beautiful 


OLD  NEW  OKLEANS. —  SCENE  On  THE  LEVEE. 

bounds,  when  man  lives  at  a  rate  of  speed  in 
keeping  with  the  times,  and  crowds  a  whole 
life  into  a  single  year,  it  is  restful  and  profit- 
able to  give  retrospection  full  sweep,  and  re- 
trace the  years  to  those  times  when  things 
moved  slower;  and  man  had  not  become  an 
automaton,  borne  down  the  noiseless  tide  of 
money-getting,  but  was  content  to  glide  easily 
through  life  to  a  good  old  age,  unhampered  by 
the  rush  of  worry  of  this  latter  so-called  pro- 
gressive era. 

At  the  opening  of  the  present  century,  when 
the  populous  portion  of  the  Union  comprised 
but  a  comparatively  narrow  strip  of  country 
along  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  the  necessities  of 
the  people  demanded  and  obtained  a  very  good 


passenger's  head  would  be  to  seek  the  roof,  in 
3pite  of  convulsive  clutchings  at  the  hand- 
straps.  The  seats  were  covered  with  leather, 
and  the  inside  of  the  coach  was  upholstered 
with  the  same  slippery  material  as  high  as 
one's  shoulder.  Thirteen  people,  nine  inside 
and  four  outside,  made  a  good  solid  load,  al- 
though twenty  and  even  twentj'-five  passengers 
were  often  accommodated.  There  w'as  always 
room  for  one  more  on  the  old  stagecoach. 

It  was  a  very  pretty  sight,  on  a  plea.so.ut 
Autumn  morning  a  half-century  ago,  to  see  a 
coach  of  some  popular  line,  well  loaded  with 
passengers,  speeding  through  the  country 
bound  for  some  distant  city,  its  four  power- 
ful horses  guided  by  the  subtle  hand  of  an. 


UMTED    Si'ATES    OF    AMERtUA. 


VIEW    OF   THE    ROAN    MOUNTAIN,  NORTH    CAROLINA. 


595 


596 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


experienced  "Jehu,"  whose  lofty  seat  and  ex- 
quisite finger  on  the  reins  were  the  admiration 
and  envy  of  all  hangers-on  at  the  numerous 
taverns  along  the  route.  Ten  miles  the  hour 
was  schedule  time  on  many  a  line,  and  to  ar- 
rive and  depart  "  o.  T."  was  the  pride  of  every 
driver's  heart,  while  to  the  little  hamlet  for- 
tunate enough  to  be  on  a  stage  route  the  ar- 
rival of  the  coach  was  the  event  of  the  day. 


The  Brooklyn  Bridge. 
'.  The  Brooklyn  Bkidge  was  completed  and 
opened  to  traffic  on  the  24th  of  May,  1883. 
The  Brooklyn  terminus  is  in  the  square  bounded 
by  Fulton,  Prospect,  Sands  and  Washington 
Streets ;  the  New  York  terminus  in  Park  Row, 
opposite  the  City  Hall  Park.     The  supporting 


feet.  Each  tower  rests  immediately  upon  a 
caisson,  constructed  of  yellow  -  pine  timber, 
which  on  the  Brooklyn  side  is  45  feet  and  on 
the  New  York  side  78  feet  below  the  surface  of 
the  water.  The  Brooklyn  caisson  is  1C8  feet 
long  by  102  feet  wide.  The  towers  erected 
upon  these  foundations  are  140  feet  in  length 
by  50  feet  in  width  at  the  water-line ;  below 
the  upper  cornice  at  the  top  these  dimen- 
sions are  reduced,  by  sloped  offsets  at  in- 
tervals, to  120  feet  by  40.  The  total  height 
above  high  water  of  each  tower  is  272  feet. 
At  the  anchorages  each  of  the  4  cables,  af- 
ter passing  over  the  towers,  enters  the  an- 
chorage -  walls  at  au  elevation  of  nearly  80 
feet  above  high  water,  and  passes  through 
the  masonrj^  a  distance  of  25  feet,  at  which 
point  a  connection  is  formed  with  th'^  anchor- 


Each  cable  consists  of  5,296  parallel  (nofr 
twisted)  galvanized  steel,  oil  -  coated  wires, 
closely  wrapped  in  a  solid  cylinder  15^  inches 
in  diameter. 

Height  of  floors-at  towers  above  high  water, 
119  feet  3  inches. 

Grade  of  road,  'i\  feet  in  100  feet. 

Height  of  towers  above  roadway,  159  feet. 

Sizetbf  anchorages  at  base,  129  x  119  feet. 

Size  of  anchorages  at  top,  117  x  104  feet. 

Height  of  anchorages,  89  feet  front,  85  feet 
rear. 

Weight  of  each  anchor-plate,  23  tons. 

The  spans  from  the  anchorages  to  the  towcra- 
are  susjjended  to  the  cables,  and  carried  over 
the  roofs  of  the  buildings  underneath.  The 
ajiproach  on  the  Brooklyn  side  from  the  termi- 
nus to  the  anchorage  measure  971  feet ;  on  tha 


iower  on  the  Brooklyn  side  is  just  north 
of  the  Fulton  Ferry  House ;  the  New  York 
tower  is  at  Pier  29,  near  the  foot  of  Roosevelt 
Street.  The  bridge  maybe  divided  into  five 
parts :  the  central  span  across  the  river  from 
tower  to  tower,  1,595  feet  long;  a  span  on 
each  side  from  the  tower  to  the  anchorage, 
930  feet  long ;  and  the  approaches  from  the 
terminus  to  the  anchorage  on  each  side.  The 
whole  length  of  the  bridge  is  5,989  feet.  It  is 
85  feet  wide,  including  a  promenade  for  foot- 
passengers  of  13  feet,  2  railroad  tracks,  on 
which  run  passenger-cars  propelled  by  a  sta- 
tionary engine  on  the  Brooklyn  side,  and  2 
roadways  for  vehicles.  From  high-water  mark 
to  the  floor  of  the  bridge  in  the  centre  is  a  dis- 
tance of  135  feet,  so  that  navigation  is  not  im- 
peded. The  bridge  is  suspended  from  4  cables, 
each  15|  inches  in  diameter,  made  of  steel 
wire.     These  cables  have  a  deflection  of  128 


THE  OI.D  STAGECOACH  BATS. 

chains.  The  following  table  will  give  some 
further  interesting  data  in  regard  to  the  work  : 

Construction  commenced  January  2,  1870. 

Size  of  the  New  York  caisson,  172  x  102  feet. 

Timber  and  iron  in  caisson,  5,253  cubic 
yards. 

Concrete  in  well-holes,  chambers,  etc.,  5,669 
cubic  feet. 

Weightof  New  York  caisson,  about  7,000  tons. 

Weight  of  concrete  filling,  8,000  tons. 

New  York  tower  contains  46,945  cubic  yards 
masonry. 

Brooklyn  tower  contains  38,214  cubic  yards 
masonry. 

First  wire  was  run  oiit  May  29,  1877. 

Cable -making  really  commenced  June  11, 
1877. 

Length  of  each  single  wire  in  cable  3,572  feet. 

Ultimate  strength  of  each  cable,  12,200  tons. 

Weight  of  wire,  12  feet  per  lb. 


New  York  side,  1,562.6  feet.  These  approaches 
are  supported  by  heavy  arches  of  masonry, 
except  at  several  street-crossings,  over  which 
massive  iron  bridges  are  thrown.  The  spaces 
under  the  archways  are  to  be  fitted  up  for 
storehouses,  which  will  be  strictly  fireproof. 
The  Brooklyn  terminus  is  68  feet  above  high 
tide.  The  cost  largely  exceeded  the  original 
estimate  for  the  entire  work,  some  $15,000,000 
having  been  expended.  The  railroad  was 
opened  to  the  public  September  24,1883.  Be- 
tween  that  time  and  June  1,  1884,  the  number 
of  passengers  carried  was  5,324,140,  and  the 
amount  of  money  received  in  fares,  $266,207, 
the  fares  being  5  cents  each.  On  March  1, 
1885,  the  fare  was  reduced  to  Scents,  packages 
of  10  tickets  being  sold  for  25  cents.  For  that 
month  the  average  number  of  passengers  using 
the  road  was  about  47,700  a  day.  Up  to  May 
1,  1887,  the  number  of  persons  crossing  the 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


691 


tridge  ■was  75,524,800.  The  fare  for  pedes- 
trians is  1  cent ;  packages,  at  the  rate  of  one- 
Cfth  of  a  cent. 


Tha  Oaverns  of  Luray,  Virginia. 
In  the  Summer  of  1878,  Mr.  B.  P.  Stebbins 
conceived  the  idea  of  a  more  complete  explora- 
iioa  of  one  of  the  caves,  with  a  view  of  making 


worth  exploring.  It  was  in  the  cleared  land  on 
the  northern  slope,  a  few  hundred  yards  from 
the  mouth  of  the  old  cave,  and  had  long  been 
used  by  the  farmers  as  a  convenient  place  to 
toss  stones  and  rubbish,  until  it  was  completely 
choked  up.  Upon  clearing  away  some  of  the 
rubbish,  they  fancied  that  they  felt  a  cold,  up- 
rising current  of  air,  and  thus  encouraged, 
redoubled    their    exertions    and    laboriously 


of  the  farmer  who  had  almost  given  his  la&d 
away  without  knowing  of  its  underground 
value.  During  the  two  years  of  litigatioa 
the  price  of  the  land  swelle'd  to  $40,000,  the 
early  vision  of  wealth  had  correspondingly 
dwindled,  and  the  three  discoverers  gave  up 
their  claims  to  a  party  of  Northern  gentlemea 
who  had  formed  a  company  to  buy  up  the  uu- 
derground  wonder.    This  is  its  historj. 


It  an  oJjJect  of  interest  to  tourists,  and  Tie  in- 
Tited  the  co-operation  of  the  brothers  William 
■and  Ana'rew  Campbell.  They  were  imwilling 
to  do  this,  but  agreed  to  search  for  a  new  cave, 
and  accordingly  the  trio  went  ranging  over  the 
"neighboring  hills,  exploring  every  depression 
and  peering  into  all  the  dark  comers. 

But  they  met  with  poor  success  until  one 
iday,  returning  tired  and  almost  discouraged, 
tiiey  came  across  a  sink-hole  which  they  deemed 


THE   BUOOKLV.N    lilUDOE. 

tumbled  aw!>y  the  huge  stones  until  they  were 
able  to  descend  to  the  bottom  by  means  of  a 
rope. 

The  two  brothers  went  do'wn  and  staid  for 
some  time,  and  when  they  came  up  looked 
pleased,  but  said  nothing.  They  went  home 
and  dreamed ;  and  how  glorious  must  have 
been  their  dreams!  But  alas!  their  dreams, 
so  grand  and  wild,  were  destined  to  be  but 
dreams  stUl.     The  cruel  law  came  to  the  relief 


The  scenery  of  the  valley  is  very  diversified 
and  quite  pretty.  Instead  of  being  in  the  side 
of  the  mountains,  as  one  might  expect,  the 
cave  is  four  or  five  miles  from  the  mountains 
on  either  side,  having  no  obvious  relation  with 
them. 

Let  us  now  enter  this  wonderful  cave.  As 
you  approach  the  low  rolling  hill  where  the 
entrance  is  situated,  you  will  see  a  house 
liaving  a  decidedly  public  look.    In  tliis  ORSt^ 


d98 


THJi    WOKLD'S    GKJBAT    NATIONS. 


however,  th«  interest  is  centred  in  an  nnusnal 
part  of  the  liause,  its  cellar.  We  first  descend 
a  broad  ttight  of  stone  steps  to  a  landing  50 
feet  below  the  surface,  and  the  sudden  change 
from  96°  to  56'^  Fahrenheit  reminds  us  that  our 
heavy  coat  need  no  longer  be  carried  on  our 
arm.  The  air  is  pure,  but  it  is  damp,  and  its 
freedom  from  dust  and  water  produces  a  most 
peculiar  effect.  The  light  is  not  nearly  as  well 
diffused  as  it  would  be  at  the  surface,  hence 
dark  shadows  are  formed,  and  an  altogether 
iveird  effect  produced. 

'     The  many  and  extraordinary  monuments  of 
aqneona    energy    include    massive     columns 


like  the  gnarled  grain  of  costly  woods.  The 
new  stalactites  are  made  of  hard  carbonates 
that  have  been  used  once  before,  and  are 
usually  white  or  snowy,  though  often  pink, 
blue,  or  amber-colored.  Here  in  this  dark 
studio  of  nature  are  reproductions  of  all  the 
objects  which  are  wont  to  fill  the  mind  with 
pleasure,  wonder  or  alarm — crystal  fountains, 
spouting  gej'sers  and  fiower  -  gardens  trans- 
formed to  rock,  cathedrals  gorgeously  sculp- 
tured and  frescoed,  chimes  and  deep-toned 
organs,  thrones;  spectral  beings,  terrestrial, 
celestial  and  infernal — objects  whose  multi- 
plicity, variety  and  splendor  would  exhaust 


pointing  upward,  acquiring  new  height  and 
resting  upon  the  same  bro  ul  base  as  the  other. 
Nothing  could  be  more  fit. 


The  Eoyal  Gorge  of  Oolorado. 
If  the  first  experience  upon  the  brink  of  the 
Grand  Canon  is  startling,  that  of  the  Eoyal 
Gorge  is  absolutely  terrifying,  and  the  bravest 
at  the  one  point  become  most  abject  of  cow- 
ards in  comparison  at  the  other.  At  the  first 
point  of  observation,  the  walls,  though  fright- 
fully steep,  are  nevertheless  sloping  to  more  or 
less  extent ;  here  at  the  Koyal  Gorge  they  are 


CAVERNS  OP  LURAV.— TlIK  GROAN. 


■wrenched  from  their  place  in  the  ceiling  and 
prostrate  en  the  floor :  the  Hollow  Column,  40 
feet  high  and  30  feet  in  diameter,  standing 
erect,  but  pierced  by  a  tubular  passage  from 
top  to  bottom  ;  the  Leaning  Column,  nearly  as 
large,  undermined  and  tilting  like  Pisa's  ;  the 
Organ,  a  cluster  Of  stalactites  dropped  points 
downward  and  standing  thus  in  the  room 
known  as  the  Cathedral ;  besides  vast  beds  of 
disintegrated  carbonates  left  by  the  whirling 
floods  that  have  swept  through  the  galleries. 

The  stidactic  display  exceeds  that  of  any 
Other  cavern,  scarcely  a  yard  being  unor- 
namentod.  The  old  n)aterial  is  yellow,  brown 
Gt  red ;  and  its  wavy  surface  cfteu  shows  layers 


the  whole  literature  of  mj'thic  and  fairy  lore 
in  providing  names  for  their  infinite  diversity 
and  beauty.  The  size  of  some  is  something 
startling.  The  Empress  Column  is  a  stalag- 
mite 35  feet  high,  rose-colored  and  elaborately 
draped.  The  double  column  called  the  Henry- 
Baird  Column,  after  the  two  Secretaries  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  is  made  of  two  fluted 
pillars  side  by  side,  the  one  25  and  the  other 
CO  feet  high,  a  mass  of  snowy  alabaster.  All 
the  names  are  more  or  less  suggestive,  but  this 
has  a  peculiar  fitness.  There  is  the  one,  the 
Henry,  huge  and  full-grown,  a  monument  of 
acquired  and  lasting  fame ;  the  other,  the 
Baird,  a  younger  one,  still  growing  and  ever 


sheer  preciijices,  as  perpendicular  as  the  tallest 
house,  as  straight  as  if  built  by  line.  So  nar^ 
row  is  the  gorge,  that  one  would  think  the 
throwing  of  a  stone  from  side  to  side  the 
easiest  of  accomplishments,  yet  no  living  man 
has  ever  done  it,  or  succeeded  in  throwing  any 
object  so  that  it  would  fall  into  the  water  be- 
low. Many  tourists  are  content  with  the 
appalling  view  from  the  main  walls,  but  others 
more  venturesome  work  their  way  600  to  1,000 
feet  down  tlie  ragged  edges  of  a  mountain 
that  has  parted,  and  actually  slid  into  the 
chasm.  The  gorge  is  2,000  feet  sheer  depth, 
and  the  most  precipitous  and  sublime  in  its 
proportions  of  any  chasm  on  the  continent. 


UNITED    STATES    OP    AMEEICA. 


599 


THE   CASON    of   the   COLOEADO. 


600 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Camp  m  the  Woods. 
In  the  high  latitude?  of  sixty-six  degrees, 
North,  in  the  interior  of  Alaska,  there  are  large 
tracts  of  well- wooded  country,  which  are  usually 
selected  for  camps.  AiTived  at  these  woods, 
and  having  unpacked  their  sledges  and  let  the 
,  dogs  loose, -tiie  hunters  clear  a  place  in  the 
snow,  raise  an  enormous  log-fire,  sprod  spruce-fir 
hrush  on  the  ground,  lay  their  reinJesr  and 
bear -skins  and  their  blankets  over  it,  and  sleep 
in  the  open  air  at  a  tempsrature  frequently 
below  the  freezing  point.  Our  sketcli  represents 
such  a  camp,  with  the  additional  feature  of  a 
semicircular  screen  of  canvas  fixed  to  the  trees, 
or  to  the  men's  snowshoes  stuck  iri  the  ground, 
and  sheltering  the  tired  anl  sleeping  explorer.s 
from  the  fearful  wintry  blasts  of  that  country. 
It  has  been  founl  fr.im  experience  that  tents 
cannot  be  used  to  advantage  in  Winter,  as 
they  cannot  he  placed  with  s.ifety  sufficiently 
near  the  camp-fire, 
and  thay  are,  accord- 
ing'y,  little  used.  A 
' '  watch  "is  Bometimej 
tept,  an  Indian  being 
generally  selected  for 
that  office. 

It  is  always  neces- 
sary to  put  everything 
e;itable  out  of  the  way 
of  the  dogs ;  and  as 
they  devour  anything 
— old  boots,  skin-cloth- 
ing, and  even  their  own 
harness  —  this  is  fre- 
quently a  difScul  t  task. 

Indian  Dance. 


York  and  Boston  press,  to  the  climate,  face  of 
the  country,  and  resources  of  Russian  America. 
Three  months  later,  early  on  a  Saturday  morn- 
ing of  September,  I  awoke  within  the  limits  of 
that  far-  off  region,  amid  the  quiet  waters  of 
the  harbor  of  St.  Paul,  the  chief  town  of  the 
i-sland  of  Kodiak.  The  day  was  singularly 
clear.  The  sparkling  of  deep,  wide-spread 
waters ;  the  long  range  of  low  mountains,  the 
variety  of  whose  shapes  and  tints  was  almost 
bewildering  ;  anJ  the  \yhite  g'.eaming  outline 
of  the  distant  giants  upon  the  mainland,  gave 
to  the  scene  a  character  of  immensity,  infinite 
beauty,  and  vast  grandeur. 

Along  the  low  beach,  reaching  up  to  a  nar- 
row terrace,  lay  the  warehouses,  cabins  and 
huts  of  the  little  town,  so  remote  from  the 
business  world  that  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  had 
collected  one-half  of  its  people  in  canoes  around 
the  steamer,  while  the  rest  wore  intently  gazing 
at  us  from  the  shore.     Its  entire  population  was 


Our  illustratic.i 
presents    one    of 


re- 

ths 
Indian  dances  which 
are  of  frequent  occur- 
rence during  the 
Winter  months.  In 
each  village  there  is 
always  a  building  get 
apart  for  such  festivals 
and  for  other  gather- 
ings of  the  people. 

The  entertainments 
are    commenced  witli 

a  feast,  and  that  over,  a  dance  is  begun  to  a 
most  monotonous  chorus,  with  an  accompani- 
ment of  gongs.  ITie  dancers,  nearly  all  young 
men  and  boys,  are  naked  to  the  waist,  wearing 
cotton,  or  reindeer,  or  sealskin  pantaloons, 
with  the  tails  of  wolves  or  dogs  depending  from 
their  waistbands.  Their  heads  are  rather  gro- 
tesquely decorated  with  feathers,  handkerchiefs 
and  strips  of  gxyly-colored  cloth.  In  these 
performances  as  much  is  done  by  contortions  of 
the  body  and  arms  as  with  the  feet ;  in  some 
of  them  there  is  much  leaping  and  gesticulating, 
and  occasionally  they  burlesque  the  motions  of 
birds  and  quadrupeds. 


Three  Months  in  Alaska. 

It  was  in  the  early  part  of  June,  18G7,  while 

rr:visiting  the  hilly  regions  of  New  Hampshire, 

that  my  attention  was  called,  by  the  speech  of 

Mr.  Sumner,  and  the  discussions  of  the  New 


CAMI'    IN    THE    WOODS. 

less  than  four  hundred,  of  whom  one-fourth  are 
Russians,  and  the  others  are  about  equally 
divided  between  the  natives  and  the  half- 
breeds.  The  whole  island  has  about  1,800  in- 
habitants. From  its  irregular  sliape  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  estimate  its  area,  but  it  is  something 
more  than  half  tlie  size  of  Connecticut. 

Kodiak  is,  nnd  probably  will  continue  to  be, 
the  most  important  of  the  islands  of  Alaska. 
It  abounds  with  goo  1  harbors.  The  soil  is 
black  and  fertile,  and  there  is  less  waste  land 
than  in  any  other  portion  of  the  territory.  It 
has  no  rugged  mountains,  no  dense  swamps. 
About  one-third  of  the  island,  chiefly  its  north, 
ern  side,  is  covered  with  forests.  The  trees  are 
spruce,  cedar,  and  fir,  straight  and  graceful, 
and  covering  the  mound-like  hills  with  their 
conical,  symmetrical  forms.  The  other  two- 
thirds  of  the  island  is  covered  with  a  thick, 
fine  grass,  resembling  the  red  top  of  the  East- 
ern States,  with  occasional   patches  of  wild 


gooseberry,  currant,   salmonDerry,   and   other 
bushes. 

As  our  tarry  was  only  for  four  days,  Lieuten- 
ant Andrews,  a  Government  naval  officer,  and 
I,  left  early  ca  the  second  day,  with  a  native 
guide,  for  an  excursion  into  the  interior.  As 
tliere  are  no  Iiorses  or  mules  on  the  island,  wr 
were,  of  necessity,  pedestrians.  The  trail  was 
not  unlike  such  cs  I  had  traveled  in  Northern 
California.  A  walk  of  eleven  miles,  mostly 
through  a  forest,  brought  us  to  a  narrow  inlet, 
reaching  inland  from  the  ocean,  on  which  is  a 
ranche  of  the  natives,  who  here,  as  elsewhere 
on  the  island,  live  mostly  on  fish,  with  seal 
oil  and  a  variety  of  vegetables  as  a  relish. 
Taking  a  canoe,  we  went  five  miles  up  the 
inlet,  and  then  ascending  a  ridge  of  open  grass- 
land, we  traveled  ten  miles  due  couth,  camping 
at  sunset  on  the  green  turf  upon  the  south  side 
of  a  well-rounded  hill,  just  such  as  Lieutenant 
Andrews  said  was  to  be  found  in  almost  every 
township  in  his  native 
State,  Maine.  In  truth, 
the  whole  face  of  the 
country  did  strikingly 
remind  us  of  the  cen- 
tral and  western  sec- 
tions of  that  State. 

After  breakfast  the 
next  morning,  we 
turned  to  the  north- 
west, and  keeping  on 
cpen  ridges,  made  an 
inland  circuit,  reach- 
ing St.  Paul  at  dark. 

Kodiak  has  pasturage 
and  mowing  lands  to 
support  ten  thousand 
head  of  cattle.  It  has 
now  less  than  two 
hundred.  The  quality 
of  the  beef  is  equal  to 
the  best  on  tlie  Ver- 
mont hills,  riie  few 
Russians  here  make 
use  of  it  to  some  ex- 
tent, but  the  natives 
have  never  acquired  a 
taste  for  it.  It  is  sel- 
dom of  late  years  that 
a  whaler  visits  the 
island,  and  as  there  is 
no  market,  there  is  no 
inducement  to  raise  this  kind  of  live  stock. 
Mr.  Sumner  seems  to  have  been  led  to  think 
that  the  hardier  of  the  small  grains  have  been, 
and  can  be,  raised  on  this  island.  This  is  a 
mistake.  The  sea  air  forbids  the  maturing  of 
rye,  oats  and  barley,  and  wheat  does  not  show 
a  growth  of  straw.  But  the  hardier  vegetables, 
potiitoes,  turnips,  cabbage,  peas,  and  several 
indigenous  roots  and  plants,  grow  abundantly. 
There  are  few  wild  animals  on  the  island, 
except  the  fox.  But  the  sea  abounds  with  the 
sea-lion,  seal,  mink,  and  eveiy  variety  of  palat- 
alile  fish.  Ninety-nme  years  ago.  Shelakoflf, 
the  founder  of  the  Russian  colonics  in  America, 
came  to  this  island  and  establishe  1  a  trading- 
post.  Since  then  the  natives  have  been  chiefly 
in  the  employ  of  the  Eussian  Fur  Company, 
retaining  for  the  most  part  their  previous  mode 
of  life  and  costume.  In  Summer  they  wear  a 
broad-liriuimed  hat  made  of  braided  grass,  and 
in  Winter  a  conical  fur  cap.     Kodiak  will  some 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA- 


601 


day  b3  t'.ic  home  of  a 
v.ell-to-do  farming 
people.  The  climate 
in  Summer  is  dry  and 
•cooler  than  Mid- 
summer i.i  New  Eng- 
land. The  Winters  are 
like  those  of  southern 
Pennsylvania. 

OUNAtASKA   ANB  ITS 
VATEB8. 

A  lucky  wind  and  a 
Smooth  sea  brought  us 
in  four  days  to  Oun- 
alaska,  seven  hundred 
Tiiilcs  west  of  Kodiak. 
Like  all  of  the  numer- 
ous group  of  Aleutian 
Islands,  of  which  it  Is 
the  most  important,  it 
is  destitute  of  trees, 
rough  witli  volcanic 
mountains,  abounding 
with  lignite  and  turf, 
and  covered  with  grass. 
Its  loftiest  mountain  is 
an  active  volcano,  its 
aides  glistening  with 
lava  and  sulphur. 
lUalook,   the    only 

town,  has  one  hundred  and  fifteen  inhabitants. 
The  entire  population  of  the  island  is  nine 
hundred. 

At  that  time  tbere  was  only  one  pure-bloodei 
Russian  on  tlie  island.  The  Creoles  (half- 
breeds) — of  whom  there  is  quite  a  number— are 
somewhat  intelligent,  and  capable  in  the  trans- 
action of  business.  The  climate  of  this  and 
all  the  Aleutian  Islands  is  cooler  than  at  Ko- 
diak. The  natives,  however,  raise  excellent 
potatoes,  and  cuUivate  several  indigenous  roots 
Though  no  cattle  are  upon  this  group,  they 
could  be  raised  as 
readily  as  in  Canada 
and  Northern  New 
England. 

The  natives  of  Oun- 
alaska  are  tlie  finest 
type  of  the  Indian  I 
have  seen.  They  are 
of  medium  size,  brown 
compLxion,  with  small 
nose  and  black  eyes. 
The  men  have  scanty 
bearJs,  and  from  their 
constant  exercise  in 
rowing,  have  wide 
chests  and  sturdy 
arms,  llie  women  are 
what  the  Eastern 
people  call  "  chubby," 
and,  what  is  very  rare 
among  the  aboriginal 
race,  are  rather  pretty. 
Some  of  tliem  have 
pleasant  and  expressive 
faces. 

In  olden  times  their 
clothing  was  the  sea- 
otter  and  sealskins, 
but  now  the  most  of 
them  use  woolen 
blankets   in    Summer. 


SCENERY    OF    THE    STIKEEN    ElVER. 

Their  touts  are  made  of  the  thick  skin  of  the 
sea-lion.  In  wet  weatlier,  and  when  at  sea, 
they  wear  the  "cawley,"  a  kind  of  fabric  well- 
known  to  every  mariner  on  this  coast.  It  is 
m?.do  of  the  bladder  of  the  halibut,  the  skin  of 
the  whale's  tongi;e,  or  more  frequently  of  the 
intestines  of  the  seal.  It  is  very  thin  and  neat, 
almost  transparent,  and  impervious  to  water. 
Tiie  dress  made  of  it  covers  the  entire  person, 
except  the  face  and  feet.  It  has  a  hood  for  the 
head,  anl  ties  closely  about  the  nock.  The  men 
wear  a  wooden  hat  or  cap  with  lai'ge  visor,  and 


ST.  NICOLAS,  COOK  S   INLET. 


ornamented  with  the 
long  "  smellers"  of  the 
sea  lions. 

The  natives  of  this 
island  are  ingenious 
mechanics,  and  even 
artiste,  showing  a  skill- 
ful tact  in  carving 
wood,  bone  and  ivcry. 
They  are  apt  in  the  use 
of  the  needle  made  of 
the  wing-bone  cf  the 
gull.  Instead  of  an 
fve,  a  nice  groove  is 
cut  around  the  head, 
m  which  they  tic  the 
thread  so  neatly  that  it 
follows  the  needle 
without  any  obstruc- 
tion. Threa.l  of  the 
fineness  of  a  hair,  to 
the  size  of  a  cord,  is 
iiinde  from  the  sinews 
of  the  seal. 

In  capturing  sea 
animals,  they  chiefly 
use  the  dart,  having  a 
length  of  four  to  seven 
feet.  It  is  made  of 
drift-wood  cedar,  with 
the  lower  end  of  bone 
or  ivory.  In  catching  the  seal  or  otter,  they 
use  a  false  point,  neatly  barbed,  and  made  of 
ivory.  This,  inserted  in  the  soc!;et  at  the  end 
of  the  dart,  parts  on  the  least  effort  of  the 
animal  to  dive,  and  remains  in  the  body. 
A  string  of  considerable  length  is  fastened  to 
this  barbed  point,  and  twisted  around  the 
wooden  shaft  of  the  dart.  In  this  way  the 
dart  is  dragged  by  the  wounded  otter,  serving 
as  a  float  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  pursuer. 
The  animal  soon  tires  and  falls  an  easy  prey. 
Skill,  however,  like  that  of  angling  for  trout, 
is  required  to  make 
success  certain.  In 
hurling  these  darts,  a 
socket-board  is  used  to 
enable  the  holder  to 
throw  with  exactness. 

The  ' '  baidarka,  "the 
native  name  for  a  skin- 
covered  boat,  as  made 
by  the  Ounalaskans,  is 
far  superior  to  those 
of  any  other  island.  If 
perfect  symmetry  con- 
stitutes beauty,  th  y 
are  certainly  beautiful ; 
to  me  they  appeared 
so  beyond  any  abori- 
ginal workmanship  I 
had  ever  seen.  Some 
of  them  are  as  trans- 
parent as  oiled  paper, 
through  which  you 
could  trace  the  internal 
structure  and  form  of 
the  native  sitting  in 
it,  whose  light  dress, 
painted  and  plumed 
bonnet,  together  with 
his  or  her  perfect  ease, 
added  to  its  elegance. 
Both  Bexes  are  equally 


602 


THE    YfOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


acCTistomett  to  rowing, 
and  handle  the  paddle 
witli  equal  grace. 

The  common  baid- 
arka  is  sixteen  to 
eighteen  feet  lon'^,  and 
is  entirely  covered 
with  skin,  except  a 
circular  opening, 
twenty  inches  in  dia- 
meter. This  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  hoop. 
The  lower  sits  in  it, 
thrusting  his  legs  for- 
ward, and  tying  the 
open  skin,  fastened  to 
the  hoop,  around  lis 
waist.  This  makes  the 
boat  watertight,  even 
if  it  were  sunk.  I 
bought  one  of  these 
baidarkas  for  a  half- 
eagle,  which,  with  its 
paddle,  weiglis  thirty- 
eight  pounds.  It  can 
be  readily  carried 
under  the  arm. 

The  houses  of  the 
Ounalaskans  are  neat, 
and  have  little  of  the 

fish  odor,  so  common  and  offensive  in  Indian 
huts.  They  abound  in  their  peculiar  furniture. 
The  women  braid  very  neat  straw  mats  and 
baskets,  using  the  former  for  curtains,  beds, 
and  seats — the  latter  to  contain  their  work  and 
utensils. 

In  all  their  tents  I  noticed  a  basket  contain- 
in?  two  large  pieces  of  crystallized  quartz,  a 
large  piece  of  native  sulphur,  with  some  dry 
grass  or  moss.  This  serves  them  in  kindling 
fires.  First,  by  rubbing  the  sulphur  on  one  of 
the  quartz  fragments,  a  fine  dust  is  scattered 
among  the  grass.  Tlien,  by  striking  the  two 
pieces  of  quartz  together,  the  sparks  ignite  the 
sulphur,  which  kindles  a  blaze  among  the 
grass. 

The  only  land  animal  of  any  size  on  Ouna- 
laska  is  the  fox.  Its  colors  are  blacK,  silver, 
ash,  white,  and  red.  The  black  is  valued  at 
$50  each,  the  silver  at  $35.  The  others  are 
cheaper.  The  Ounalaskans  cannot  "run"  them 
down,  as  in  England,  but  lie  in  wait  with  a 
vigorou?  bow,  the  back  of  which  is  strength- 
ened liy  a  cord  of  sinew.  Their  arrows  are 
pointed  with  obsidian. 

Some  of  the  Creoles  and  several  of  the 
natives  of  this  island  have  been  educated  at 
St.  Petersburg,  and  are  quite  intelligent.  The 
tourist  from  the  Atlantic  States  will  find  no 
point  on  the  Pacific  coast  abounding  with 
more  interest  than  Ounalaska. 

At  St.  Michael  we  met  with  a  party  of  the 
returning  employes  of  the  American-Russian 
Telegraph  Company,  who,  for  two  years  past, 
had  been  employed  at  Grantley  Harbor,  two 
hundred  miles  northward,  on  the  east  coast  of 
Behring  Straits.  They  were  rejoicing  in  the 
prospect  of  returning  to  the  enjoyment  of  civ- 
ilized life. 

After  the  failure  of  the  first  Atlantic  cable 
\he  prospect  of  connecting  the  two  continents 
by  telegraph,  via  Behring  Straits  and  the  Amoor 
River,  was  undertaken  by  a  company  of  New 
York    caoitaUats.    The    Russian   Government 


INDIAN   DANCE  AT   UXALACIILEET. 

pledged  assistance  across  Siberia.  The  work 
was  vigorously  commencsd  early  in  18C5.  A 
large  force  was  sent  to  open  the  route  across 
British  Columbia.  Anotlier  party  went  to 
Grantley  Harbor,  where  they  exhibited  great 
energy  in  exploring  and  partially  opening  a 
route  from  the  Straits  inland  to  the  Youkon 
River.  The  wires  were  put  in  operation  from 
Grantley  Harbor  or  "Port  Clarence,"  as  it  is 
now  called,  to  "  Yankee  Jim's."  fifteen  miles 
down  the  coast,  in  1866. 

But  the  subsequent  success  of  the  Atlantic 
Telegraphic  Line  rendered  this  expensive  route 
useless,  and  after  an  outlay  of  $1,000,000,  the 
project  was  abandoned.  But  it  was  too  late 
for  the  force  at  Grantley  Harbor  to  return  in 
the  Fall  of  1806,  and  they  had  wintered  there 
in  the  comfortable  stone  and  log-house  bar- 


TKOLOSK    INDIAN. 


racks  built  m  1865. 
They  had  ample  lei- 
sure to  note  the 
weather.  From  them 
I  learned  that  the 
spirit  thermometer 
alone  was  available  fcr 
measuring  the  Winter 
temperature  in  this 
high  latitude.  The 
coldest  "snap"  during 
the  Winter  of  1806  at 
Port  Clarence  was 
forty-three  degrees 
below  zero.  At  Yankee 
Jim's  it  was  fifty-five 
degrees  below ;  at  the 
Tipper  Esquimaux 
villages,  sixty-three 
degrees  1  elow  ;  and  on 
the  Asiatic  side,  op- 
posite Behring  Straits, 
it  was  sixty-eight  de- 
gress below  zero. 

cook's  INLEl'  AND  SITKA 
HARBOR. 

Taking  on  board 
thirteen  hogsheads  of 
Walrus  tusks  and  a 
quantity  of  furs,  our  little  steamer  turned  its 
course  toward  Sitka,  which  port  we  were  all 
anxious  to  reach  in  time  to  witness  the  cere- 
monies of  the  transfer  of  this  region  to  the 
United  States.  We  passed  down  the  eas'.ein 
shore  of  Behring  Sea,  again  sailed  along  the 
coast  of  Alaska  Peninsula,  and  entering  Cook's 
Inlet,  anchored  at  Fort  St.  Nicholas,  hitherto 
a  rather  important  Russian  trading-post,  and 
probably  at  some  future  day  the  metropolis 
of  Alaska  territory.  It  is  on  the  east  side  ci 
Cook's  Inlet,  upon  the  peninsula,  enclosed  1  y 
that  inlet  and  Prince  William's  Sound.  Tl;e 
Russians  call  it  the  Kenay  Peninsula.  It  is 
twice  the  area  of  New  Jersey,  and  in  climate 
and  soil  is  the  garden  of  Alaska — the  only  sec- 
tion of  her  territory  capable  of  maturing  graim. 
The  land  is  moderately  rolling,  and  the  climate, 
in  both  Summer  and  Winter,  almost  the  ccut^- 
terpart  of  Northern  New  England. 

At  a  very  late  hour  we  returned  to  our  owu 
steamer. 

Sitka  has  three  hundred  end  forty -nine  Rus- 
sians, five  hundred  and  thirty-seven  Creoles, 
and  about  one  thousand  Indians.  It  was  built 
sixty-eight  years  ago,  and  owes  its  origin  to  the 
abundance  of  s  a- otter  then  found  in  its  vicin; 
ity.  Previously  the  headquarters  of  the  Fur 
Company  had  been  at  Kodiak. 

Visiting  the  shore  you  pass  a  battery  of  anti- 
quated guns,  and  come  to  the  warehouses,  con- 
sisting of  several  long  two-story  buildings 
painted  a  dull  yellow,  with  sheet-iron  roofs. 
In  these  are  stored  all  the  skins  from  the  other 
trading-posts,  and  the  goods  and  supplies  fur- 
nished to  the  employes  and  exchanged  for  furs 
with  the  Indians.  Next,  on  the  right,  is  the 
Governor's  house,  from  the  elevated  plaza  in 
front  of  which  you  have  a  view  of  the  whole 
town.  Prominent  is  the  Greek  Church,  the 
only  structure  ha\ing  any  claim  to  architectu- 
ral beauty.  In  front  it  has  an  Oriental  spire 
with  a  chime  cf  bells  and  an  ancient  clock- 
face,  while  a  large  dome  rests  on  its  centre. 


UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


60S 


Beyond  is  the  Lutheran  church,  the  "club- 
house," occupied  by  the  unmarried  officors  ; 
the  hospital,  foundi-y,  and  business  offices. 
There  is  l)ut  one  street,  and  the  housej  of  pri- 
vate families  are  built  on  alleys  leading  from 
it.  The  appearance  of  Sitka  is  thoroughly  Mus- 
covite. The  buildinc;8  are  all  made  of  hewn 
timbers — no  boards  beinc;  used  except  for  roof- 
ing and  flooring.  Mountains,  lofty  and  pre- 
cipitous, press  closely  upon  the  town.  The 
sinsla  street  of  wliich  I  have  spoken  terminates 
in  a  road — the  only  one  in  Alaska — which, 
winding  along  the  beach  for  a  mile,  is  stopped 
at  the  base  of  a  rugged  mountain.  It  affords 
tlie  only  pleasant  walk  about  the  town,  and 
has  b:en  for  half  a  century  the  fashionable 
promenade  of  the  aristo:?racy  of  "New  Arch- 
angel." 

ALASKA  BECOMES   A  TEBRITOBT. 

Four  days  after  our  arrival  it  was  announced 
that  the  Ossipee  had  o.rrived  in  the  outer  har- 
bor. Soon  after  she  had  come  to  anchorage  in 
our  midst,  having  on 
board  the  American 
and  the  Russian  Com- 
missioner. They  were 
visited  by  every  spe- 
cimen of  live  stock 
except  the  dogs  and 
poultry. 

Up  to  the  time  of 
the  cession  of  the 
country  to  the  United 
States,  there  was  not 
a  hotel,  store,  shop, 
meat  -  market,  restau- 
rant, tenpin  alley,  or 
place  of  amu>iement 
of  any  kind  in  Sitka. 

But  the  American 
flag  was  hardly  raised 
before  the  trading- 
shops  were  opened, 
vacant  lots  were 
covered  with  the  frame  ■ 
work  of  shanties,  and 
negotiations  were  en- 
tered upon  for  the 
purchase  of  almo-st 
every  kind  of  property. 
Sitka,  which  for  two- 
thirds  of  a  century 
had  known  nothing  beyond  the  unvarying 
routine  of  labor  and  supply,  at  prices  tixed  by 
a  corporate  body  eight  thousand  miles  distant, 
was  profoundly  startled  even  by  this  small  ripple 
of  innovation.  In  less  than  a  week  five  stores, 
three  drinking-saloons,  two  tenpin  alleys,  a 
restaurant,  and  a  cigar-shop  were  opened.  How 
far  the  laboring  class  of  the  Russians  and  the 
Cre;les  were  rejoiced  by  the  advent  of  free 
competition  and  un trammeled  trade  I  do  not 
know  ;  but  the  natives,  more  independent,  and 
awake  to  the  advantages  of  an  improved  mar- 
ket, did  not  hesitate  to  avow  their  gratification 
ftt  the  new  order  of  events. 

There  has  been  a  rapid  advance  in  the  esti- 
mate of  the  value  of  all  kinds  of  property. 
Furs  have  gone  up  here  to  a  figure  rivaling  the 
price  on  Broadway.  Lumber  is  held  at  $75 
per  thousand  ;  room  rent  has  assumed  a  figure 
decidedly  metropolitan,  and  goods  generally 
are  held  at  triple  their  former  price.  The 
Bassians  believe  in  a  coming  tide  of  emigra- 


tion, and,  like  sensible  fellows,  intend  to  reap 
tlic  advantage  of  it. 

It  will  readily  be  inferred  that  at  Sitka  a,T:ri- 
culture  can  never  be  successful.  The  heavy 
rains  of  August  and  September  prevent  the 
maturing  of  grain,  and  destroy  the  nutritious 
qualities  of  the  grass.  So  continuous  is  the 
cloudy  weather,  that  it  is  laughable  to  see  the 
cattle,  mules,  dogs,  cats,  and  hens,  as  well  as 
liumans,  seek  the  brief  sunshine,  and  bask  in 
its  transient  warmth.  The  amount  of  arable 
land  tlieie  is  very  limited— hardly  exceeding 
a  dozen  acres.  The  soil  needs  under-draining 
and  a  rich  dressing  to  make  it  productive.  I 
have  seen  more  value  on  a  patch  or  fifty  yards 
square  in  New  Jersey  than  is  raised  on  this 
island.  Not  over  half  a  dozen  families  and  a 
few  Indians  pretend  to  raise  anything.  The 
garden  of  the  Governor  is  favorably  located, 
and  has  had  the  advantage  of  constant  cire  and 
skill.  I  noticed  that  tlie  cabbage,  turnip,  arti- 
choke, parsnip,  and  cauliflower  exhibited  a  fair 


INTERIOR   OF   AN    INDIAN    HOUSE,  UNALACHLEET   KIVEB,  NORTON   SOUND 


display  of  leaves  ;  but  the  cabbages  were  head- 
less, the  turnips  watery,  the  artichokes  tough, 
the  parsnips  stale,  and  the  cauliflowers  taste- 
less. Tlie  predecessor  of  Prince  Maksoutoff, 
eight  years  ago,  procured  from  British  Colum- 
bia apple,  pear,  and  cherry-trees.  They  have 
been  carefully  trained,  and  have  a  thrifty 
growth.  They  blossomed  during  the  first  part 
of  June,  and  a  few  dozen  apples  and  a  fen 
pears  attempted  to  mature,  but  failed.  A  quart 
of  insipid  cherries  complete  the  yield  of  fruit 
in  the  only  orchard  in  Alaska.  Whatever  may 
be  done  in  other  sections  of  the  territory,  who- 
ever visits  Sitka  will  not  be  long  in  deciding 
that  farming  in  that  vicinity  will  always  be 
very  incidental. 

The  Sitka  group,  however,  is  heavily  tim- 
bered. The  prevailing  growth  is  the  "  Sitka 
spruce,"  the  yellow  cedar,  fir,  and  hemlock. 
Tliese  islands  have  enough  of  this  class  of 
lumber  to  supply  the  world  for  a  century.  The 
Sitka  spruce,  differing  from  that  of  the  Hiist  in 


having  a  larger  growth,  wider  straw,  and  more 
p'.tchy  gum — is  by  far  the  most  numerous  tree 
north  of  Columbia  River.  It  is  useful  for 
heavy  timber  and  plank,  bat  is  too  splintery  for 
boards.  The  fir  is  of  still  less  value.  The 
yellow  cedar,  however,  is  a  valuable  tree.  Fcr 
ages  the  natives  liave  used  iti  trunk  for  canoes, 
and  its  bark  for  roofing.  For  ship-building  it 
affords  the  best  of  material.  It  is  liard,  firm, 
and  takes  a  fine  polish.  For  furniture,  when 
varnished,  it  has  as  rich  a  lustre  as  mahoginy. 
Yet  it  is  not  probable  that  for  miny  years 
Alaska  will  furnish  any  lumbei;  beyond, its  own 
consumption.  Lumbermen  say  the  seasons  are 
unfavorable  for  its  economical  manufacture. 
The  mud  and  moss  are  interijiinablo.  About 
Sitka  there  is  no  dry  Summer,  as  in  California  ; 
no  fine  skdding,  as  in  Maine.  When  the  Cali- 
fornia lumber  region  fails,  Puaet  Sound  and 
Vancouver  will  for  centuries  afford  an,  ample 
supply,  cheaper  than  can  be  furnished  from 
Alaska. 

GOLD     PROSPECTS     IK 
ALASKA. 

ITie  discovery  of 
rich  gold  mines  in 
Idaho,  Mohtano,  and 
British  Columbia,  has 
led  many  of  the  ad- 
venturous  class  of 
miners  on  the  Pacific 
coast  to  look  forward 
to  Alai^ka  as  a  new 
field  for  enterprise — a 
rare  opportunity  for 
taking  tickets  in  the 
great  lottery  of  pioneer 
research  and  specula- 
tion. The  Cascade 
Mountain  range, 
famous  for  its  Cariboo 
diggings,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  British 
Columbia,  runs  in  an 
unbroken  range  to 
Soutliem  Alaska. 

Through  a  deep 
gorge  of  these  moun- 
tains runs  the  Sti- 
ke^n,  the  second 
largest  river  of  the 
territory,  winding  its 
circuitous  way  to  the  Pacific.  Previous  to  1862 
it  had  been  traversed  only  by  the  trappers  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  But  in  that  year 
several  explorers,  returning  from  a  visit  to  tlie 
Cariboo  mines,  began  to  prospect  on  its  bars, 
and  found  a  placer  paying  a  handsome  return. 
Tills  dust  was  sent  down  to  Victoria  late  in  the 
Fall,  and  its  arrival  created  quite  an  excitement. 
Early  in  18C3,  about  sixty  adventurers,  with 
scanty  outfit,  hastened  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Stikeen,  and  ascended  in  canoes  one  hundred 
and  forty  miles  among  the  mountains,  where 
they  separated  into  "prospecting"  parties. 
One  of  these  was  fortunate  in  finding  a  rich 
"pocket,"  out  of  which  they  took  several 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  dust,  and  hastened 
back  to  Victoria.  Hundreds  now  left  Vancou- 
ver for  the  new  placers.  They  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  Stikeen  the  1st  of  September, 
where  they  found  the  most  of  the  prospectors 
hastening  homeward,  destitute  of  provisions, 
and  disgusted  with  the  country.     A  majority 


Wi 


THE    WOKLD'S     GEEAT    NATIONS. 


joined  in  the  return, 
tut  nearly  one  hun- 
dred of  the  more  ad- 
venturous pushed 
their  way  up  the  river, 
one  hundred  and  sixty 
miles,  to  a  series  of  bars 
where  the  "color'  in- 
dicated a  paying  husi- 
nes3.  But  the  Winter 
was  now  upon  them, 
and  they  had  scarcely 
time  to  build  cabins 
and  store  supplies 
before  the  rigorous 
weather  put  an  end 
to  all  out-door  labor 
In  January,  eleven 
fsct  of  snow  fell  in  a 
single  storm,  and  the 
ground  was  covered 
to  the  depth  of  twenty- 
five  feet.  Pathways 
were  made  under  the 
snow  from  one  cabin 
to  another.  The  heavy 
snow  was  in  one  res- 
pect fortunate  —  it  protected  them  from  the 
intense  cold  which  followed.  Mercury  con- 
gealed, whisky-bottles  burst,  and  alcohol  was 
as  ropy  as  molasses.  The  Indians,  fortunately, 
were  frienrlly,  and  in  point  of  capacity,  a  far 
higher  type  than  those  of  California.  In  the 
Winter  they  live  on  dried  salmon,  dried  es- 
culents, and  especially  upon  the  fresh  meat  of 
the  wild  mountain  sheep. 

This  animal  is  noted  for  the  magnitude  of  its 
horns,  which,  at  the  point  of  contact  with  the 
head,  have  a  diameter  from  seven  to  ten  inches. 
When  pur.sued,  they  leap  down  from  cliff  to 
cliff,  thirty  and  forty  feet,  striking  upon  their 
horns,  and  bounding  upon  their  feet  with  f,n 
agility  equaled  by  no  other  animal.  From 
these  horns  the  Indians  manufacture  a  largo 
share  of  their  household  utensils  ^  ladles, 
bowls,  dishes,  spoons,  and  cups.  Many  of 
them  are  fancifully  carved  with  representations 
of  beasts  and  birds. 

Before  March  the  weather  on  the  Stikean 
moderated,  but  the  snow  did  not  disappear  till 
May.  The  stock  of  provisions  was  now  ex- 
hausted, and  as  no  supplies  were  received  from 
Victoria,  the  miners  were  compelled  to  return, 
just  as  the  season  had  arrive  I  when  the  explo- 
ration could  have  been  actively  renewed.  The 
mania  for  gold-seeking  on  the  Stikeen  was  now 
exhausted.  Yet  the  diggings  have  not  been 
-entirely  abandoned.  Some  twenty  of  the^e 
miners  having  afB^liated  with  the  natives,  and 
taken  to  themselves  dusky  companions,  are 
still  upon  the  Stikeen,  raising  families,  and 
alternating  the  Summer  in  catching  salmon, 
and  hunting  the  mountain  sheep  and  sluicing 
f  jr  gold.  With  the  dust  they  procure  their 
annual  supply  of  whisky,  ammunition  and  gro- 
ceries. It  is  rather  singular  that  one-half  of 
them  are  natives  of  Massachusetts. 

Eventually  the  valley  of  the  Stikeen,  and  of 
the  smaller  streams  emptying  into  the  Pacific 
between  its  mouth  and  Mount  St.  Elias,  will 
be  more  or  less  explored  by  experienced  miners 
from  California.  Should  deposits  be  found 
similar  to  those  now  being  developed  at  Cari- 
boo, where  the  tunnels  are  being  successfully 


MOUNT   EDGECOMBJB. 

worked  during  the  long  Winters,  southeastern 
Alaska  will  maintain  a  considerable  mining 
population.  It  is  the  only  part  of  Alaska 
which  as  yet  exhibits  any  promise  of  remune- 
rative mining.  The  islands  and  the  western 
coast  are  of  recent  volcanic  origin — a  forma- 
tion not  likely  to  abound  with  the  precious 
metals. 

The  question  has  often  been  discussed  at 
San  Francisco,  whether  the  newly-purchased 
territory  would  furnish  a  quality  of  coal  to 
supersede  the  necessity  of  transporting  it  from 
Pennsylvania  and  Australia.  This  is  yet  to  be 
determined.  The  great  want  of  the  Pacific 
coast  is  deposits  of  valuable  coal— such  as  are 
found  in  Pennsylvania  and  northern  England. 


but  the  deposits  have 
never  been  explored. 
At  Cook's  Inlet  the 
coal  veins  crop  out  on 
the  immediate  coast, 
having  six  to  eight 
feet  thickness.  They 
appear  to  be  inex- 
haustible, are  easy  to 
develop,  and  the 
quality,  as  found  on 
the  surface,  is  excel- 
lent for  household 
use,  but  not  for  marine 
navigation. 

The     investigations 
made    by   the   United 
States     Exploring 
Expedition       promise 
Jhe  ultimate  develop- 
'nent   of     valuable 
mines  of  coal  upon 
the    southern    islands 
of  the  Sitka   group — 
such    as    will     be     of 
infinitely  more  per- 
manent  value   to  the 
country  at  large  than  the  richest  mines  of  the 
precious    metals.     So  perhaps,  after    all,   our 
money  was  not  wasted. 

■ )i^i> 

Interior  of  an  Indian  House. 

The  Indians  of  Alaska  almost  universally 
adopt  underground  houses  for  Winter  use. 
These  are  simply  square  holes,  sometimes  lined 
with  logs  or  boards,  the  roof  alone  raised  above 
the  level  of  the  soil.  The  entrance  is  often  a 
rude  shanty  on  the  surface.  Passing  into  this, 
the  visitor  finds  a  hole  in  the  ground,  dropping 
into  which,  he  makes  his  appearance  in  a  sub- 
terranean passage  about  three  feet  in  height. 
By  crawling  on  hands  and  knees  a  short  distance, 
the  main  chamber  is  reached.  The  fire  is  made 
on  the  floor  of  the  room,  and  when  the  cooking 
arrangements  are  over,  the  cinders  are  thrown 
out  of  the  smoke-hole  in  the  roof,  which  is  then 
covered  tightly  with  a  skin.  The  entrance-hole 
is  covered  in  the  same  way,  which,  of  course, 
shuts  in  all  warmth,  and  a  good  quantity  of 
smoke  and  carbonic  acid  gas  besides.  The 
dwellings  are  frequently  so  heated,  that,  even 
in  the  coldest  weather,  the  Indians  maybe  found 
living  outside  in  a  semi-nude  condition. 


BUaiAL    MONUMENT. 


California,  as  yet,  only  furnishes  an  inferior 
quality,  and  Oregon  yields  none.  Bituminous 
coal  and  lignite  have  been  noticed  all  along  the 
Alaskan  coast  from  Portland  Channel  to  Attoo, 


Conclusion, 

Mr.  Whymper  who  visited  Alaska  recently, 
says,  in  his  popular  "Travels  in  Alaska": 

"  That  Russian  America  is  likely  to  prove 
a  bad  bargain  to  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, I  cannot  believe.  The  extreme  northern 
division  of  the  country  may,  indeed,  be  nearly 
valueless,  but  in  the  more  central  portioni 
of  the  territory,  furs  are  abundant,  and  the 
trade  in  them,  which  may  probably  be  further 
developed,  must  fall  into  American  hands.  The 
southern  parts  of  the  country  are  identical  in 
character  with  the  neighboring  British  terri- 
tory, and  will  probaldybo  found  to  be  as  rich  in 
mineral  wealth  ;  while  the  timber,  though  of  an 
Inferior  growth,  owing  to  the  higher  latitude, 
will  yet  prove  by  no  means  worthless. 

"  The  fisheries  may  become  of  great  value. 


UNITED    STATES    Or   AMERICA. 


60& 


There  are  extensive  cod-banlcs  off  the  Aleutian 
Isles,  and  iu  many  other  parts  of  the  coast. 
Salmon  is  the  commonest  of  common  fish  in 
all  the  riverson  the  North  Pacific,  and  is  rated, 
accordingly,  as  food  only  fit  for  those  who  can- 
not get  better.  In  Alaska,  as  iu  British  Colum- 
bia, the  fish  can  be  obtained  in  vast  quantities 
simply  at  the  expense  of  native  labor.  To  this 
add  the  value  of  salt  (or  vinegar),  barrels  and 
freight,  and  one  sees  the  slight  total  cost  of 
exporting  to  benighted  Europe  that  which 
there  would  be  considered  a  luxury. 

' '  The  chain  of  the  Aleutian  Isles,  comprising 
four  groups  (the  Fox,  Andreanoff,  Eat  and 
Blignie  Islands),  is  a  valuable  part  of  the  new 
purchase.  The  world  owes  their  first  discovery 
to  Behring  (in  17-11).  Almost  immediately 
after  this  (from  the  year  1745)  Russian  mer- 
chants of  Siberia  commenced  trading  on  them, 
and  to  them  we  owe  the  discovery  of  the  larger 
part  of  the  chain. 

' '  It  tells  us  plainly  how  valuable  were  the  car- 
goes of  furs,  etc.,  then 
obtained,  when  we  find 
that  out  of  eleven  re- 
corded voyages  from 
1745  to  1778,  five  were 
decidedly  unfortunate, 
either  ending  in  ship, 
wreck  or  in  the 
murder  of  part  of  the 
crews,  and  that,  never- 
theless, the  Kussians 
persevered  in  the 
trade. 

Nowadays  the  Aleuts 
are  often  to  be  found 
serving  as  sailors  on 
whaling  and  other 
vessels  in  the  North 
Pacific.  Until  now 
they  were  looked  upon 
as  the  immediate 
subjects  of  the  Bussian 
American  Fur  Com- 
pany, and  each  male 
v,'a5  required  to  pass 
three  years  in  its 
service.    The  company 

had  several  stations  on  these  islands,  the 
principal  of  which  was  Ounalaska.  The  Aleu- 
tian Islands,  besides  having  some  commercial 
importance,  yielding,  as  they  still  do,  the  furs 
of  amphibious  animals  to  a  large  amount,  have 
many  ijoints  of  interest.  On  nearly  all  of  them 
active  or  passive  volcanoes  exist,  and  one  or 
two  geysers  and  hot  springs  have  been  dis- 
covered. There  are  records  of  very  severe 
shocks  of  earthquake  felt  by  the  Russian 
traders  and  natives  dwelling  on  them.  It  is 
more  than  i^robable  that  large  deposits  of 
sulphur,  as  in  Sicily,  may  be  found  there.  It 
need  not  be  said  that  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
lying  as  thej'  do  so  closely  together,  could  be 
very  easily  examined  by  a  scientific  traveler 
who  should  take  up  his  abode  on  one  of  them 
for  a  year  or  two. 

"  Tlie  allusion  to  the  Tchuktchis,  to  the  trade 
across  the  Behring  Straits,  and  to  the  coast 
peoples  of  Northern  Alaska,  serve  to  confirm 
the  observation  and  theories  of  many  previous 
travelers  and  authors. 


"  Scientific  men  are  now  agreed  on  the  Asiatic 
origin  of  the  Esquimaux,  even  of  those  who 
have  migrated  as  far  as  Greenland.  Of  the 
Mongolian  origin  of  the  Tchuktchis  themselves, 
no  one  who  has  seen  individuals  of  that  people 
would  for  a  moment  doubt.  A  Tchuktchi  boy 
taken  by  Colonel  Bulkley  (our-engineer-in- 
chief)  from  Plover  Bay  to  San  Francisco,  and 
there  educated  and  cared  for  in  the  family  of  a 
kind-hearted  lady,  was,  when  dressed  up  in 
European  clothes,  constantly  taken  for  a  civil- 
ized Chinaman,  and  two  of  our  Aleutian  sailors 
were  often  similarly  mistaken.  This  happened 
in  a  city  which  is  full  of  Chinese  and  Japanese. 
That  the  Aleuts,  also,  are  of  an  Eastern  stock, 
is,  to  my  mind,  undoubted. 

' '  The  intertribal  trade  carried  on  so  regularly 
every  year  via  Behring  Straits  (which  is  likely 
now  to  receive  a  decided  check  from  the  Ameri- 
can traders,  who  will  crowd  into  the  country) 
proved  with  how  little  diflSeulty  a  colony  of 
'  Wandering   Tchuktchis '   might   cross    from 


TELEQRArn  STATION  AT  tOBT  CLAKENCE. 

Asia  and  populate  the  northern  coasts  of  Ame- 
rica. Open  skin  canoes  capable  of  containing 
twenty  or  more  persons  with  their  effects,  and 
hoisting  several  masts  and  sails,  are  now  fre- 
quently to  be  observed  among  both  the  goa- 
coast  Tchuktchis  and  the  inhabitants  of  North- 
ern Alaska.  I  have  seen  otbers  that  might  be 
called  '  full-rigged '  canoes,  carrying  main,  gaff 
and  sprit  sails,  but  these  were  probably  recent 
and  foreign  innovations. 

"  I  may  be  excused  if  I  here  allude  to  two 
well-authenticated  and  oft  -  quoted  facts.  In 
the  years  1832-3,  two  remarkable  and  uninten- 
tional ocean  voyages — one  of  them  terminating 
in  shipwreck — were  made  from  Japan  to  the 
northwest  coast  of  America  and  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  by  '  junks.'  The  la.st-mentioned 
is  known  to  have  been  ten  or  eleven  months  at 
sea,  and  had  nine  Japanese  on  board,  who 
nevertheless  arrived  safely,  anchoring  in  the 
harbor  at  Waialea,  Oahu.  The  Sandwich 
Islanders  (Hawaiians,  or,  as  they  are  called  in 
California,   etc.,    '  Kanakas'),   when  they  saw 


these  strangers  mnch  resembling  themselves  In 
many  respects,  said,  '  It  is  plain,  now,  we  come 
from  Asia.'  How  easily,  then,  could  we  ac- 
count for  the  population  of  almost  any  island 
or  coast  in  the  Pacific ! 

' '  Such  facts  as  these — the  passage  of  compara- 
tively frail  vessels,  blown  from  their  native 
coasts  by  typhoons  or  other  usually  violent 
gales,  buffeted  about  for  long  periods,  yet 
eventualh'  reaching  foreign  coasts  thousandsi 
of  miles  distant — should  make  us  cautious  in 
our  ideas  on  the  limit  of  native  migrations. 

"  At  what  time,  or  by  what  route,  the  adven- 
turous, discontented  or  rebellious  Tchuktchis, 
Onkilon  or  Tunguse  first  wandered,  sledged 
or  paddled  on  his  way  to  Greenland,  it  be- 
hooves not  me  to  say.  Th  subject  has  already 
engaged  the  consideration  of  able  and  traveled 
writers,  and  no  one  has  more  clearly  treated 
the  subject  than  Mr.  Markham  ('Journal  of 
the  Eoyal  Geographical  Society,'  1865).  Ho 
has  shown  us  that  the  native  migrations 
which  have  peopled 
the  coasts  of  northorn- 
m  o  s  t  America  and 
Greenland  commenced 
at  the  ijeriod  when 
Togrul  Bey,  Z  e  n  g  i  s 
Khan,  and  other  chiefs 
troubled  Asia  with 
their  lust  for  conquest. 
'  Year  after  year  the 
intruding  Tartars  con- 
tinued to  press  on. 
Sheibani  Khan,  a 
grandson  of  the  mighty 
Zengis,  led  15,000 
families  into  these 
northern  wilds,  and 
their  descendants,  the 
lakhuts  (Yakutz?) 
pressed  on  still  further 
north,  until  they  are 
now  found  at  the 
mouths  of  rivers  fall- 
ing into  the  Polar 
Ocean.'  Neither  were 
they  the  first  inhab- 
itants of  the  country 
along  the  banks  of  the  Kolyma  or  Anadyr. 
Other  and  older  people,  who  have  now  dis- 
appeared, have  left  their  traces  (ruined  your- 
tas,  etc.,)  in  the  whole  of  that  country  as  far 
north  as  Behring  Straits  and  Cape  Chelagskoi. 
"  Mr.  Markham  believes,  in  common  with  a 
large  number  of  our  best  Arctic  authorities,  in. 
the  existence  of  land  round  or  near  the  Pole, 
and  which  may  nearly  connect  Siberia  with 
Greenland,  and  sees  in  that  land  the  route 
probably  taken  by  the  adventurous  wanderers. 
Between  the  traces  of  former  life  found  at  Cape 
Chelagskoi,  and  those  observed  on  the  Parry 
Island,  a  gap  of  1,140  miles  indeed  intervenes, 
in  which  no  such  traces  have  been  observed ; 
but  this  is,  in  all  probability,  simply  owing  to 
our  ignorance  of  those  latitudes. 

' '  The  Greenlanders  may  indeed  have  takes 
such  a  route,  but  the  natives  of  Northern 
Alivska  doubtless  crossed  by  the  '  direct  short- 
sea  '  passage,  via  Behring  Straits. 

"  In  comparing  notes  with  my  brother,  wh> 
was  pursuing  his  researches  m  Greenland  dunug 


606 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


apart  of  the  time  that 
I  was  in  Alaska,  etc., 
-\ve  have  noticed  many 
.points  of  similarity 
■between'  the  Esqui- 
imaux  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  Maleinutes  or 
Tchulttchis  on  the 
other.  Some  resem- 
blances are,  of  courso, 
:sim  ily  on  the  surface, 
are  obvious  at  first 
Eight,  and  have  been 
•discussad  liefore.  Tlieir 
food,  costume,  houses, 
implements,  and  wea- 
pons are  closely  allied 
iu  character,  and  the 
resemblances  could 
•well  enough  arisa  from 
identity  of  wants,  and 
from  th2  similar  nature 
•of  the  countries  they 
inhabit.  Were  we  to 
transplant  a  colony  of 
Europeans  to  such 
■countries,  and  shut 
them  off  from  foreign 
:and  outside  supplies, 
in  a  generation  or  two 
-they  would  be  livinj 
much  as  these  native.? 
do.  These  superficial 
points  can  never, 
-therefore,  prove  much. 
Many  of  :  our  older 
Arctic  explorers,  and 
our  more  recent  tele- 
;gr.iph  explorers,  have 
been  in  those  countries 
more  or  less  clothed, 
fed  and  housed  in 
native  fashion. 

"That the  Greenland 
Esquimaux  has  some- 
■what  degenerated,  in 
'both  physical  and 
mental  characteristics, 
I  can  well  believe.  The  - 
.average  height  of 
the  Greenlander  of  to- 
day is  under  the  European  ctandarJ,  while 
many  individuals,  at  leasi  of  the  Tcbuktchis, 
are  over  it.  This  point  is  of  it.?clf  of  no  im- 
.portance  whatever.  Greenland,  may  be,  is  not 
^a  worse  country  than  Northern  Siberia  ;  but 
who  knows  what  these  races  endure  1  going 
thither,  especially  if  they  went  by  Jlr.  Mark- 
iam's  North  Polar   joute ;  and  how  far  less 


NATn-E   OUNALASKA  AND   SEAL   DOG. 

food  and  intenser  cold  than  they  were  accus- 
tomed to,  with  untold  hardships  superadded, 
may  liavc  stunted  and  dwarfe:!  them  ?  I  am 
told  that  t'ley  arc  excessively  simple  and  child- 
like, that  they  live  in  much  harmony,  quarrel 
rarely,  and  have  many  other  good  features. 

"  Much  has  been  written  cf  the  community, 
of  goods  enjoyed  among  them,  how  the  hunter 


supplies  the  whole  vil- 
lage crowd ,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  taking  end 
getting  no  credit  for 
it  ;  and  how  the  more 
he  gets,  the  worse  l;o 
is  off.  Tliis,  which  is 
more  or  less  a  feature 
of  all  the  coast  tribes 
in  the  North  Parific,  i3 
especially  true  in 
Northern  Alaska,  on 
the  Tukon,  and  in 
Norton  Sound,  where 
the  chiefs,  wlio  arc  in- 
variably good  hunters 
or  fishermen,  often 
attain  and  keep  tlieir 
position  by  periodical 
distributions  of  their 
effects.  UTiey  are  them- 
selve.j  often  the  worst 
clothed  and  worst  fed 
members  of  their  own 
villages.  Generosity  is 
among  them  the  rule, 
and  not  the  exception. 
No  man,  woman,  or 
child  among  them  goes 
unfed,  unhou.?ed,  or 
unwarmed,  if  there  is 
food,  dwelling,  or  fire 
in  the  settlement.  ^ 
"The  'Schanian' 
(pronounced  exactly 
like  our  word  'show- 
man,' a  very  appro- 
priate title!),  the 
conjuror-priegt,  tha 
'medicine-man'  of  tho 
Tchuktcliis  (and  al^o 
of  the  North  Alaskan 
peoples,  who  use  the 
same  term),  was,  and 
apparently  still  is,  re- 
presented in  Greenland 
by  the  '  Angekok,' who 
held  similar  powers, 
and  was  reverenced  ci 
fjaredaccordingly.  Tbc 
Danish  pastors  r.nd 
missionaries  believe  that  the  Angekok  is  ex- 
tinct. Publicly  he  appears  to  be  so,  but  the 
natives  arc  known  to  hold  secret  meetings, 
about  which,  none  of  the  Danes  were  able  to 
learn  details,  and  at  these  it  is  believed  Ange- 
kokism  is  still  practiced.  Their  profession, 
besides  including  medicine  and  exorcism,  madtf 
a  prominent  feature  of  rain  and  wind-making.* 


CANADA. 


GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

The  Capital  and  Paeliament— Winteb  Scenes  in  Canada— Govebnob  maisonnetive— Chaudiebb  Eivee  and  falls— Montmobenct  Falls- 
Joseph  Bbant—Toeonto— Education  in  Canada— religion  in  Canada— the  Chubch  of  Notbe  dame  de  Bon  Secouks— Quebec- 
Manitoba— acadia— National  Spokts  in  Canada. 


THE  DOMINION  OF  CANADA  is  a  semi- 
independent  confederation  composed  of 
tlie  Provinces  of  Ontario,  Quebec,  New 
Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  Manitoba,  British 
Columbia,  Prince  Edward  Island,  and  the 
Northwestern  Territories,  with  a  total  area 
of  3,372,290  square  miles,  and  embraces  all 
the  British  possessions  in  North  America  ex- 
cept Newfoundland,  and  the  Coast  of  La- 
brador. 

The  Dominion  was  created  by  an  Act  of  the 
British  Parliament  passed  in  18G7,  after  an 
agitation  of  several  years.  The  form  of  gov- 
ernment is  partly  Imperial  and  partly  repre- 
sentative. The  Imperial  power  is  represented 
by  the  Governor-general,  who  is  appointed  by 
the  British  Crown,  and  who  exercises  executive 
power  in  the  name  of  the  Queen.  He  has  the 
advice  of  a  Privy  Council,  the  members  of 
which  he  appoints  and  removes  with  the  con- 
currence of  the  House  of  Commons.  The 
Legislature  is  composed  of  two  Houses  of  Par- 
liament, the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Com- 
mons. The  Senators  are  appointed  by  the 
Governor-general,  on  the  recommendation  of 
the  Privy  Council,  and  are  chosen  from  the 
different  Provinces  as  follows :  Quebec  and 
Ontario,  twenty  -  four  each ;  Nova  Scotia 
and  New  Brunswick,  ten  each ;  British  Co- 
lumbia three,  Manitoba  three  and  Prince 
Edward  Island  four ;  making,  in  all,  78. 
The  tenure  of  office  is  for  life.  The  House 
of  Commons  is  composed  of  elected  mem- 
bers, sixty  -  five  from  Quebec,  ninety  -  two 
from  Ontario,  twenty-one  from  Nova  Scotia, 
sixteen  from  New  Brunswick,  six  from  British 
Columbia,  six  from  Prince  Edward  Island  and 
five  from  Manitoba;  in  all,  211.  Every  ten 
years,  after  a  census,  there  is  a  redistribution. 

Ottawa  is  the  capital.  Each  separate  Prov- 
ince has  its  own  Provincial  Legislature  and 
Executive.  The  lower  part  of  the  vast  region 
known  as  the  Northwestern  Territory  has 
been  divided  and  named.  Assiniboia,  Alberta, 
Athabasca,  Saskatchewan,  and  Kewatin,  are 
thus  named.  The  total  population,  according 
to  the  latest  census  of  the  Dominion,  is 
4,324,810. 

Before  the  consolidation  of  the  various  Prov- 


inces into  one  confederation,  Canada  was  di- 
vided into  Upper  and  Lower,  now  the  Provinces 
of  Ontario  and  Quebec.  Of  these.  Lower  Can- 
ada— Quebec — was  the  earliest  settled.  It  was 
first  discovered  by  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot 
June  24th,  1497.  In  1524  a  French  expedition 
under  Verrazani  formed  a  settlement  called 
New  France.  In  1535  Jacques  Cartier  entered 
the  St.  Lawrence  Kiver,  on  the  festival  of  the 
saint  whose  name  is  thus  given,  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  country  in  the  name  of  his  King, 
Francis  I.  He  ascended  the  river  :as  far  as 
the  site  of  Montreal.  Quebec  was  settled  in 
1G08  by  the  French,  under  De  Champlain,  and 
fifteen  years  later  he  built  Pbrt  St.  Louis,  and 
with  the  exception  of  a  short  period,  from  1629 
to  1632,  Canada  was  a  French  possession  for 
150  years.  Montreal  was  settled  in  1642,  and  in 
1711  was  unsuccessfully  besieged  by  the  Eng- 
lish. The  French  extended  their  sway  eastward 
as  far  as  Acadia — now  Nova  Scotia — and  west- 
ward to  Lake  Superior,  then  down  the  Missis- 
sippi Kiver  to  Louisiana.  The  Kecollet  and 
Jesuit  missionaries  traversed  the  country  in 
their  zeal  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indian, 
and  to  Father  La  Salle,  one  of  them,  is  due 
the  discovery  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

Meanwhile,  the  English  gradually  encroached 
upon  Canada,  and  in  1670  Charles  II.  granted 
to  Prince  Eupevt  and  his  company,  known 
ever  since  as  the  Hudson  Bay  Companj',  the 
perpetual  exclusive  right  of  trading  in  the  ter- 
ritory watered  by  the  stream  flowing  into  Hud- 
son Bay.  The  bitter  enmity  that  arose  be- 
tween the  French  and  English  traders  gradu- 
ally increased,  and  frequently  led  to  bloody 
struggles,  in  which  the  Indians  took  part.  In 
1756  war  began  between  the  French'and  Eng- 
lish, culminating  in  1759  with  the  victory  of 
General  Wolfe  over  General  Montcalm  on  the 
Plains  of  Abraham,  Quebec,  on  September 
3d.  The  capitulation,  next  year,  of  Montreal — 
September  8th,  1760 — brought  to  a  close  the 
long  French  rule  in  Canada. 

A  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  by  Britain  and 
France  in  1703,  in  which  Canada  was  formally 
ceded  to  England  and  Louisiana  to  Spain. 
In  that  year  a  small  portion  of  the  newly 
acquired   territory  was    organized    by    royal 


proclamation  under  English  laws.  In  1774  the 
new  Province  w  s  extended  by  Parliamentary 
enactment,  and  that  under  French  laws,  down 
the  Ohio  River  to  its  confluence  with  the 
Mississippi,  and  up  the  latter  stream  to  its 
source.  But  iu  1783  this  portion — now  form- 
ing the  six  States  of  the  United  States,  Min- 
nesota, Wisconsin,  Michigan,  Ohio,  Indiana 
and  Ilhnois — was  relinquished,  and  in  1791  the 
remaining  portion  was  divided  into  two  sec- 
tions, under  separate  Legislatures ;  the  east- 
ern retaining  French  institutions,  and  the 
western  receiving  English  laws. 

Lower  Canada  being  principally  French,  has 
never  completely  coalesced  with  Upper  Can- 
ada, which  is  entirely  English.  The  settlers  of 
French  origin,  who  retain  to-day  their  lan- 
guage and  religion,  are  almost  entirely  con- 
fined to  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  its 
tributary  streams.  Quebec  and  Montreal  are 
practically  French  cities,  the  former  espe- 
cially so.  Whole  sections  exist  where  the  Eng- 
lish language  is  unspoken  and  practically  un- 
known, and  though  over  a  century  has  passed 
since  England  took  possession  of  that  country, 
it  remains  as  thoroughly  French  as  it  was  origin- 
ally, and  in  1881  there  were  1,300,000  French- 
Canadians. 

The  Dominion  has  many  mountains,  lakes 
and  rivers.  The  mountains  are  not  large, 
though  numerous.  But  the  freshwater  lakes 
are  the  greatest  in  the  world.  A  continuous 
chain,  including  Lakes  Erie,  Ontario,  Michi- 
gan, Superior,  Huron  and  St.  Clair,  occiipying 
330,000  square  miles,  extends  through  Ontario 
and  the  Northwest  Territory  in  a  northwest- 
erly direction  toward  the  Northern  Ocean. 

The  chief  rivers  are  the  St.  Lawrence,  the 
Saskatchewan,  Winnipeg,  Nelson,  Red,  Al- 
bany, Churchill,  Ottawa,  Athabasca,  Peace, 
Slave,  Mackenzie,  Fraser,  Thompson,  Sague- 
nay,  St.  John,  and  the  great  Eiver  Yukon, 
flowing  through  Alaska  into  Behring  Straits. 
There  are  many  important  islands  belonging 
to  the  Dominion,  the  chief  ones  being  Anti- 
costi,  Cape  Breton,  Prince  Edward,  and  the 
Magdalen  Islands  on  the  Eastern  Coast,  and 
Vancouver  and  Queen  Charlotte's  Islands,  on 
the  Pacific  Coast. 


608 


THE    WORI-D'S    GRE\T    NATIONS. 


The  Capital  and  Parliament. 
OiTaWA,  tbb  political  capital  of  the  Domin- 
ion, i?  a  city*of  about  40,000  inhabitants,  situ- 
ated on  the  Ottawa  lliver,  in  the  Province  of 


TUK  UOUSE  OF    I'AHLIAMli.NT,  I'KOM  THE  BIVER. 

Ontario,  126  miles  from  Montreal.     It  is  di-  tawa  in  1854,  and  in  1858  was  made  the  capL 

vided  into  Upper  and  Lower  Town  by  the  Ei-  tal    of    Canada.      The    fine    Parliament    and 

deau  Canal.     The  town  was  founded  in  1827  Department  Buildings  stand  on  Barrack  Hill, 

under   the   name  *of  Bytown.     It  was  incor-  150  feet  above  the  river,  on  a  bold  cliff.     The 

porated  as  a  city  and  its  name  changed  to  Ot-  river  narrows,  when  the  stream  rushes  ever  & 


TUE   UOLiE  OF   FAKUAMENT,  FKONl    VIEW, 


CANADA, 


609 


39 


610 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


steep  ledge  of  rock 
forming  the  Chauditre 
Fulls. 

The  Govemment 
buildings  are  con- 
structed of  a  light-color- 
ed sandstone,  the  walls 
and  arches  being  re- 
lieved with  dressings  of 
Devonian  satidstone 
from  Ohio  and  red  sand- 
stone from  Potsdam, 
New  York.  The  style 
of  architecture  is  the 
Italian  Gothic,  the 
Parliament  building 
being  500  feet  in 
length.  The  two  De- 
partment buildings  are 
375  feet  long,  contain- 
ing in  the  aggregate 
300  rooms,  and  are  in- 
tended to  accommodate 
all  the  departments  of 

the  Government  of  the  Dominion.  The  Li- 
brary, a  beautiful  detached  circular  build- 
ing, with  a  dome  90  feet  high,  is  in  the 
rear  of  the  central  tower,  250  feet  high.  The 
two  Legislative  Halls  are  on  each  side  of  the 
Library,  but  in  the  main  building.  The  build- 
ings cover  nearly  four  acres,  and  cost  about 
$4,000,000. 

The  windows  of  the  Legislative  Chambers 
are  filled  with  glass  colored  in  Canada.  The 
columns  which  divide  the  wall  space  and  rise 
to  arch  in  th£  galleries  are  of  a  gray  marble 
found  at  Arnprior.   Between  the  Senate  Cham- 


GOVERNMENT   HOUSE,  TORONTO. 

ber  and  that  devoted  to  the  House  of  Com- 
mons are  the  library  and  reading-rooms. 

Another  Government  building  is  devoted  to 
geology,  and  is  under  the  superintendence  of 
eminent  scientific  gentlemen  appointed  by  the 
executive.  Many  geological  specimens  found 
in  the  Canadian  strata  are  stored  and  ex- 
hibited here. 

The  Governor-general's  house  is  an  old  man- 
sion, which  while  not  beautiful,  is  very  com- 
fortable. It  is  called  Kideau  House.  The  Mar- 
quis of  Lome,  while  Governor-general,  wrote 
an  interesting  description  of  this  old  mansion. 


'Winter  Scenes  in 

Canada. 
To  THE  American 
who  visits  Montreal  in 
midwinter  for  the  first 
time,  this  half-French 
city  presents  a  suc- 
cession of  surprises 
that  naturally  causes 
him  to  stare  with  all 
his  eyes.  Provided  with 
the  ordinary  overcoat, 
and  a  i^air  of  ear-flaps 
as  extra  precaution,  he 
arrives  in  Canada  to 
find  that  his  ulster, 
albeit  thick  and  woolly 
and  warm -lined,  feels 
like  a  linen  duster, 
and  that  the  sooner 
he  becomes  Canadian 
in  attire  the  less  pros- 
pect lies  before  him 
of  being  nijiped  to 
death.  Entering  a  clothing  store,  he  boldly 
invests,  and  emerges  on  the  street  to  find  the 
air,  that  but  a  moment  ago  chilled  him  to 
the  marrow,  brisk,  exhilarating,  champagny. 
He  feels,  after  he  has  buckled  on  his  Canadian 
armor,  as  though  he  had  a  bottle  of  Dry 
Monopole  beneath  his  vest. 

In  the  mild  and  bi'acing  intoxication  of  tha 
wondrous  Winter  atmosphere,  he  regards  tho 
snow  as  maidens  the  Spring  violets,  and  wan- 
ders about  the  city  in  the  joyous  consciovisuess 
of  being  "all  there"  and  "immensely  fit." 
One  of  the  first  objects  that  attracts  his  cheery 


BIDEAU  HALL,  OTTAWA. 


CANADA. 


611 


MAISONNEUVK,  THE  FIRST  GOVERNOR  OF  MONTREAL. 


attention  is  the  ice-house  ingeniously  con- 
structed by  the  cab-drivers  as  a  shelter  against 
the  weather.  Passing  a  file  of  these  fur-clad 
Jehus,  he  penetrates  the  interior.  What  is 
that  well-known  perfume  that  strikes  his  ex- 
cited nostrils  ?  Yes !  No !  It  is — it  is  !  and 
groping  his  way  to  a  bar,  he  friskily  demands 
the  usual,  which  is  furnished  him  from  a  re- 
cessed cellar  in  the  snow.  Passing  along  the 
tunneled  streets,  he  beholds  a  runaway,  and 
perceives  the  occupants  of  the  cozy  sleigh  de- 
canted into  snowbanks,  from  whence  he  assists 
to  dig  them,  to  find  them  not 
a  whit  the  worse  for  the  mis- 
hap. He  meets  an  itinerant 
candy-vender,  wrapped  up  like 
a  polar  bear,  his  l)ipe  giving 
forth  a  volume  of  white  smoke 
that  asceiads  in  rings  and 
spiral  columns  over  his 
shoulder.  Our  American 
stands  to  gaze  in  wonder  at 
an  old  French  sleigh  that  spins 
dreamily  along,  and  is  fasci- 
nated ojiposite  the  rude  store 
of  a  fish-seller,  built  in  close 
proximity  to  where  the  fish  are 
captured,  by  the  side  of  which 
the  vender  earns  a  tolerable 
living.  The  quaint,  antique 
houses  in  the  French  quarter 
1)  r  o  V  e  sources  of  intense 
j>leasure  to  the  practical 
American. 

Governor  Maisonneuve. 

Paul  de  Chomedet,  SrEUE 
BE  Maisonneuve,  the  first 
Governor  of  Montreal,  was 
born  in  Champagne,  France, 
and  died  in  Paris,  September 
9th,  1070.  He  was  selected  as 
the  leader  of  a  band  of  colo- 
nists that   were    destined   for 


Canada,  and  sailed  with  them 
in  three  ships,  arriving  at 
Quebec  Augiist  20th,  1G41.  He 
founded  Montreal  in  May,  1642, 
was  installed  as  its  first  Gov- 
ernor, and  held  that  office  for 
twenty-two  years.  In  lGo2  he 
visited  France,  and  brought 
back  another  company  of 
settlers.  He  was  .in  able  ad- 
ministrator, maintained  great 
order  in  the  settlement,  organ- 
ized the  militia  for  service 
against  the  Indi.ans,  and,  by 
his  vigorous  and  courageous 
policy,  gained  the  respect  of 
the  hostile  tribes.  He  retained 
oifice  under  the  Sulpicians, 
when  the  island  was  conveyed 
to  them,  but  was  removed  in 
June,  IGGi,  by  De  Mery,  the 
Governor  -  general,  who  was 
jealous  of  his  popularity^  and 
success.  He  was  sent  back  to 
France  by  the  Marquis  de 
Tracy  in  1GG5.  No  ch.arges 
were  made  against  him,  but 
finding  that  there  w.as  no  hope  of  his  re- 
storation to  office,  he  resigned  in  1G69.  A 
pension  was  bestowed  upon  him  by  the  Sem- 
inary of  Paris  for  his  services  to  the  Catholic 
Church  in  Canada. 

ii^ii 

Ohaudiere  Eiver  and  Palls. 

The  Chaudiere  Iliver  rises  in  Lake  Megantic 

and  falls  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  7  miles  above 

Quebec,  after  a  northwest  course  of  102  miles. 

The  banks  are  in  general  high  and  precipitous, 


and  near  its  mouth  are  the  Ohaudiere  Falls, 
upward  of  100  feet  high.  The  course  of  Iho 
river  is  frequently  interrupted  by  picturesque 
islands.  Chaudiure  Lake  is  an  expansion  of 
the  Ottiiwa  Kiver,  immediately  above  the  City 
of  Ottawa.  Its  length  is  eighteen  miles,  and 
its  extreme  breadth  five  miles.  It  contains  a 
number  of  islets,  and  termin.ates  in  the  Great 
and  Little  Ohaudiere,  two  extraordinary  cata- 
racts. The  principal  falls  are  GO  feet  high  by 
212  feet  wide.  It  is  the  latter  falls  which  are 
overlooked  by  the  House  of  Parliament. 


Montmorency  Palls. 

Montmorency  Falls  is  the  name  of  a  vil- 
lage about  six  miles  from  Quebec.  Tlie  Mont- 
morency Kiver  rises  in  Snow  Lake,  and  enters 
the  St.  Lawrence,  eight  miles  northeast  of 
Quebec,  after  forming  a  cataract  250  feet  in 
height.  The  river  is  a  torrent  from  its  source 
to  its  mouth,  and  the  falls  are  a  great  at- 
traction to  tourists. 

— ^ Ci<»i> 

Joseph  Brant. 

(Thayendanega.) 

This  celebrated  Indian  chief  was  bom  on 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio  River  in  1742,  and  died 
at  the  old  Brant  mansion,  Wellington  Square, 
Canada,  November  24th,  1807.  His  father  was 
a  full-blooded  Mohawk  of  the  AVolf  tribe,  and 
a  son  of  one  of  the  five  sachems  that  excited 
so  much  attention  at  the  court  of  Queen  .\nne 
in  1710.  Brant  was  a  favorite  of  Sir  Willi.am 
Johnson's,  by  whom  he  was  sent  for  a  year  to 
the  "Moor  Charity  School,"  then  under  the 
charge  of  Dr.  Eleazar  Wheelock,  and  which 


BESIDEMCB  OF  UAISOinKETTTE. 


612 


THE    WOBLDS    GEEAT    NATIONS, 


snbBequently  be- 
came Dartmouth 
College.  He  was 
present  at  the 
battle  of  Lake 
George  in  1755, 
when  but  thir- 
teen years  of  age ; 
accompanied  Sir 
William  Johnson 
(luring  the  Nia- 
gara campaigu  in 
1759,  and  acquits  j 
ted  himself  with 
great  bravery. 
He  was  in  Pon- 
tiac'sWariul7r)3, 
and  when  Guy 
Johnson  suc- 
ceeded, iu  1774,  • 
to  the  Superin- 
tendeuey  of  In- 
dian Affairs  at  the 
death  of  his  un- 
cle, Sir  William, 
Brant  was  made 
his  secretary. 
During  the  Ame- 
rican Bevolution, 
under  a  colonel's 
com  m  i  ss  ion  , 

Brant  was  constantly  (mployed  by  Governor 
Carletonin  raids  against  the  colonists,  and  took 
an  active  part  in  the  massacre  at  Cherry  Valley, 
and  in  the  one  that  desolated  Minisink  in 
July,  1779.  He  also  led  a  clan  of  the  Hurons 
end  a  few  of  the  Six  Nations  on  the  expedition 


SCE.NE   ON   THE   CHAUDIEBE   RIVEK. 

of  Colonel  St.  Leger  against  Fort  Stanwix, 
and  bore  a  prominent  part  in  the  battle  of 
Oriskany,  August  6th,  1779.  After  the  war  he 
threw  his  great  influence  with  the  different 
tribes  on  the  side  of  peace,  and  in  July,  1793, 
at  the  solicitation  of  Washington  and  Clinton, 


he  visited  the 
Miamis,  and  ma- 
terially assisted 
the  Indian  Com- 
missioners in  se- 
curing a  treaty 
of  peace  between! 
that  tribe  and] 
the  United  States. 
During  the  latter 
years  of  his  lifer 
he  was  a  consist- 
ent believer  in 
Evangelical 
Christianit}'.  He- 
visited  England' 
in  1786,  and 
raised  the  fund 
with  which  the 
first  Episcopal 
Church  in  Upper 
C;iuada  was  built. 
He  translated  the- 
Gospel  of  St. 
Mark  into  the 
Mohawk  1  a  n  - 
guage,  and  to- 
gether with  Colo- 
nel Daniel  Claus, 
rendered  into 
the  same  tongue 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  As  a  warrior,^ 
he  was  courteous,  sagacious  and  brave  ;  as  a 
diplomat  and  courtier,  adroit  and  accom- 
plished ;  and  as  a  friend,  chivalrous  and  faith- 
ful. His  humanity  toward  a  captive  or  a. 
fallen  foe  is  well  established,   nor   has    tha 


THE  CHAfDIERS   FALLS,  OTTAWA. 


CANADA. 


613 


f)nrity  of  his  private  morals  ever  been  ques- 
tioned. 

In  1884,  the  City  of  Brantfortl,  Canada,  de- 
termined to  erect  a  monument  to  the  memory 
•of  this  chief,  and  the  design  by  Mr.  Percy 
Wood,  shown  on  page  614,  was  accepted.  It 
was  modified  in  some  of  its  details  and 
erected,  being  unvailed  on  October  13th,  188G. 
The  statue  surmounting  the  monument  was 
cast  from  bronze  cannon  furnished  by  the 
Canadian  Government. 
Brant  is  represented 
standing  erect,  with  his 
head  turned  toward 
the  left  shoulder,  a 
tomahawk  poised  in 
bis  hand,  and  the  other 
at  his  side,  with  the  fin- 
gers spread  in  gesture. 
He  has  an  eagle's  feather 
in  his  hair,  rings  in  his 
ears,  a  buckskin  coat, 
■with  a  broad  sash, 
buckskin  trousers  and 
mocassins.  A  long 
cloak,  fringed  round 
with  bears'  claws, 
hangs  from  his  shoul- 
ders, and  rests  on  the 
pedestal.  The  latter  is 
square,  and  has  two 
groups  of  three  Indians 
each.  They  represent 
the  Mohawk,  Tusca- 
rora,  Oneida,  Seneca, 
Onondaga,  and  Cayuga 
nations,  typified  re- 
spectively by  a  scalp- 
ing -  knife,  spear,  pipe 
of  peace,  bow  and 
arrow,  club,  and  flint- 
lock gun.  The  bear, 
the  wolf,  and  the 
tortoise,  tokens  of  the 
■chief  clans,  are  also  re- 
presented. On  the  two 
broad  sides  of  the  pe- 
destal are  trophies  of 
Indian  weapons  aii;l  im- 
plements of  the  chase, 
while  about  the  base 
are  two  large  bronze 
ban-reliefs,  representing 
fifteen  Indians  in  a 
■dance,  and  Brant  ad- 
•dressing  a  meeting  of 
chiefs.  The  statue  of 
Brant  is  nine  feet  high. 
Of  the  516,000  which 
this  —  the  first  import- 
ant monument  undertaken  in  honor  of  an  In- 
dian— cost,  $.5,000  came  from  the  Six  Nations, 
f  5,000  from  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  $2,500 
"from  the  Provincial  Government,  the  rest  be- 
ing from  the  County  of  Brant,  the  City  of 
Brantford,  and  individuals. 

Brant's  son,  John  Brant,  born  September 
27th,  1794,  died  September,  1832,  served  on  the 
British  side  with  distinction  in  the  War  of 
1812,  and  was  a  Member  of  the  Canadian  Par- 
liament in  1832.  Catherine  Brant  Johns,  the  last 
■fsurviving  child  of  Joseph  Brant,  died  in  1867. 


Toronto. 

ToBONTO,  formerly  York,  is  the  capital  of 
the  Province  of  Ontario,  and  is  situated  on  a 
circular  bay  on  the  northwest  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario,  333  miles  W.S.W.  from  Montreal.  It 
was  founded  in  1794  by  Governor  Simcoe, 
and  the  Legislature  assembled  there  for  the 
first  time  in  1797.  In  1813  it  was  captured  by 
the  Americans  under  General  Pike,  who  was 


Dominion  as  a  seat  of  learning.    It  stands  in 
the  Queen's  Park. 

Other  educational  institutions  are,  Trinity 
College  (Episcopal),  Knox  College  (Presby- 
terian) and  the  Upper  Canada  College,  an  ex- 
tensive range  of  buildings  occupied  by  a 
grammar  school  for  boys.  There  are  also  two 
medical  schools  and  a  veterinary  college. 

In  1866  a  fight  occurred  between  a  Toronto 
battalion  and  a  body  of  Fenians,  in  which, 
after  much  firing,  both 
sides  retreated,  the 
Fenians  to  Fort  Erie 
and  the  Toronto  men 
toward  the  Welland 
Canal.  The  cutting  of 
the  canal  was  the  ob- 
ject of  the  Fenians,  but 
it  was  frustrated.  In 
the  park  attached  to 
the  University  is  a  mo- 
nument commemorat- 
ing the  students  ■who 
■were  killed  in  this  fight. 
The  Horticultural 
Gardens  are  a  favorite 
place  of  resort  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Toronto, 
and  the  Museum  con- 
j  tains  many  interesting 
specimens,  especially  of 
native  North  American 
animals. 


MONTMORENCY   FALLS   IN   SCMMER. 

killed  in  storming  the  fort.  In  1834  it  was 
incorporated  as  a  city,  and  its  name,  York, 
changed  to  Toronto. 

It  is  the  headquarters  of  the  educational 
department  of  Ontario.  Osgoode  Hall  is  a 
fine  structure,  containing  all  the  superior  law 
courts  of  the  Province,  and  the  Government 
House  or  Provincial  Parliament  has  a  hand- 
some legislative  hall  and  well-equipped  offices. 
The  Lieutenant  -  governor's  residence  is  a 
princely  mansion,  and  the  University  of 
Toronto  is  reckoned  second  to  none  in  the 


Education  in  Canada- 
Each  Province  of  the 
Dominion  makes  its 
own  specific  laws  reg- 
ulating education,  but 
the  same  general  prin- 
ciples are  followed 
throughout  the  entire 
confederation.  The  car- 
dinal principle  is  the 
system  of  free  schools. 
This  was  adopted  in 
1871,  in  Ontario,  which 
leads  all  the  Provinces 
in  the  Dominion.  In 
Quebec  the  first  care 
of  the  Franciscan  and 
Jesuit  Fathers  on  their 
arrivid  was  to  establish 
schools  for  the  Indians. 
Pere  Du  Plessis  opened 
the  first  school  at  Three 
Kivers,  and  Pore  Le 
Jeune  the  next,  at 
Quebec,  in  1632.  The 
Jesuit  College  at  Quebec  was  founded  in  1635 
as  the  Seminary  de  Notre  Dame  des  Anges, 
and  the  Ursuline  Convent  was  established  in 
that  city  in  1639  by  Madame  La  Peltrie.  The 
Seminary  of  Montreal  was  founded  in  1647  by 
the  clergy  of  St.  Sulpice  in  Paris,  and  the  Laval 
University  in  the  same  city,  in  1678,  by  Mgi. 
de  Laval. 

Upon  the  consolidation  of  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada,  in  1841,  a  comprehensive  School  Act 
wivs  passed. 
The  Minister  of  Education  of  Ontario,  in  hia 


614 


THE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


CANADA. 


615 


HOBTICtTLTCBAL  QABDEN,  TORONTO. 


annual  report  for  1884,  gave  the  total  receipts 
for  all  piiblic  -  school  purposes  amounting  to 
$3,570,731.  The  Legislative  grant  represents 
seven  and  a  half  per  cent,  of  the  total,  the 
Municipal  grant  seventy  and  a  half  per  cent. , 
and  the  remainder  twenty-two  per  cent,  from 
other  sources.  The  average  cost  per  pupil, 
based  on  total  attendance,  was  $6.40  for  the 
rural  districts,  $8.51  for  cities,  $6.84  for  towns, 
or  an  average  of  $6.69  for  the  whole  Province. 

In  Quebec,  the  Government  grants  to  insti- 
tutions of  superior  education  were  for  the  year 
1883-4,  to  Catholic  universities,  $2,000;  Prot 
estaut  universities,  $6,400 ;  Catholic  normal 
schools,  $28,133;  Protestant  normal  schools, 
$13,866;  Catholic  colleges,  $23,613;  Catholic 
academies,  $11,096;  Protestant  academies, 
$8,145;  Catholic  model  schools,  $16,259; 
Protestant  model  schools,  $1,100. 

The  total  revenue  of  the  Protestant  Board 
of  School  Commissioners  of  Montreal  was 
$130,715.37.  In  Quebec,  the  Protestant 
Schoo'.  Commissioners  received  $10,005.77, 
and  the  Cathohc  School  Commissioners 
$12,570,89. 

The  principal  institixtions  of  higher  educa- 
tion are  the  Victoria  University,  Queen's  Uni- 
versity, University  of  Toronto,  University  of 
Bishops  College,  University  of  Halifax,  Laval 
University,  Ontario  Laiies'  College,  and  Vic- 
toria College,  Cobourg. 


bishoijs,  one  of  whom.  Archbishop  Tasche- 
reau  of  Montreal,  is  a  Cardinal. 

The  Anglican  Church  in  Canada  has  nine- 
teen bishoprics,  divided  into  two  provinces. 
1st,  Canada,  of  which  Bishop  Medley  of  Fred- 
ericton  is  the  Metropolitan  ;  and  2d,  Eupert's 
Land,  of  which  Bishop  Mackray  of  Rupert's 
Land  is  the  Metropolitan.  Besides  these, 
(included  in  the  number),  are  the  independent 
dioceses  of  Caledonia,  Columbia,  Newfound- 
land, and  New  Westminster. 

There  are  many  fine  church  edifices  in  the 
different  cities  of  Canada,  and  each  religious 
body  supports  numerous  schools,  colleges  and 
other  educational  institutions. 

The  Ohurcli  of  Notre  Dame  de  Bon  Secours, 
Montreal. 
The  quaint  old  church  near  the  waterside  in 
Montreal  is  a  sanctuary  especially  dear  to  the 
Catholics  of  that  city.  It  was  begun  in  1657 
at   the  instance    of    the   venerable    Margaret 


Eeligion  in  Canada. 

In  1883  all  the  different  branches  of  Meth- 
odists in  Canada  united  in  one  bodj',  to  be 
known  as  the  Methodist  Church.  This  gave, 
them  a  total  number  of  adherents  of  739,151. 
At  the  same  date  the  Presbyterian  Church 
numbered  629,280;  the  Church  of  England  in 
Canada,  574.818  ;  and  the  Baptists,  225,000. 
There  are  also  Lutherans,  Congregation.alists, 
and  Mennonites,  and  many  other  sects,  but  all 
represented  by  small  numbers  only.  The 
Eoman  Catholics  are  strong,  and  form  the  ma- 
jority in  the  original  French  Provinces,  and 
there  are  about  1,800,000  ot  them.  They  are 
governed  by  fovirteen  bishops  and  foiu:  orch- 


Bourgooys,  the  founder  of  the  Community  of 
Sisters  of  the  Congregation  of  Notre  Dame. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  by  the  Jesuit  Father 
Simon  Le  Moyne,  the  discoverer  of  the  Salt 
Springs  at  Salina,  and  an  early  missionary 
among  the  Five  Nations.  The  name  of  the 
chapel  was  given  by  Father  Pijart.  Dona- 
tions came  from  France,  and  the  colonists 
gave  material  and  labor.  A  wooden  statue  of 
Our  Lady  was  presented  by  two  gentlemen  in 
France. 

The  chapel  was  completed  in  1075,  and 
became  at  once  a  noted  pilgrimage.  On  the 
gable  facing  the  river  stood  a  statue  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  which  all  the  craft  plying  on 
the  river  saluted  as  they  passed.  In  1754,  in 
one  of  those  conflagrations  which  have  so 
often  swept  over  the  city,  the  church  was  de- 
stroyed. War  with  England  and  the  general 
distress  prevented  any  attempt  to  restore  the 
old  sanctuary  till  1771,  when  the  corner-stone 
of  a  new  edifice  was  laid,  the  site  having  with 
difficulty  been  saved  from  seizure  by  the  Eng- 
lish Government.  It  was  solemnly  dedicated 
June  30th,  1773,  and  became  as  great  a  resort  of 
the  pious  as  the  previous  chapel. 

At  the  time  when  the  ship  fever  was  sweep- 
ing away  hundreds  of  the  citizens  of  Montreal, 
in  1848,  as  well  as  the  poor  immigrants 
among  whom  it  first  broke  out,  Mgr.  Bourget, 
Bishop  of  Montreal,  whose  clergy  and  nursing 
Sisters  were  dying  in  numbers  in  the  service 
of  the  sick,  ordered  a  general  pilgrimage  to 
Bon  Secours,  and  prayers  to  God  to  arrest  the 
scourge. 

The  answer  to  their  petitions  revived  and 
increased  the  devotion  of  the  Catholic  Cana- 
dians to  the  old  sanctuary.  Standing  near 
the  great  city  market  and  ever  open,  it  is 
never  empty ;  all  day  long  men,  women  and 
children  turn  from  the  busy  streets,  basket  or 
parcel  in  hand,  to  enter  the  dear  old  church 
and  give  a  little  space  to  praj'er. 

Montreal  has  many  famous  churches,  but 
Notre  Dame  de  Bon  Secours  is  the  most  in- 
teresting of  them  all,  and  possesses  the  love 
of  every  devout  French  Canadian. 


t^IVBBSlTY,  TORONTO. 


C16 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


Quebec. 

QtTEBEC  is  the  name  of  a  Proyince,  a  county, 
and  a  city.  The  Province  is  what  was  for- 
merly known  as  Lower  Canm^a.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Liibrador  and  Hudson's  Bay ; 
on  the  east  by  Labrador  and  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence ;  on  the  south  by  the  Bay  of 
Chaleur,  New  Brunswick,  Maine,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Vermont,  and  New  York;  and  on  the 
southwest  by  the  Kiver  Ottawa  and  the  Prov- 
ince of  Ontario.  Its  total  area  is  193,355 
square  miles.  Quebec  County  is  in  the  south- 
■western  part  of  the   Province,  with  the  St. 


Cape  Diamond,  where,  in  many  places,  the 
rock  has  been  cut  away  to  make  room  for  the 
houses.  The  streets  are  generally  irregular 
and  narrow.  In  the  Upper  Town  are  several 
squares  and  public  walks,  commanding  views 
of  varied  and  picturesque  beauty.  In  one 
stands  a  monument  to  Generals  Wolfe  and 
Montcalm,  the  English  and  French  com- 
manders, who  both  fell  at  the  taking  of  Que- 
bec by  the  English  in  1759.  A  monument 
forty  feet  in  height  marks  the  spot  where 
General  Wolfe  fell  on  the  Pkin  of  Abra- 
ham. 
Among  the  most  noted  of  the  public  build. 


when  General   Montgomery  was   slain,  since 

which  time  Quebec  has  enjoyed  the  blessings 

of  peace. 

►-•-< 

Manitoba. 

The  Province  of  Manitoba  is  one  of  the 
most  important  of  those  which  have  been 
formed  oiit  of  the  Northwest  Territories.  It 
lies  just  north  of  the  State  of  Minnesota  and 
the  Territory  of  Dakota.  On  the  north  and 
east  it  is  bounded  by  Kewatin,  and  on  the 
west  by  Assiniboia.  Its  area  is  13,969  square 
miles.     Winnipeg  is  the  capital. 


Lawrence  Ri^tfer  for  its  southeast  boundary. 
Area  2,598  square  miles. 

The  City  of  Quebec  is  in  the  county  and  is 
the  capital  of  the  Province,  and  is,  next  to 
Montreal,  the  most  populous  city  iu  the  Domin- 
ion. It  is  divided  into  Upper  and  Lower  Town, 
the  Upper  Town  comprising  the  highest  part 
of  the  promontory,  and  is  surrounded  with 
walls  and  otherwise  fortified,  and  having  an 
ancient  citadel,  which  crowns  the  summit  of 
Cape  Diamond,  and  covers,  with  its  numer- 
)ous  works,  an  area  of  forty  acres.  From  its 
position  it  is  probably  the  strongest  fortress 
iu  America.  The  chief  ascents  to  the  Ujiper 
Town  are  by  a  steep  and  narrow  winding 
street,  and  by  a  flight  of  steps  called  Break- 
neck Steps.  The  Lower  Town  is  the  seat  of 
commerce,  and   is  built  around  the  base   of 


H'OILL  university,  at  MONTREAL. 

ings  are  the  Parliament  building,  the  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral — capable  of  holding  4,000 
persons,  and  covering,  with  its  university  at- 
tached, an  area  of  eight  acres — the  English 
Cathedral,  and  St.  John's  Free  Scotch  Church. 
Quebec  was  first  visited  by  Jacques  Cartier 
in  1535.  It  then  consisted  of  an  Indian  vil- 
lage called  Stadacona.  In  July,  1608,  Cham- 
plain  founded  the  city,  giving  it  its  present 
name.  In  1629  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
English,  but,  with  the  whole  of  Canada,  was 
restored  to  the  French  in  1632.  In  1690  the 
English  attempted  to  recajiture  it,  but  were 
repulsed.  In  1759  it  was  captured  by  Gen- 
eral Wolfe,  and  has  since  remained  under  the 
British  crown.  An  unsuccessful  attempt  was 
made  by  the  Americans  to  carry  the  city  by 
assault  on  the  night  of  December  31st,  1775, 


The  climate,  though  very  severe  in  Winter,  is 
occasionally  hot  in  Summer.  The  mean  tem- 
perature for  the  three  Winter  months  of 
December,  January  and  Februarj'  is  five  de- 
grees below  zero,  and  for  the  Summer  months 
of  June,  July  and  August,  sixty-five  degrees. 

The  principal  rivers  are  the  Assiniboine,  480 
miles  long,  and  Red,  665  miles,  of  which, 
however,  525  are  in  the  United  States.  The 
largest  lakes,  only  a  part  of  which  are  in 
Manitoba,  are  Winnipeg,  280  miles  long 
and  5  to  57  miles  wide,  and  Manitoba, 
110  miles  long  and  25  miles  wide.  The 
Province  has  two  bishops  —  the  Archbishop 
of  St.  Boniface  (Roman  Catholic),  and  the 
Bishop  of  Rupert's  Land  (Church  of  Eng. 
land),  who  resides  at  Winnipeg.  There  are 
three   colleges  in  the  Province  —  St.  John's 


CANADA. 


617 


(Church  of  England), 
St.  Boniface  (Roman 
Catholic),  and  Kil- 
donan  (Presbyterian). 

This  section  of  North 
America  was  first  vis- 
ited by  the  French. 
Chevalier  de  la  Veran- 
drye  built  a  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Assini- 
boine  in  1731.  The 
French  continued  to 
trade  there  alone  for 
many  years,  but  in 
1767  the  first  English 
traders  visited  it,  and 
soon  several  rival  com- 
panies were  in  opera- 
tion. The  Hudson 
Bay  Companj',  having 
sold  a  tract  of  land  to 
the  Earl  of  Selkirk, 
on   both   sides  of  the 

Assiniboine  and  Red  Rivers,  his  lordship 
planted  there,  in  1812,  a  colony  known  by  the 
name  of  Selkirk's  Settlement,  or  Red  River 
Settlement,  and  later  Assiuiboia.  In  1836  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  repurchased  from  the 
heirs  of  Lord  Selkirk  the  same  tract  of  laud 
ceded  to  him  in  1821,  and  continued  to  exer- 
cise authority  over  that  portion  of  Rupert's 
Land  by  the  appointment  of  the  Governor  and 
Council  of  Assiniboia,  which,  in  course  of 
time,  especially  after  the  settlers  had  declared 
independence  of  trade  in  1849,  formed  a 
rather  independent  administration  for  the 
local  affairs  of  the  colony,  the  limits  of  which 
extended  but  fifty  miles  around  Fort  Garry. 
That  colony  now  forms  the  greatest  part  of 
the  Province  of  Manitoba. 

In  March,  1869,  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
agreed  to  hand  over  to  the  Imperial  Govern- 
roent  their  territorial    rights  and  governing 


ONTARIO   ladies'  COLLEGE,  WHITBT. 

rjsponsibilities,  and  on  July  16th,  1870,  Eng- 
land handed  the  whole  over  to  the  Canadian 
Government.  It  was  during  that  period  that 
the  Red  River  troubles  took  place.  The 
transactions  between  England  and  Canada,  as 
well  as  with  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  hav- 
ing been  made  without  consulting  or  even 
paying  any  attention  to  the  Government  and 
people  of  Assiniboia,  a  deep  feeling  of  un- 
easiness arose,  and  the  Canadian  authorities, 
coming  into  the  country  before  the  transfer, 
met  with  resistance.  In  the  meantime,  a  pro- 
visional Government  was  formed  by  the  set- 
tlers, to  secure  their  rights  and  come  to  an 
agreement  with  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and 
the  entry  of  Manitoba  into  the  Confederation 
was  effected  in  1870. 

The  Province  has  railway  communication 
southward  to  Manitoba,  and  the  line  of  the 
Canadian    Pacific    Railway   runs  through  it. 


Steamers  ply  on  the 
Red  River  between 
AVinnipeg  and  Moor- 
head,  Minn. 

Winnipeg    was     in- 
corporated   as  a    city 
.-_  -^^,  i"  1873.     Previous  to 

'SmM  *f°^&S.  *''^*  *™®  '*'  ^^'"'  tnown 

'  .      -       ^  .        j^g  p.jjj.|.  (j_^fj.y      After 

the  sujipression  of 
Riel's  first  rebellion 
by  General  Wblseley, 
iu  1870,  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  place  by 
troops  gave  an  impulse 
to  its  growth,  which 
has  continued  rapidly 
up  to  the  present  time. 
The  AVinnipeg  of  to- 
day is  a  thriving  city 
of  over  15,000  popula- 
tion. Situated  at  the 
junction  of  the  As- 
siniboine and  Red  Rivers,  it  is  1,180  miles 
from  Montreal,  tia  the  Canada  Pacific  Rail- 
way, and  1,843  miles  via  Chicago  and  St. 
Paul. 


Acadia. 

The  original  name  of  Nova  Scotia  was  Aca- 
dia, and  the  place  was  first  settled  by  French- 
men in  1004,  under  De  Monts.  He  and  some 
Jesuits  attempted  for  eight  years  to  form 
settlements  in  various  places,  but  were  finally 
expelled  from  the  country  by  the  English  Gov- 
ernor and  colonists  of  Virginia,  who  claimed 
the  country  by  right  of  the  discovery  by  John 
Cabot  and  his  son  Sebastian  in  1497. 

In  1621  Sir  William  Alexander  applied  for 
and  obtained  from  James  I.  a  grant  of  the 
whole  country,  which  he  proposed  to  colonize 
on  an  extensive  scale,  and  in  1623  the  attempt 


FABADAT  HALL,  VICTORIA  COLLEGE,  COBODRG. 


618 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


•was  mtide,  but  the 
proposed  colonists 
did  not  think  it  pru- 
dent  to  attempt  a 
settlement,  and  re- 
turned to  England. 
In  1654  Cromwell 
sent  an  armed  force 
and  took  possession 
of  the  country,  which 
remained  with  the 
English  till  1CG7, 
when  it  was  ceded 
to  France  by  the 
Treaty  of  Breda.  But 
the  English  from  time 
to  time  attacked  the 
French  colonists  at 
various  points  till 
1713,  when  the  coun- 
try was  finally  ceded 
to  England.  In  1763 
the  Island  of  Cape 
Breton  was  annexed 
to  Nova  Scotia, 
which  name  was 
given  it  by  the  royal 
charter  of  James  I. 
to  Sir  William  Alex- 
ander. 

After  the  final  ces- 
sion, the  .\cadians 
generally  remained  at 
Nova  Scotia,  though 
they  had  the  privilege 
of  leaving  within  two 
years,  and,  refusing 
to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  took  the 
oath  of  fidelity  to  the 
British  King. 


TH«  TKNEBABLB  CHI7BCH  OF  NOTBB  DAMg  DB  BON  SECOURS,  MONTBBAL. 


They  were  ex- 
empted from  bearing 
arms  against  their 
countrymen,  whence 
they  were  known  in 
the  colonies  as  the 
neutral  French.  They 
were  allowed  to  enjoy 
their  religion  and 
have  magistrates  of 
their  own  selection. 

Having  lost  Acadia, 
the  French  settled  the 
Island  of  Cape  Bre- 
ton and  built  Louis- 
burg;  They  carried 
on  intrigues  with  the 
Indians  who  kept  up 
an  irregular  warfare 
vdth  the  English,  the 
blame  whereof  was 
t  h  r  o  sv  n  upon  the 
neutral  French,  who 
in  1755,  a  few  years 
after  the  English 
turned  their  attention 
to  the  colonization  of 
Nova  Scotia,  suffered 
for  the  offenses  of 
their  countrymen,  oi: 
which  they  were 
doubtless  innocent, 
since  they  were  a 
simple  agricultural 
people.  Because  they 
still  refused  to  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance, 
or  to  bear  arma 
against  the  French 
and  their  Indian 
allies,  to  whom  they 


BREAKNECK  STEPS,  QCEBEC. 


CnAMPLAIN  STREET,  QUEBEC. 


CANADA. 


619 


tiEWS    OF  AVINNIPEG    AND    FOKT    GARRY    IN    1870. 


«20 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONa 


VIEW  OK  WINNIPEG,  MANITOBA. 


were  enspeoted  of  lending  aid,  and  because 
\>y  their  peculiar  position  they  embarrassed 
the  Government,  it  was  determined  at  a  con- 
:sultation  of  the  Governor  and  his  Council  to 
remove  the  whole  people,  18.000  souls,  and 
■disperse  them  among  other  British  Provinces. 
For  this  harsh  measure  itself  there  may  have 
been  some  excuse,  but  there  was  none  for  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  carried  out. 

The  inhabitants  were  compelled  to  give  up 
-■all  their  property,  their  houses  and  crops  were 
burned  before  their  eyes,  and  themselves 
shipped  in  such  haste  that  few  families  or 
friends  remained  together.  Longfellow's  beau- 
tiful poem  "Evangeline"  is  based  upon  the 
expulsion  of  the  Acadians 
from  their  home. 

In  1784  the  Province 
■of  New  Brunswick  was 
•created  out  of  Nova 
iScotia  ;  and  in  18C7  Nova 
^Scotia  became  a  member 
of  the  Canadian  Confed- 
•eration. 

Halifax  is  the  capital 
.and  chief  city  of  the  Pro- 
Tiuce.  It  was  originally 
called  Chedabucto  or  Che- 
bucto,  but  received  its 
present  name  in  1749. 
The  city  is  the  seat  of 
the  Anglican  Bishop  of 
Nova  Scotia  and  the 
Catholic  Archbishop  of 
Halifax. 

Separating  Nova  Scotia 
from  New  Brxmswick  is 
the  Bay  of  Fundy  ;  length 
nearly  170  miles,  with  a 
breadth  of  from  30  to  50 
miles.  The  bay  is  very 
•deep,  but  its    navigation 


is  dangerous.  The  tide  rises  to  a  height  of 
71  feet,  and  rushes  in  with  such  rapidity 
that  swine  are  often  overtaken  and  drowned 
while  feeding  on  shelllish. 


National  Sports  of  Canada. 

The  one  sport  which  stands  pre-eminently 
forth  as  a  native  Canadian  sport  is  the  game 
of  lacrosse.  It  is  the  oldest  of  all  North 
American  pastimes — a  reminiscence  of  the  by- 
gone days  of  savagery,  when  the  smoke  from 
the  stockaded  wigwam  village  curled  up 
among  the  branches  of  trees  that  have  long 


since  givon  place  to  populous  cities  and  thriv- 
ing farms. 

The  antiquity  of  lacrosse  is  bej'ond  qae»- 
tion.  It  must  have  been  known  to  the  Ameri- 
can aborigines  long  anterior  to  that  moment- 
ous day  upon  which  Columbus  first  feasted 
his  weary  eyes  on  the  green  foliage  of  San 
Salvador.  The  earliest  striking  account  we 
have  of  the  game  dates  from  the  middle  of  the 
last  century,  when  Pontiac,  the  powerful  and 
jealous  chief  of  the  Hurons,  planned  the  mas- 
sacre at  Mackinaw,  and  sought  cunningly  and 
successfully  to  conceal  his  treachery  under  the 
guise  of  a  grand  lacrosse  match. 

The  game  as  played  in  those  days  must, 
however,  have  differed  materially  from  its 
present  form.  Among  the  wild  tribes  of  the 
Far  West,  scores  of  players  participate  on 
both  sides,  and  unutterable  confusion  is,  for 
the  most  part,  the  result.  This,  we  take  it, 
must  have  been  the  nature  of  the  sport  in  Pon- 
tiac's  time,  for  it  is  not  in  the  Indian  char- 
acter to  be  a  passive  onlooker  on  the  occasion 
of  any  excitement.  But  lacrosse  to-day  is  a 
science,  and  "twelve  good  men  and  true"  is 
the  limit  for  either  side. 

The  accessories  of  the  game  are  few  and 
simple.  The  "stick"  or  "hurdle,"  as  it  is 
technically  termed,  consists  of  a  piece  of 
white  ash,  perfect  in  grain,  bent  at  the  upper 
end  into  the  form  of  a  large  crook,  somewhat 
after  the  fashion  of  the  gigantic  walking-sticks 
of  our  grandfathers.  From  the  curve  thus 
formed  to  the  straight  part  of  the  stick  run 
diagonal  strands  of  strongest  catgut,  these  be- 
ing crossed  again  at  right  angles  by  transverse 
cords,  and  the  whole  woven  into  a  coarse  but 
firm  network,  the  ends  of  which  are  passed 
through  the  wood  and  secured  there.  Upon 
this  network  must  the  ball  be  carried,  or 
through  its  agency  must  it  be  thrown,  and  by 
no  other  means  is  it  lawful  to  touch,  handle 
or  project  the  missile.  The  ball  is  composed 
of  solid  rubber,  has  a  diameter  of  slightly 


GRACE  CHUBCH    (METDODIST),  WINNIPEG. 


CANADA. 


62J 


more    than  two  inches,  and   generally  weighs  somewhere   about 
four  ounces. 

Canada  swarms  with  lacrosse  clubs  of  various  degrees  of  effi- 
ciency and  importonce,  but  all  acknowledge,  unhesitatingly,  the 
superior  proweas  of  the  two  "  great  originals,"  the  "Torontos,"  of 
Toronto,  and  the  "  Shamrocks,"  of  Montreal.  For  years  these 
two  have  done  battle,  fierce  and  valiant,  for  the  ascendency, 
with  fluctuating  success,  and  for  many  seasons  the  championship 
binuers  have  alternated  with  monotonous  regularity  between  the 
commercial  metropolis  and  the  -'Queen  City  of  the  West." 

As  to  the  Indian  players,  whatever  they  may  have  been  in  Pon- 
tiac's  time,  they  certainly  are  no  match  to-day  for  their  white 
brethren.  In  fleetness  of  foot,  endurance,  native  sagacity  and  cun- 
ning they  leave  little  to  be  desired,  but  in  "  team"  play  they  are 
vastly  inferior  to  the  "pale-faces." 

Lacrosse,  with  every  right  to  the  distinction,  has  been  termed 
the  "spectators'  game,"  and  in  this  respect  can  claim  superiority 
over  even  the  ever -popular  football,  inasmuch  as  no  technical 
knowledge  whatever  of  the  Canadian  sport  is  requisite  to  the  on- 
lookers' full  appreciation  of  the  "  play."  Once  the  ball  is  passed 
between  the  flags  at  either  end  of  the  ground  a  goal  is  scored ; 
there  are  no  "  minor  points  "  to  distract  the  attention  ;  three  goals 
out  of  five  give  the  victory,  and  the  game  is  at  an  end.  But  be- 
tween two  evenly  balanced  "twelves,"  whose  members  are  masters 
of  the  science  of  the  game,  and  have  at  their  fingers'  ends  all  the 
quips  and  quibbles  of  "  rubber"  and  "  hurdle,"  no  more  intensely 
interesting  and  exciting  contest  can  be  imagined. 

Ice-skating,  of  course  practiced  largely  in  Canada,  has  no  dis- 
tinctive Canadian  quality,  nor  has  sleigh  -  riding ;  but  the  three 
sports  of  snowshoeing,  iceboating  and  tobogganing  are  all  purely 
Canadian,  and  have  made  their  way  into  other  countries  from  their 
Canadian  home. 

We  must  accept  that  solution  of  ^  problem  which  suggests 
that  the  snowshoe  proper  is  one  of  the  numerous  offspring  of  the  pro- 
lific and  inventive  brains  of  the  aborigines  resident  within  the  tem- 
perate zone  of  the  North  American  Continent.  It  is  rarely,  in- 
deed, that  the  heavy  Winter  snowfalls  of  these  districts  develop 
any  formation  of  crusted  surface  sufficiently  firm  to  support  the 
weight  of  a  man,  and  it  is  thus  evident  that  the  snowshoe,  like 
most  modern  institutions  of  importance,  owes  its  creation  to  the 
commands  of  that  powerful  incentive  to  human  ingenuity — neces- 
sity. Many  a  lordly  moose  and  elk,  run  down  to  his  death  in  the 
deep,  yielding  snowbanks,  could  his  brutish  thoughts  have  been 
expressed  in  words,  would  surely  with  his  last  breath  have  uttered 
a  regretful  plaint  against  the  fatal  expertness  of  the  Canadian  In- 
dian in  the  management  of  this  invention. 

The  home  of  tobogganing  as  an  amusement  may  be  in  any  land 
blessed  with  hills  and  an  abundance  of  snow  to  cover  them ;  but, 
in  reality,  the  sport  is  indigenous  to  Canada.  Coasting  with  a 
small,  rnanered  sleigh  is  also  poi>ular  among  the  youth  of  Canada, 
but  it  is  never  likely  to  vie  with  the  toboggan,  from  the  fact  that  it 
adds  to  the  ordiuary  dangers  of  the  latter  several  extraordinary 
perils  peculiarly  its  own,  which  find  their  chief  exponents  in  the 
long,  sharp-pointed  runners  of  the  "  coasting"  sleigh.  Added  to 
this  disadvantage,  a  smooth,  hard  surface  is  an  almost  indispen- 
sable condition  of  good  "coasting,"  while  tobogganing  is  not  by 
any  means  so  exacting  in  its  requirements. 

The  earthly  paradise  of  the  tobogganer,  like  that  of  the  snow- 
shoer,  is  the  hilly  regions  of  the  Province  of  Quebec  and  the  north- 
ern part  of  Ontario,  Western  Canada  falling  short  of  the  necessary 
attributes,  principally  from  the  flat  nature  of  the  surface.  At 
Ottawa,  the  capital  of  the  Dominion,  the  sport  is  to  be  seen  in  an 
advanced  state  of  perfection,  and  the  Marquis  of  Lome  gave  a 
powerful  impetus  to  its  progress  toward  popularity  in  that  city. 
In  the  grounds  attached  to  the  residence  of  Eideau  Hall  magnifl- 
cent  natural  and  artificial  toboggan-slides  were  developed  and  con- 
structed, and  the  spirited  pastime  was  heartily  enjoyed  by  many  a 
merry  party  from  among  the  guests  of  the  Viceregal  establishment. 
Montreal,  also,  with  its  fine  physical  facilities,  has  taken  a  high 
position  in  the  development  of  this  favorite  sport.  Here  are  many 
established  clubs,  and  on  the  small  mountain  of  Cote  St.  Antoina 
ia  one  of  the  best  toboggan-slides  in  the  Dominion. 


622 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


o 


o 


CO 


IS 

o 


,.    iliilli^^^^^^^^^^ 


MEXICO,  CENTRAL  AMERICA  and  the  WEST  INDIES. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

The  Cathedral,  Mexico  City— The  President  of  Mexico-Central  America— The  West  Indies— Scenes  in  "Bavana— Pictukesqde  Bits  op 
Jamaica— A  ^'CENE  in  Si  Pierre,  Mautiniqce— The  Boiling  Lake,  Dominica— Cape  Haytien— Port-au-Prince— The  Great  water  Cave 
NEAR  SAN  Domingo  city.    ; 


THE  REPUBLIC  OF  MEXICO  occupies 
that  portion  of  the  North  Americau  Con- 
tinent lying  immediately  south  of  the 
United  States,  stretching  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  South  of  Mex- 
ico lie  the  Central  Americau  States  —  Nica- 
ragua, Guatemala,  San  Salvador,  Costa  Kica, 
and  Honduras  —  all  of  them  republican  in 
name  in  their  form  of  government. 

Mexico  is,  for  the  most  part,  an  enormous 
ridge,  raised  by  volcanic  force,  and  ramifying 
into  Siveral  chains.  Through  the  country 
there  are  many  elevated  tablelands,  snow  sum- 
mits, and  volcanic  cones,  iu  several  of  which 
the  fires  are  still  raging.  The  highest  of  thorn 
is  the  still  active  volcano  Popocatepetl,  17,78-t 
feet.  Other  lofty  volcanoes,  active  or  extinct, 
are  Iztaccihuatl,  15,705  feet  ;  Naucampalepetl, 
13,416  feet;  Orizaba,  17,380  feet,  and  the 
Pico  del  Frayle,  15,250  feet.  About  15,000 
feet  is  the  limit  of  perpetual  snow. 

In  general  the  country  is  sparingly  watered, 
and  labors  under  the  almost  total  want  of 
navigable  rivers  reaching  into  the  interior. 
The  longest  and  greatest  of  Mexican  rivers  is 
the  Eio  Grande  del  Norte,  called  also  the  Kio 
Bravo  del  Norte,  which  marks  a  portion  of  the 
boundary  between  Mexico  and  Texas.  The 
Kio  de  Tampico  is  about  200  miles  long,  and 
there  are  a  few  other  rivers  flowing  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  east  and  the  Pacific 
Ocean  on  the  west.  There  are  numerous 
lakes  and  lagoons,  but  comparatively  small 
and  unimportant.  The  largest  is  Lake  Cha- 
pala,  in  the  State  of  Jalisco,  covering  an  area 
of  1,500  square  miles. 

The  Mexicans  divide  their  country,  with  re- 
spoct  to  climate,  into  Tierras  Calientes  (hot 
lauds),  which  rarely  exceed  900  feet  in  ele- 
vation, TieiTas  Templadas  (temperate  lands), 
ranging  between  4,000  and  5,000  feet,  and 
Tierras  Frias  (cold  lands),  above  7,000  feet. 
The  coasts  are  hot,  humid  and  unhealthy. 
The  plains  of  the  interior  enjoy  a  delicious 
chraate — perfectly  healthy.  Earthquakes  are 
of  frequent  occurrence,  but  they  are  generally 
slight,  and  do  little  damage. 


The  population  of  Mexico  comprises  persons 
of  white  descent,  Indians,  and  Mestizos  or 
mixed  races.  The  Spanish  language  is  every- 
where prevalent,  but  many  of  the  Indians  re- 
tain the  use  of  the  ancient  languages.  By  far 
the  greater  part  of  the  people  are  Koman 
Catholics,  but  all  religions  are  tolerated. 

Mexico  is  a  federal  republic,  formed  upon 
the  model  of  the  United  States.  There  are 
twenty -nine  States,  each  with  its  own  capital. 
The  total  area  of  these  is  741,313  square 
miles.  Mexico  City,  the  capital  of  the  State 
of  Mexico,  is  also  the  national  capital  of  the 
whole  country.  It  is  situated  in  a  noble  jilain 
1,700  square  miles  in  extent,  inclosed  by 
mountains  containiug  many  fine  lakes,  and 
7,460  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is 
encircled  by  walls  and  inclosed  by  gates,  to 
which  several  thoroughfares  lead. 

The  houses  are  mostly  of  stone,  built  around 
courtyards,  seldom  more  than  one  story  in 
height,  flat-roofed,  and  decorated  by  laaintiug 
and  mosaic-work  on  the  outside.  The  streets 
are  regular  and  well-paved,  in  straight  lines 
directed  to  the  four  cardinal  j^oints.  The 
public  edifices  are  numerous,  substantial,  and 
in  good  style.  The  chief  place  in  the  city  is 
the  great  square — Plaza  Mayor — two  sides  of 
which  are  formed  by  the  Cathedral,  National 
Palace.  Museum,  and  a  new  Market-place  ;  the 
other  sides  are  bordered  by  arcades  in  front  of 
the  Parian,  a  bazaar,  the  Town  Hall,  and  the 
Exchange. 

The  city  has  sixty  churches,  forty  convents, 
a  College  of  Engineers,  several  theatres,  Botanic 
Gardens,  barracks,  hospitals,  and  asylums, 
two  great  aqueducts,  an  Academy  of  Arts,  a 
Public  Library,  a  fine  National  Museum,  a 
Government  cigar  factory,  a  University,  and 
many  manufacturing  establishments. 

Mexico  City  is  the  terminus  of  the  great 
railway  from  Vera  Cruz,  from  which  it  is  185 
miles  west,  and  of  several  minor  railways. 

Mexico  was  discovered  in  1517  by  Francisco 
Hernandez  Cordova,  who  sailed  along  the 
coast  from  Cape  Catoche  to  Campeachy  Bay. 
In  1539  Hernando  Cortez  landed  where  Vera 


Cruz  now  is,  and  ascended  the  tableland,  the 
numerous  inhabitants  of  which — the  Aztecs — • 
he  forud  united  under  one  sovereign  called 
Montezuma,  but  the  doininiou  of  the  Aztecs 
did  not  extend  over  all  the  tablelands.  After 
two  years  of  warfare,  Cortez  succeeded  in  over- 
turning the  power  of  the  Aztecs,  and  the 
smaller  States  were  subjected  to  the  SiJaniards 
almost  without  a  struggle. 

Cortez  having  firmly  established  his  author- 
ity in  the  country,  a  large  emigration  set  in 
from  Spain,  and  for  nearly  three  centuries 
the  country  remained  as  a  Spanish  eolonj'. 
The  first  revolution  took  jjlace  in  1810,  and 
was  fomented  chiefly  by  the  clergy.  In  1820 
the  Viceroy  Apodaca  received  orders  to  pro- 
claim the  Constitution  of  1812.  but  being 
opposed  to  the  measure,  he  sent  Colonel  Itur- 
bide  apparently  on  an  expedition  against  the 
surgent  Guerrero,  but  really  to  sound  the 
wishes  of  the  people.  Iturbide,  however,  raised 
the  standard  of  revolt.  The  Mexican  Cortes 
then  immediately  proceeded  to  carrj'  out  tha 
scheme  of  national  independence,  and  in  May, 
1822,  elected  their  general,  Don  Augustin  Itur- 
bide, Emperor  of  Mexico.  The  new  monarch, 
however,  abdicated  and  left  the  country  in 
April,  1823  :  but  returning  the  next  year,  was 
taken,  and  shot  at  Padilla.  The  experiment  of 
a  federal  republic  was  now  tried,  and  the  first 
President  was  General  Guadalupe  Victoria. 

In  1835  Santa  Anna  changed  the  federal 
into  a  central  republic.  But  the  distant  j^rov- 
inces  became  disaffected.  Texas  revolted  and 
established  its  independence,  and  in  ten  3'ear3 
more  was  annexed  to  the  United  States.  Then 
came  the  war  with  the  United  States,  conchided 
February,  1848,  in  which  Mexico  yielded  to 
the  United  States  the  Provinces  of  New 
Mexico  and  Upper  California. 

In  1863  a  French  army  invaded  Mexico,  and 
Napoleon  III.  established  Maximilian  as  Em- 
peror. In  1867  he  was  shot  and  the  Kepublio 
again  proclaimed.  Benito  Juarez,  who  had 
been  President  previous  to  Maxiiitilian's  reign, 
was  again  elected  President.  He  was  succeed*  d 
by  Lerdo  iu  1872,  and  he  by  Diaz  in  1876. 

623 


C24 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NAT10X& 


> 

6 


PI 

o 


o 

H 

u 


:_-j 


MEXICO,    CENTRAL    AMERICA    AND    THE    WEST    INDIES. 


625 


The  Cathedral,  Mexico  City. 

The  Cathedral  of  the  City  of  Mexico  was  be- 
guu  in  1573,  and  was  finished  in  1667.  It  is 
riOO  feet  long  and  420  feet  wide.  It  is  of  mixed 
Gothic  and  Indian  architecture,  and  is  gorge- 
oush'  ornamented,  having  also  a  high  altar 
with  a  statue  of  .he  Virgin,  the  dress  of  which 
is  said  to  contain,  besides  other  gems,  dia- 
monds to  the  value  of  some  three  millions  of 
tlollars. 

The  Cathedral  fronts  the  Plaza  Mayor,  and 
is  the  most  notable  building  in  the  city.     Ou 


he  threw  his  influence  in  behalf  of  Gonzales, 
who  was  elected.  In  1884  General  Diaz  was 
felt  to  be  so  overwhelminglj'  the  choice  of  the 
people  that  he  was  elected  almost  without  op- 
position.   The  same  has  been  the  case  now. 

During  his  first  Presidential  term,  ending  in 
the  year  1880,  Diaz  did  little  more  than 
strengthen  himself  and  the  Liberal  party 
against  the  Clericals,  and  lay  the  foundations 
of  the  peace  which  has  lasted  ever  since.  He 
had  had  the  education  of  a  soldier,  and  knew 
that,  however  good  his  intentions  might  be, 
very  little  could  be  accomplished  while  ho  was 


The  concessions  were  granted  and  the  pre- 
liminary steps  taken,  when  it  became  time  for 
another  President  to  succeed  Diaz.  His  brother 
officer,  Manuel  Gonzalez,  was  the  man,  and 
rumor  had  it  that  it  was  all  arranged  that  he 
should  carry  out  everything  in  the  same  spirit 
with  which  Diaz  had  commenced,  and  that 
after  his  four  years  were  up  he  should  be  suc- 
ceeded by  his  predecessor. 

However  true  that  may  be,  Gonzalez  had 
things  very  much  his  own  way  during  his 
term,  and  while, he  continued  the  policy  of 
encouragement  to  raihvaj'  and    other  enter- 


IXDIAN'S  AND  COUNTRY  WOMEN  IN  TBE  MARKET  SQUARE,  VERA  CRUZ. 


the  face  of  one  of  the  towers,  or  rather  a  por- 
tion of  its  foundation,  is  seen  the  wonderful 
Calendar  Stone  of  the  Aztecs,  and  the  entire 
Plaza,  the  Cathedral,  and  a  whole  block  be- 
yond, only  serve  to  measure  the  ancient  teo- 
■enlli  or  pyramidal  sanctuary  of  the  ancient 
Mexicans. 


The  President  of  Mexico. 

Genbeal  Porfikio  Diaz,  the  President  of 
Mexico,  who  has  jnst  been  re-elected  to  that 
office  for  the  third  time,  was  first  elected  in 
1876,  with  the  iron  hand  of  revolution  against 
Xerdo.  In  1880,  Diaz  being  then  ineligible, 
40 


unsure  of  his  seat.  He  therefore  remodeled 
the  armj',  created  a  new  corps  known  as  the 
"  Kurales,"  or  rural  guards,  who  are  now  one 
of  the  best  organized  and  equipped  bodies  of 
men  that  any  country  can  boast  of,  and  con- 
ciliated the  favor  of  all  the  military  chiefs  in 
different  sections  of  the  republic  in  one  way  or 
another. 

He  then  turned  his  attention  to  the  inaug- 
uration of  a  railway  sj-stem  which,  in  the  first 
place,  should  consolidate  tlie  country  and 
diminish  the  possibility  of  petty  rebellions  in 
Sonora  or  Chiapas,  and,  in  the  second  place, 
overcome  the  difficulties  under  which  the  in- 
ternal commerce  labored. 


prises  of  benefit  to  the  country,  he  enricheo 
himself  and  his  personal  friends  to  an  enor- 
mous degree.  Concessions  of  all  kinds  were 
granted,  and  the  resources  of  the  country, 
particularly  the  customs  revenue,  were  mort- 
gaged heavil}'.  There  was  no  outlook  for  the 
future  as  far  as  the  finances  were  concerned, 
and  by  the  time  Gonzalez  retired  from 
office  the  only  solution  appeared  to  be  a 
national  bankruptcy. 

Meanwhile  Diaz,  nominally  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Oaxaca,  had  been  in  private  life  more 
or  less ;  had  traveled  abroad,  made  many 
friends,  and  had  changed  from  the  rough  sol- 
dier and  amateur  statesman  to  a  polished  man 


626 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


of  the  world,  with  enlarged  ideas  of  the  pos- 
sible future  of  his  country  and  a  patriotic  de- 
sire to  do  all  in  his  power  to  aid  its  growth. 

General  Diaz,  as  President  of  Mexico,  re- 
sides at  Chapultepec,  which,  interpreted, 
means  the  "Hill  of  the  Grasshopper,"  a  spot 
declared  by  many  the  most  beautiful  in  the 
world. 

The  castle  is  reached  by  slowly  ascending 
the  steep  roads,  winding  through  beautifu' 
flower  gardens,  and  shaded  by  grand  old 
cypresses  that  flourished,   it.  is   stated,   even 


shot  and  shell ;  the  centre  of  the  battlefield  is 
indicated  by  a  square  marble  pedestal,  on 
which  are  inscribed  the  names  of  the  Mexican 
officers  who  fell  on  the  field. 

Chapultepec  was  the  last  battle  of  the  war 
that  arose  out  of  the  secession  of  Texas  from 
Mexico,  and  General  Scott  being  \ictorious,  the 
treaty  of  peace  known  as  that  of  Guadalupe 
Hidalgo  was  ratified  in  the  early  part  of  18-48, 
by  which  Texas,  Kew  Mexico  and  Upper 
California  became  annexed  to  the  United 
States.     Arizona,  it  may  bo  mentioned,  was 


colony  of  Belize,  with  a  small  part  of  the  State 
of  Panama,  in  the  United  States  of  Colombia. 
It  is  a  mountainous  region,  with  many  high 
plateaus  of  limited  extent  and  many  volcanoes. 
Earthquakes  are  not  infrequent.  The  climate 
is  hot  and  moist,  but  in  the  highland  region* 
much  better  than  near  the  sea.  A  large  part 
of  the  lands  is  covered  with  dense  woods. 
The  people  are  chiefly  of  Indian  and  Spanish 
stock,  with  much  admixture  of  the  two  races. 
Agriculture  is  the  leading  pursuit. 

The  progress  of  these   countries  has  been 


END  OF  THE  AQCBDUCT,  CITY  OP  MEXICO. 


before  the  time    of  the   unfortunate   Monte- 
zuma. 

The  Palace  of  Chapultepec  has  been  re- 
built several  times  by  Spanish  viceroys.  The 
present  building  was  erected  in  1785.  At  the 
back  of  the  castle,  looking  over  the  large 
cypress-trees  on  the  pleasauuce  below,  is  seen 
the  high  ground  on  which  the  battle  of  Molino 
del  Key  (the  King's  Mill)  was  fought,  in 
September,  1847,  between  the  United  States 
Army,  under  General  Scott,  and  the  Mexican 
Armj',  under  General  Santa  Anna.  The  large 
Hour-mill  and  other  buildings  bear  marks  of 


subsequently  bought  from  Santa  Anna  by  the 
Treaty  of  Mesilla  for  ten  millions   of  dollars. 


Central  America. 

This  is  the  name  applied  by  geographers  to 
that  part  of  the  North  American  Continent  ly- 
ing between  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  on  the 
south  and  the  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec  on  the 
north.  It  includes  the  five  Spanish  American 
Kejiublics  of  Guatemala,  Honduras,  Nicara- 
gua, San  Salvador  and  Costa  Kica,  the  British 


much  hindered  by  frequent  revolutions.  The 
mineral  wealth  is  considerable,  but  is  not 
much  developed.  Gold  is  found  in  several 
places,  but  coffee-planting  is  the  only  occupa- 
tion in  which  much  capital  is  invested. 


The  West  Indies. 

The  West  Indies  are  a  group  of  islands  in 
the  Atlantic  Ocean,  south  of  the  United  States, 
and  east  of  Mexico  and  Central  America. 
They  are   mostly  disposed  in  three   distinct 


MEXICO,    CENTRAL    AMERICA    AND    THE    WE3T    INDIES. 


627 


a 

o 

H 


O 


4^ 
*— ( 
O 

o 


628 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


MEXICO,   CENTRAL    AMERICA.    AND    THE    WEST    INDIES. 


629 


groups,  of  which  the  Leeward  Islands,  or 
Greater  Antilles  contain  the  larger  islands, 
Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti  and  Porto  Rico. 

The  Lesser  Antilles,  or  Windward  Islands, 
extend  in  semicircular  form  from  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  Island  of  Porto  Eico,  south  to 
the  Gulf  of  Para,  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and  a 
still  smaller  group  stretches  from  east  to  west 
along  the  coast  of  Venezuela.  North  of  Cuba 
and  Hayti  is  the  group  of  the  Bahamas. 

Cuba,  Porto  Eico  and  several  of  the  smaller 
islands  belong  to  Spain.     The  Bahamas,  Bar- 
badoes,   Jamaica,   Trinidad  and  most  of  the 
Lesser  Antilles  are  under 
the  British  Government. 
Curacoa,    St.   Eustatius, 
St.  M  a  r  t  i  n    {southern 
part)   and  Saba    are 
Dutch;     St.   Bartholo- 
mew,   Swedish ;      Santa 
Cruz,    St.  John   and   St. 
Thomas,   Danish;    Mar-. 
tinique,     St.    Martin 
(northern  part),  Saintes, 
Marie  -  Galante,   Guada- 
loupe,   and  Descada  are 
French;   and  the  Island 
of    Hayti,    or   San    Do- 
mingo, is  independent. 

Cuba  is  the  largest  of 
all  the  West  Indies,  and 
the  most  important. 
Its  area  is  43,319  square 
miles.  Its  length  is 
rather  more  than  750 
miles,  and  its  average 
width  50  miles.  The 
surface  is  mountainous 
at  the  southeast  coast, 
where  the  Sierra  Maes- 
tria,  rising  in  places  to 
an  elevation  of  8,000 
feet,  runs  from  Cape  de 
Cruz  to  CaiJe  de  Maysi. 
In  the  central  part  of 
this  island  there  are 
ragged,  hilly  districts  be- 
tween Santa  Clara  and 
Puerto  Piiucipe.  Eocky 
reefs  and  muddy  shal- 
lows beset  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  coast.  In 
some  localities  the  sea  is 
deep  to  the  shore,  offer- 
ing excellent  havens, 
the  chief  of  them  being 
Havana,  the  situation 
of  which  makes  it  the 
emporium  of  Central  America.  The 
lation  of  Cuba  is  about  1,500,000. 


by  closely  drawn  blinds  during  the  reign  of 
old  King  Sol ;  but  in  the  early  morning  and 
at  dewy  eve  these  are  thrown  open,  while  the 
guests,  in  the  coolest  of  possible  toilets,  lounge 
on  the  balconies,  chatting  smoking  and  in- 
haling the  perfume-laden  breeze.  The  ala- 
meda,  too,  is  thronged  by  a  gay  and  animated 
crowd,  which  passes  like  a  living,  moving 
wave.  The  gilded  youth  of  the  island  affect 
the  Pasage,  and,  standing  at  its  portals,  pay 
the  tribute  of  a  stare  to  the  charms  of  the 
Cuban  belles,  thus  proving  that  the  dude  and 
the  masher  are  aUke  all  over  the  world. 


popu- 


3cenes  in  Havana. 


EXTEKIOB    OF   TUE    HOTEL    PASAOE. 

The  exterior  of  the  Hotel  Pasage  is  particu- 
larly striking.  The  f(K;ade  is  rich  in  plate- 
glass  and  balconies,  while  statues  adorn  the 
coping  over  the  entrance.  An  alaineda,  or 
walk,  shaded  by  trees,  stands  opposite,  be- 
neath which  chairs  and  benches  are  placed  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  public.  The  state 
apartments  are  in  front,  and  jealously  guarded 


rOBllRlO    DIAZ,  I'KESIDE.NT  OK  TUB  BEl'L'BHC    OF  UEXICO 
THE   TOMANDO   CAFE. 

This  cafe  is  much  frequented  by  the  upper- 
tendom  of  the  island,  who  stroll  in  for  a  gos- 
sip, a  cigarette,  an  ice  and  a  cooling  drink. 
Its  open  doors  are  guarded  by  sentinels  in  the 
shape  of  prickly  cacti,  the  pineapple  "  on  its 
native  heath,"  or  the  dwarf  palm.  American 
rocking-chairs  are  placed  "all  in  a  row"  op- 
posite the  doorwaj's,  and  their  occupants  rock 
to  a  measure  that  almost  amounts  to  a  lullaby, 
or  a  cradle -song.  The  swarthy  attendants, 
attired  in  the  snowiest  of  white,  anticipate 
every  want,  while  'he  habitues  have  no  neces- 
sity to  issue  orders,  their  wishes  being  fore- 


stalled. A  cooler  apartment  than  this  doee 
not  exist  on  the  island,  and  every  visitor  to 
Havana  "does"  the  Tomando  Cafe,  and  does 

Picturesque  Bits  of  Jamaica. 
Jamaica,  the  Island  of  Springs,  largest  and 
richest  of  the  British  West  Indies,  bears  an 
undeserved  reputation  for  excessive  heat,  and 
a  well-deserved  one  for  fine  tropical  scenery. 
With  a  backbone  of  lofty,  verdure-clad  mount- 
ains, and  a  coast-line  of  500   miles,  indented 
with  a  hundred  harbors,  bays  and  creeks,  it 
has  at  once  the  essentials 
of  natural  attractiveness 
and    commercial   pros- 
perity.   Its  area  is  about 
three  times  that  of  Long 
Island.     Having  been  a 
British    possession     for 
more  than  two  centuries, 
it  is   pretty  thoroughly 
Anglicized,    as     regards 
politics,  religion,  society 
and  nomenclature.     Wo 
give  a  series  of  sketches 
rejiresenting     several 
characteristic     v  i  e]w  s  , 
chosen    at    random,   of 
different  points  on   the 
island. 

The  prevailing  form 
of  religious  worship  in 
Jamaica  is,  of  course, 
that  of  the  EstabUshed 
Church  of  England.  The 
Wesleyan  denomination 
comes  next  in  import- 
ance, and  the  Method- 
ists, Baptists,  Presby- 
terians, Moravians  and 
E  o  m  a  n  Catholics  are 
also  well  represented. 
The  Established  Church 
alone  claims  nearly  a 
hundred  temples  of 
worship.  One  of  our 
pictures  shows  that  at 
Alley,  on  the  Plain  of 
Vere.  It  is  one  of  the 
oldest  churches  on  the 
island — a  quaint  brick 
structure,  which  might 
belong  to  the  Surrey  of 
old  England,  instead  of 
that  of  an  island  of  the 
Antilles.  The  Wesleyau 
Church  of  Beechamvillo, 
St.  Ann's,  forms  the  subject  of  another  of  our 
illustrations.  It  is  a  spacious,  stuccoed  strac- 
ture,  architecturally  plain,  but  standing  in  a 
lovely  amphitheatre  of  wooded  hills. 

Spanish  Town,  the  old  seat  of  government, 
and  now  a  somewhat  desolate  place,  ten  miles 
west  of  Kingston,  was  once  quite  a  depot  for 
the  landing  and  distribution  of  the  coolies  who 
in  former  times  were  imjjorted  from  Calcutta 
and  the  East  Indies.  It  has  still  a  reminder 
of  the  coolie  trade  in  the  lepers'  colony,  where 
numbers  of  these  hopeless  outcasts,  all  blades, 
live  in  the  commodious  quarters,  and  cul- 
tivate  the  grounds  set  aside  for  their  use. 


630 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT     NATIONS. 


I 


MEXICO,   CENrEAL    AMEllICA    AND    THE    WEST    INDIES. 


631 


O 

o 


ft 

i 

Q 
O 

1-3 

> 


632 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


England  maiutains 
a  force  of  perhaps 
two  thousand  troops 
on  the  island,  ex- 
clusive of  the  insular 
militia,  which  latter, 
at  present,  is  not  very 
numerous.  The  scene 
in  a  garden  of  a 
country  home  near 
Port  Eoyal  is  um- 
brageous and  inviting, 
and  shows  to  ad- 
vantage the  luxuriant, 
feathery  foliage  of 
the  cabbage  -  palm, 
which,  with  the  co- 
coanut-palm,  bamboo 
and  lignum-vitiB,  are 
plentiful  in  this  pro- 
lific region. 

A  Scene  in  St.  Pierre, 
Martiniijue. 

St.  Piekee  is  the 
principal  town  of  the 

picturesque,  tropical  Island  of  Martinique,  and 
the  chief  entrepot  of  the  French  West  Indies. 
Like  Paris,  which  in  many  other  things  it 
endeavors  to  copy,  it  is  divided  by  a  stream, 
over  which  are  several  handsome  bridges.     It 


EXTERIOR  OF  THE  HOTEL  TASAOE,  nAVAKA, 

has  a  population  of  over  25,000,  and,  with  its 
numerous  public  buildings  and  schools,  its 
handsome  theatre  and  botanic  garden,  it  is  a 
bright  and  thoroughly  Gallic  city.  On  the 
hillside,  not  far  away,  are  still  to  be  seen  the 


remains  of  the  house 
in  which  the  Empress 
Josephine  was  born, 
in  17C3.  A  railroad 
connects  St.  P  i  e  r  r  o 
with  Port  -de  -  France 
and  other  points. 
Our  illustration  gives 
a  characteristic  view 
of  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal streets  of  the 
island  metropolis. 

The  Boiling  Lake, 
Dominica, 

On  Sunday,  January 
4th,  1880,  shortly  after 
eleven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  a  volcanic 
eruption  occurred  in 
the  Grande  Soufriere 
district  of  Dominica, 
"West  Indies.  This 
district  is  situated 
near  the  centre  of 
the  southern  third  of 
the  island,  and  before  the  eruption  its  vol- 
canic energy  was  manifested  by  the  action 
of  four  solfataras  and  by  the  Boiling  Lake. 
Shortly  before  eleven  o'clock  the  sky  becami> 
overcast,  and  very  heavy  rain  began  to  fall 


BITTING-ROOII  ly  THE  TOMAKDO   Ckvi,  HAVANA. 


MEXICO,   CENIRAL    AMERICA    AND    THE    WEST    INDIES. 


633 


accompanied  with  loud  thunder  and  vivid 
hghtning. 

Soon  afterward  the  sky  darkened,  the  rain 
poured  in  torrents,  a  powerful  odor  of  sul- 
phureted  hydrogen  pervaded  the  atmosphere ; 
the  lightning  increased  in  vividness,  and 
thunder  of  a  peculiar  sound,  and  without  the 
usual  reverberation,  crashed  for  several  min- 
utes, with  intermissions  of  so  short  a  duration 
as  to  be  scarcely  recognizable.  After  tho 
lapse  of  about  five  minutes  the  darkness  be- 
gan to  lift,  and  it  was  then  seen  that  the  rain 
was  bringing  down  volcanic  ash  of  a  light 
grayish  color  and  metallic  lustre. 

The  scene  of  the  eruption  was  about  eight 
miles  east  from  Koseau,  and  the  volcanic  ash 
was  blown  to  the  west  by  the  trade  wind  in  a 
narrow  belt  about  one  and  a  half  miles  wide. 
The  area  over  whfth  the  ash  fell  was  about 
twenty  square  miles. 

Strictly  speaking,  a  new  crater  was  not 
formed,  for  the  eruption  was  only  the  break- 
ing into  activity  of  an  old  volcano.  The 
Grande  Soufriere  district  formerly  included 
four  solfatiras  and  the  Boiling  Lake,  and 
the  most  active  of  these  solfataras  was  situ- 
ated in  the  crater  of  the  volcano  that  became 
active.  With  the  exception  of  a  part  of  the 
bottom  and  southern  side  occupied  by  the 
smifriere,  as  a  solfntara  is  called  in  the  West 
Indies,  the  crater  was  clothed  with  trees,  many 
of  which  were  of  large  size  and  considerable 
nge,  and  a  stream  of  strongly  ferruginous 
water,  rising  at  its  southwestern  extremity, 
ran  through  the  ovoid  basin,  and  found  an 
exit  in  the  break  in  the  northeastern  side. 
The  path  to  the  Boiling  Lake  passed  through 
the  crater,  and  the  north  bank  of  the  Chaly- 
beate stream  —  which  entirely  disappeared 
after  the  eruption  —  was  the  usual  place 
selected  for  an  encampment. 


^  A 

\    Crooked 
AckUnLj) 


H 


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Marlguanal. 

j^..='_Calco8  I, 

XW.Inas'ta  p 


Lou,  £.  Xrom  Vr'a^ittiugtoa 


«3  Z.Caico8  r. 
'      C  Turk  Is. 


PART  OF  THE 

WEST  INDIES 

SHOWING  THE  ISLAND  OF 

SANTA  CRUZ 


St.CjhristopheS' 


Cape  Haytien. 

The  coasts  of  Haj'ti  are  altogether  more 
irregular  than  those  of  the  other  Antilles,  giv- 
ing rise  to  a  number  of  bights,  peninsulas  and 
headlands.  The  island  is  traversed  bj-  several 
hilly  ranges,  which,  however,  are  not  con- 
nected together.  There  may  be  clearly  dis- 
tinguished a  northeasterly  coast  range  ;  in  the 
centre  a  tableland  crossed  by  ridges,  amongst 
which  is  that  of  Cibao,  once  famous  for  its 
gold,  and  culminating  with  tho  Yaqiii  Peak, 
9,G95  feet  high ;  and,  lastly,  a  southwesterly 
coast  range  in  the  longer  jjeninsula,  attaining 
in  one  of  its  peaks  tho  altitude  of  7,400  feet. 

Hayti  presents  a  sad   jncture   of   the   inca- 


KINGSTON,  JAMAICA,  WEST  INDIES. 


pacity  of  the  black  race  for  independent  de- 
velopment. Even  the  most  zealous  abolition- 
ists are  obliged  to  confess  that  the  majority  of 
the  Haytian  negroes  are  lower  in  the  scale  of 
civilization  than  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  Cen- 
tral Africa.  In  the  interior  of  the  country 
fetich  -  worship  is  rampant,  and  mingled  with 
the  wildest  superstition  and  the  celebration  of 
rites  to  evil  spirits. 

At  least  two-thirds  of  the  population  do  not 
speak  any  language  recognized  by  the  civ- 
ilized world.  It  is  stated  that  even  canni- 
balism is  practiced,  the  people  killing  and 
eating,  at  certain  of  their  festivals,  their  own 
children.  In  Hayti  seven-eighths  of  the  people 
are  pure  blacks ;  the  rest  are  so-called  Creoles, 
but  really  half-  castes — that  is,  mulattoes. 

Cape  Haytien,  a  Haytian  port  ninety  miles, 
from  Port-au-Prince,  must  be  entered  slowly 
and  prudentlj',  as  the  harbor  is  full  of  reefs, 
though  safe  when  entered.  If  a  heavy  fog 
does  not  prevent  the  view,  you  will  see  the 
hills,  or  rnornes,  and  Carneage,  a  suburb  in- 
habited by  fishermen  and  boatmen.  In  front 
are  the  Custom-house  and  mercantile  portion 
of  the  town. 

Tho  steep  streets,  worn  in  gullies  by  tho 
torrents,  are  skirted  by  crumbling  brick 
houses  and  ruins.  This  is  all  that  remains  of  a 
city  that  but  a  century  ago  boasted  of  being  a 
Paris  in  the  New  World.  It  had  its  magnificent 
public  buildings,  its  fine  cathedral,  its  squares 
and  monumental  fountains.  The  ruins  of  the 
cathedral  are  still  imposing ;  those  of  Chris- 
tophe's  palace  of  San  Souci  seem  strange  as 
the  traveler  gazes  on  these  relics  of  the  pride . 
of  a  negro  emperor.  The  citadel  Laferriere 
still  frowns  down  from  its  mountain  height, 
recalling  his  fleeting  reign  and  power. 

Here  Columbus  found  the  friendly  chief, 
Guariko  ;  here  the  freebooters,  in  1670, 
founded  a  town  which  the  Spaniards  fre- 
quently captured  and  destroyed.  War  and' 
fire  have  again  and  again  desolated  it,  till  now 
it  is  but  a  mass  of  ruins  and  memories.  The- 
present  population  is  12,000. 


^u 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


CO 

« 

CO 


o 

H 

o 


MEXICO,    CENTEAL    AMERICA    AND    TQE    WEST    INDIES. 


635^ 


WESLEY  AN  CHtIKCH,'BEECHAMVILLB,  ST.  ANN's,  JAMAICA. 


majestic  series  of  buildings,  quite  im- 
posing in  their  arcliitecture,  while 
occasional  fountains,  the  worse  for 
age  and  neglect,  show,  in  different 
parts  of  the  city,  attempts  in  ancient 
days  to  beautify  the  place. 

There  is  yet,  however,  in  existence 
an  immense  stone  basin  in  the  upper 
l^art  of  the  city,  originally  built  and 
still  used  for  the  purpose  of  bathing 
the  horses  of  the  townspeople,  a  de- 
gree of  luxury  of  which  no  other 
city  we  know  can  boast. 

To-day  the  lower  part  of  the  city 
has  a  good  many  fine  warehouses, 
principally  those  of  foreign  mer- 
chants, who  live  on  the  second  floors ; 
but  the  great  majority  of  the  houses 
are  built  of  wood,  in  the  most  non- 
descript, irregular  stjles  of  architect- 
ure. The  market-places  are  mere 
open  squares,  and  the  church,  though 
large,  has  nothing  remarkable  about 
it;  but  the  streets,  lined  with  their 
odd  stores  and  contents,  void  of  side- 
walks and  filled  constantly  with  peo- 
ple, present  an  odd  and  novel  ap- 
pearance. 

There  seem  to  be  no  sanitary  rules 
whatever,  and  the  only  cleansing  of 
which  we  heard  was  that  of  the  city 


streets  by  the  heavy  rains  and  showers  In- 
fact,  quite  in  the  city  and  upon  the  opea 
square,  dead  animals  are  taken  and  left  ta 
lie  and  rot  without  hindrance  from  any  one. 

The  population  are  principally  blacks,  while 
the  mulatto  class  constitute  the  principal 
aristocracy,  to  which  are  added  the  white 
French  Creoles,  as  also  many  of  the  foreigu 
merchants ;  and  at  a  social  gathering  all  these 
will  be  seen  in  various  proportions,  according 
to  circumstances. 

As  many  of  the  native  colored  population 
have  been  educated  in  France,  there  are  found 
a  good  many  highly  cultured  men,  extremely 
courteous  and  gentle  in  their  manners ;  and 
of  some  of  the  younger  men,  only  a  few  re- 
moves from  the  white,  many  may  be  said  to 
be  quite  elegant  in  their  dress  and  manners. 
Among  the  Creole  j5opulation  one  meets  with 
extremely  lively  and  agreeable  women,  many 
of  whom  are  married  to  foreigners. 

The  old  distinction  of  color,  however,  exists 
even  here,  I  am  told ;  for  the  mulattoes  pride 
themselves  on  being  a  different  people  from 
the  blacks,  while  the  latter  sneer  at  the  former 
as  being  neither  white  nor  black. 

Not  far  from  Port-au-Prince  on  the  Morue 
Pensez-y-bien,  in  a  beautiful  and  fertile  plain, 
is  the  village  of  St.  Croix  des  Bouquets,  of 
some  historic  fame  in  the  negro  wars  of  the 
island.     It    is  well  watered,  and   sugar-cane 


Port-au-Prince. 

Poet-atj-Pri>xe,  at  the  head  of  a  deep  bay, 
is  situated  on  a  strand  half  encircled  by  hills, 
on  which,  from  the  water,  the  scattered  houses 
look  like  tropical  flowers.  The  town  is  a 
cluster  of  wooden  huts  and  brick  houses, 
which,  with  intervals  of  ruins,  line  the  wide 
streets.  It  was  founded  by  De  la  Caze  in 
1749,  and  called  by  him  L'Hopital,  but  soon 
acquired  the  name  it  now  bears — how  or  why 
no  one  exactly  knows. 

The  public  fountains  are  wretchedly  main- 
tained. The  church  or  cathedral  was  re- 
paired by  Soulouque.  The  President  now  hold- 
ing the  dangerous  position  resides  in  a  plain 
wooden  house  on  Egalite  Street.  Prisons, 
bank,  hospital,  arsenal,  Ij'ceum,  State  build- 
ings, all  are  in  a  dilapidated  state.  Earth- 
quakes in  1751  and  1770  nearly  destroyed  the 
city,  and  war  has  done  the  rest. 

Port-au-Prince  is  reputed  to  oe  a  very  un- 
healthy place  at  times,  much  fever,  both  yel- 
low and  native,  prevailing  there;  and  if  the 
theory  of  the  prevalence  of  the  mangrove- 
trees  be  true,  it  is  easily  accounted  for,  the 
shores  and  islands  being  covered  with  these 
breeders  of  pestilence. 

Historians  tell  us  that  at  one  time  the  town 
possessed  handsome,  solid  structures,  includ- 
ing public  buildings,  fountains,  churches,  etc.: 
but  if  so,  they  have  almost  entirely  disap- 
peared or  left  ruined  walls  where  they  might 
have  been  ;  for  to-day  even  the  Houses  of  the 
Assembly  are  of  wood  of  most  ordinary  cou- 
structiou,  while  the  President's  Palace  itself  is 
only  mediocre  as  an  ordinary  building.  The 
ruins  of  the  palace  of  Saluave  are  still  extant, 
and   show  that  they  maj-  have   been  a  very 


%^> 


ALLEY  CHURCH,  JAMAICA. 


«36 


THE    WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


BT.   PIERRE,    MABTINIQUB. 


thrives  luxuriantly. 
Almos;  at  the  outskirts 
ot  Port  -  au  -  Priuce  is 
the  Ked  Bridge,  where 
the  savage  tyrant  Des- 
salines  was  cut  to 
pieces  hy  the  soldiers 
on  whom  he  depended, 
and  who  had  so  often 
accomplished  his  mer- 
ciless behests.  The 
tranquil  scenery  of 
the  place  seems  in- 
finitely at  variance 
with  the  sanguinary 
juemories  it  recalls. 


San  Domingo  City. 

This  city  is  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Republic  of 
San  Domingo,  and  is 
situated  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Ozama  River.  Its 
population  is  estimated 
at  from  0,000  to  10,000 
inhabitants.  The  city 
is  surrounded  by  a 
wall  &  feet  thick,  10 
feet  high,  and  4,500 
yards  in  circumfer- 
ence. The  streets  are 
straight,  wide,  and  at 
Tight  angles.  Many 
of  the  ancient  houses 
nd  buildings  are  still 


FORMER  BASIN  OF  BOILING  LAKE,  DOMINICA. 


standing,  but  are  only 
remarkable  for  their 
solidity.  The  climate 
is  healthful.  The 
trade  is  principally  in 
cabinet  and  dye  woods. 
The  ji  o  r  t  is  deep 
enough  for  large  ves- 
sels, the  river  being  25 
feet  in  depth  for  three 
miles,  but  there  arc 
only  18  feet  of  water 
at  the  entrance. 

San  Domingo  City, 
the  oldest  existing  set- 
tlement by  white  men 
in  the  New  World,  was 
founded  by  Barthol- 
o  m  e  w  Columbus,  in 
1494,  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Ozama.  In 
1502  it  was  destroyed 
by  a  hurricane,  when 
it  was  transferred  to 
its  present  site.  The 
walls  were  built  in 
1506.  The  city  is  the 
seat  of  a  university, 
and  of  an  archbishop, 
whose  cathedral  is  the 
finest  building  in  the 
town.  Christopher 
Columbus  was  buried 
here,  but  whether  his 
remains  were  removed 
to  Havana  in  17'J5  is  a 
disputed  point. 


MEXICO,    CENTRAL    AMERICA    AND    THE    "WEST    INDIES. 


637 


,.  -a.:!-     tSS'K 


VIEW  OF  CAPE  HATTIEN,  TAKEN   FKOU  THE  HEIUBT3  OF  UAECHEGALLE. 


Tbe  Great  Water  Cave  near  San  Domingo 
City. 
Among  the  relics  and  curiosities  of  the  vicin- 
ity of  San  Domingo  City  are  the  Columbus 
Si«5iig  and  the  Great  Water  Cave.  The  for- 
mer is  situated  half  a  mile  above  the  city,  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Ozama  Eiver.  It  is  the 
only  jiure  s»ring  in  that  neighborhood,  and 
the  captains  of  vessels  touching  at  the  city 
send  their   small -boats,   with  a   quantity   of 


barrels,  to  obtain  a  supply  of  drinking-water 
for  their  next  trip. 

The  ' '  AV ater  Cave  "  is  three  miles  east  of 
the  city,  and  is  nearly  200  feet  in  length.  The 
view  from  the  entrance  is  very  grand.  Beau- 
tiful specimens  of  stalactite  and  stalagmite 
formations  are  seen  attached  to  the  rocks, 
while  at  the  mouth  are  strong  vines  of  a  single 
stem,  which  have  insinuated  themselves  through 
the  crevices  in  the  dome,  and  grown  until  they 


reached  the  ground,  when  they  have  taken 
root,  forming  a  network,  through  which  our 
artist  forced  his  way  to  the  miniature  lake. 
This  sheet  of  water  is  oval  in  shape,  and 
about  100  yards  across.  Descending  into  the 
cave,  he,  with  an  exploring  party,  passed  the 
lake  by  swimming,  and  reached  a  sloping, 
shrub-covered  hill,  eightj'  or  ninety  feet  high, 
which  forms  the  wall  of  the  cave.  The  scene 
was  picturesque  in  the  extreme. 


NATIONAL  BANK  OF  HAVTI   AT  rORT-Ar-rRINCE. 


033 


THE    WORLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONa 


O 
O 


O 


Kl 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL     AND     HISTORICAL     SUMMARY. 

ABOUND  RIO  DE  JANEIKO— SANTA  CATHAKINA,  BRAZIL— THE  PAL3I  GaOVE  IX  THE  BOTANICAL  GAEDES  AT  RIO  DE  JAXEIKO— POKTO  ALEOEE— CALLAO 

—The  Gokge  of  the  Tunkixi,  Peku— View  of  the  City  of  Lima,  the  Capital  of  Peru— Cuzco — Boatixo  on  Lake  Titicaca,  Peru- 
British  GUIANA— Some  Facts  about  Chili— The  Statue  op  Bolivar  in  Bogota-Views  i:f  Caraoa3.  Venezuela— Buryinq-placs  of 
Indians  at  Atubes— Buenos  Ayres— Patagonia  and  Tierra  del  Fueoo— the  Strait  o?  IIaoellan. 


fJ^HE   South   Americfin   peuinsuln,   contains 
I     within  its  limits  the   following   separate 

■*-  governments  :  One  empire  (Brazil)  ;  eight 
in<Jependent  republics  (Venezuela,  Ecuador, 
Peru,  Chili,  Bolivia,  Buenos  Aj-res,  Uruguay, 
and  Paraguay)  ;  two  federal  republics  (the 
United  States  of  Colombia  and  the  Argentine 
Confederation);  three  colonial  settlements 
(British,  French  and  Dutch  Guiana) ;  one  dis- 
puted territory  (Patagonia) ;  and  the  Island  of 
Tierra  del  Fuego. 

South  America  extends  a  distance  of  d,550 
miles  north  and  south,  and  contains  au  area  of 
7,260,935  square  miles;  its  shores  arc  washed 
by  the  two  great  oceans,  Atlantic  and  Pacific, 
and  (hi'ee  of  the  world's  greatest  rivers  pene- 
trate its  interior.  These  are  the  Orinoco,  the 
Amazon,  and  the  Eio  de  la  Plata,  the  latter 
formed  by  the  union  of  the  Parana  and  Uru- 
guay. The  territory  drained  by  these  rivers 
is  immense.  With  their  vaiious  tributaries 
they  irrigate  the  entire  section  from  Vene- 
zuela to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  from  the  Andes 
Mountains  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  into  .which 
they  flow.  The  river  system  on  the  Pacific 
coast  is  insignificant.  The  narrow  strip  of 
land  between  the  Andes  and  the  Pacifio  Ocean 
varies  in  ^^■idth  from  50  to  100  miles,  and  the 
great  chain  of  jrountaius  traversing  the 
peninsula,  from  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to 
the  southernmost  i)oint  of  Chili,  forr.is  a  seri- 
ous barrier  to  communication  between  the 
east  and  west  coasts. 

The  starting-point  of  the  primitive  civiliz- 
ation of  South  America  was  the  tableland  of 
Bolivia,  whence  came  the  Inea  rulers  of  Peru 
and  Ecuador.  Only  there  and  in  Colombia 
did  the  invading  Spaniard  find  native  races 
which  had  made  any  progress.  All  the  tribes 
along  the  eastern  and  northeastern  coasts 
were   sunk    in   the    deepest  barbarism.     The 

country  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Span- 
iards and  Portuguese  with  scarcely  a  struggle, 
and  the  former  retained  their  vast  possessions 
until  the  early  part  of  the  present  century, 
when  colony  after  colony  revolted,  and  all, 
after  a  series  of  sanguinary  engagements, 
succeeded    in    winning    their    independence. 


Paraguay  was  the  first  to  achieve  its  freedom, 
in  1811;  then  followed  Buenos  Ayres,  1812; 
Chili,  1817;  New  Granada  (now  the  United 
States  of  Colombia),  1819:  Ecuador,  1820; 
Brazil,  1822  (from  Portugal)  ;  Venezuela, 
1823 ;  Bolivia,  1825 ;  Peru,  1826,  and  Uru- 
guay, 1823.  Thus,  in  the  course  of  seven- 
teen years  Spain  lost  all  of  her  rich  possessions 
in  South  America  which  she  had  held  for 
nearly  three  centuries. 

In  this  same  period,  too,  Mexico  and  the 
Central  American  States  revolted  from  S^jain, 
and  the  territory  of  Florida  and  Louisiana 
also  became  alienated  from  Spain  ;  so  that  in 
the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century 
Spanish  domination  in  the  Hew  World  was  re- 
duced entirely  to  the  Island  of  Cuba  and  a  few 
smaller  islands  iu  the  West  Indies. 

The  Emi^ire  of  Brazil  is  the  largest  State 
in  South  America.  It  contains  an  area  of 
3,217,045  square  miles.  Its  poijulation  is 
estimated  to  bo  about  11,100,000.  Its  greatest 
breadth  is  2,000  miles,  and  it  has  a  coast-line 
of  more  than  4,000  miles.  Its  largest  river, 
the  Amazon,  is  one  of  the  great  rivers  of  the 
world.  With  its  tributaries  it  drains  an  area 
of  2,330,000  square  miles.  At  its  nioath  it  is 
180  miles  in  width  ;  its  average  depth  is  from 
211  to  204  feet;  at  its  mouth  it  is  513  feet 
deep,  and  r.t  one  point  it  has  a  depth  of  1,520 
feet.  Rising  in  the  great  divide  iu  the  Andes 
Mountains  iu  Peru,  within  a  distance  of  60 
miles  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  its  total  length 
to  its  mouth  in  the  Gulf  of  Para,  in  the  Atlan- 
tic, is  about  4,000  miles,  and  with  its  tribu- 
taries it  affords  navigation  of  not  less  than 
30,000  mflos  within  Brazilian  territory,  and 
about  50,000  miles  in  all.  From  its  source  to 
Tabatinga,  on  the  border  line  between  Ecu- 
ador, Peru  and  Brazil,  it  is  called  Marauon  ; 
thence,  Solimoens  Kiver  to  its  junction  with 
the  Kio  Negro ;  thence,  Amazon  to  the  At- 
lantic. 

Brazil  was  discovered  in  iSOO,  by  Pedro 
Alvares  Cabral,  who  was  sent  out  by  the  King 
of  Portugal.  Vespucci  afterward  visited  It, 
and  in  1549,  John  III.  of  Portugal  apjiointed 
a  governor  for  the  new  territory,  who  founded 


the  City  of  Eio  de  Janeiro.  In  1815  Brazil 
was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  kingdom,  and  in 
1821  the  King  returned  to  Portugal,  leaving 
his  son  Dom  Pedro  as  regent.  A  revolution 
ensued,  and  in  1822  Brazil  was  proclaimed  an 
independent  empire,  and  Pedro  was  cro«Tiod 
as  its  Emperor.  By  the  death  of  his  father, 
John  VI.,  in  1820,  he  became  King  of  Portu- 
gal, as  well  as  Emperor  of  Brazil,  but  he  re- 
signed the  former  in  favor  of  his  infant 
daughter,  Maria  do  Gloria.  In  1820  he  abdi- 
cated the  throne  of  Brazil  in  favor  of  his  son, 
then  six  years  old.  This  son,  Dom  Pedro  II., 
the  present  Emperor,  has  enjoyed  a  long  and 
prosperous  reign. 

The  official  religion  of  Brazil,  lika  all  the 
South  American  States,  is  Ilomaii  Catholic, 
and  while  Protestants  are  debarred  from  be- 
ing elected  deputies  to  the  Legislative  Assazm- 
bly,  all  religious  beliefs  are  tolerated. 

The  next  largest  State  is  the  Eepublic  of 
Bolivia  —  077,280  square  miles  are.i.  This 
country  was  named  after  Simon  Bolivar,  to 
whom  it  and  other  States  owed  their  inde- 
pendence. The  executive  power  is  ■  iu  tho 
hands  of  a  President  elected  for  four  years, 
and  legislative  functions  are  exercised  by  a 
Senate  and  House  of  Kepresentatives,  elected 
by  universal  suffrage.  Oruro  is  the  seat  of 
government. 

Next  comes  the  Argentine  Confederation, 
000,000  square  miles.  Until  1770  this  part  of 
South  America  was  attached  to  the  Vicero3-alty 
of  Peru,  but  in  that  year  it  and  Paraguay, 
Uruguay  and  Bolivia  became  ^the  Viceroyalty 
of  Buenos  Ayres.  In  1831,  after  the  close  of 
a  w'ar  with  Brazil,  the  Argentine  Provinces 
formed  a  Confederation,  but  till  1852,  when 
General  Kosas  was  deposed,  there  was  no 
session  of  the  National  Congress.  Buenos 
Ayres  forms  a  part  of  the  Confederation, 
though  for  a  time,  after  1852,  it  had  seceded. 
The  President  is  elected  for  six  years.  The 
Senate  is  comjiosed  of  twenty-eight  members, 
and  the  House  of  Deputies  of  fifty-four  mem- 
bers. The  Governors  of  the  Provinces  are 
elected  for  three  years.  The  City  of  Buenos 
Ayres  is  the  capital. 

039 


C40 


THE  WOELD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


c^r 


il; 


■xn 


ih 


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w  }: 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


m. 


PALM  GROVB  IN  THE  BOTANICAL  GARDEN',  RIO   DE  JANEIRO, 


differing  only  in  Email  details.     The  capital  is 
Caracas,  and  the  population  1,784,194. 

Ecuador  has  an  area  of  248,380  square 
miles,  and  of  its  1,783,000  population  but  a 
small  portion  is  of  pure  white  blood,  the  great 
majority  being  descendants  of  the  original  in- 
habitants. Theoretically  the  government  is 
republican,  with  a  President,  two  Vice  -  presi- 
dents, a  Senate  and  Chamber  of  Deputies. 
But,  practically,  the  country  is  ruled  by  the 
strongest  military  chieftain. 

Chili  is  the  strongest  of  all  the  South 
American  republics,  though  its  area  is  among 
the  smallest,  being  only  123,089  square  miles. 
The  present  constitution  was  adopted  in  1833. 
The  President  is  elected  for  four  years,  the 
members  of  the  Senate  for  nine,  and  the  Depu- 
ties— one  for  each  20,000  of  population — for 
three  years.  The  population  is  2,074,827. 
Chili  claims  all  that  part  of  Patagonia  lying 
west  of  the  Andes  Mountains.  This  addi- 
tional territory  contains  95,286  square  miles 
and  258,741  population. 

From  the  time  of  the  adoption  of  the  Con- 
stitution the  country  has  enjoyed  prosperity, 
and  its  funds  stand  high  in  the  markets  of 
the  world.  A  dispute  with  Bolivia  regarding 
the  boundary-line  led  to  a  war,  in  which  the 
Chilians  were  successful,  though  Peru  had 
joined  Bolivia. 

Uruguay,  63,000  square  miles,  and  Para- 
guay, 70,000  square  miles,  are  both  small  and 
insignificant.  Uruguay  is  the  more  import- 
ant of  the  two,  and  its  seaport  capital,  Monte- 
video, is  a  beautiful  and  prosperous  city. 
Both  these  States,  though  theoretically  repub- 
lics, are  practically  ruled  by  dictators. 

Throughout  all  South  America  minerals  are 
abundant.  The  gold  and  silver  mines  of  Peru 
and  Ecuador  are  historical.  Valuable  dia- 
monds are  found  in  Brazil.  The  baser  metals 
— iron,  copi^er,  lead,  etc. — are  found  in  abund- 
ance, and  coal  and  salt  mines  arc  numerous. 
Coffee  is  one  of  the  richest  stajiles  of  Brazil 
and  Venezuela,  and  in  the  immense  forests  of 
the  Andes  medicinal  trees  and  vegetables 
abound.  The  cinchona -tree,  copaiba,  sarsa- 
parilla,  ipecacuanha,  India  -  rubber  and  copal 
are  but  a  few  of  the  valuable  commodities 
found  there.     Eosewood  and  mahogany  grow 


The  United  States  of  Colombia  and  the  Ee- 
fpublic  of  Peru  are  both  of  the  same  size — 
J')00,000  square  miles.  The  former  (once 
knoT\-n  as  New  Granada)  is  one  of  the  most 
}irogressive  of  the  South  American  republics. 
It  is  composed  of  nine  federated  States.  The 
President  is  elected  for  two  years.  The  Sen- 
ate consists  of  three  members  from  each  of  the 
States,  and  the  House  of  Delegates,  one  mem- 
ber for  every  50,000  inhabitants.  Each  State 
has  its  own  Legislature  and  executive  officer. 
Peru  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  Spanish  col- 
onies in  America.  Its  present  Constitution 
was  proclaimed  August  31st,  1867.  There  is 
a  President  and  Vice-president,  and  a  Legis- 
lature composed  of  a  Senate  and  House  of 
Jlepresentatives. 

The  Eepublic  of  Venezuela  ranks   next  in 
-size— 403,270  square  miles.     It  has  the  same 
'form  of  government  as  the   other  repubhos, 
41 


VIEW  OF  UENINU  DEOS,  FOBTO  ALEOKE,  BRAZIL. 


6d2 


THE    WOKLD'S    GEEA.T    NATIONS. 


VIEW  OP  THE  CITY  OF  CALLAO,  PERU,  FROM  THE  MOLE. 


in  profusion,  while  the  treeless  plains  of  tlio 
Argeutiue  Kepiiblic  furnish  pasturage  for  cutl- 
loss  herds  of  cattle,  whose  hides  and  carcasses 
are  exported  iu  great  quantities. 

On  the  islands  of  the  Chilian  and  Peruvian 
coasts  are  immense  quantities  of  guano,  and 
tlie  nitrate-of-soda  beds  on  tha  mainland  are 
extremely  valuable. 

The  land  offers  every  inducement  for  enter- 
prise, but  it  is  rarely  found  among  the  natives. 


Sugarloaf  Mountain  presents  an  almost  per- 
pendicular granite  wall,  rising  1,200  feet  above 
the  water.  Passing  these,  we  are  fairly  within 
a  landlocked  bay  some  twenty  miles  long  and 
fifteen  broad,  in  which  all  the  navies  of  the 
world  might  ride  at  anchor,  and  we  begin  to 
catch  a  view  of  the  still-distant  city  and  its 
shining  suburbs,  lying  along  the  minor  reaches 
which  indent  the  shores  of  the  great  bay,  all 
embowered  amidst  the  richest  tropical  vegeta- 
tion. 
The  loveliest  of  these  smaller  bays,  which 


fringe  around  the  great  bay,  is  that  of  Botn.- 
fogo,  lined  throughout  its  whole  circuit  by 
handsome  villas,  and  overtopped  by  the  seem- 
ingly inaccessible  peak  of  the  Corcovado, 
which  shoots  up  to  an  altitude  of  2,400  feet 
above  the  water.  Beyond  are  the  Gavia  and 
other  picturesquely  shaped  summits  ;  and  still 
further  on,  at  the  head  of  the  great  bay,  is  a 
long  chain  of  highlands,  having  an  average 
height  of  4,000  feet,  over  which  the  wonderful 
peaks  of  the  Organ  Mountains  are  seen,  tow- 
ering to  a  height  of  some  8,000  feet. 

Had  I  not  been  told  otherwise,  I  should 
never  have  dreamed  that  human  foot  could 
ever  plant  itself  upon  the  obelisk  -  looking- 
summit  of  the  Corcovado.  But  I  knew,  from 
what  I  had  read,  that  upon  the  other  side  the- 
slope  for  most  of  the  way  was  quite  gentle  ;  and 
before  many  days  I  formed  one  of  a  party  to 
make  the  ascent.  A  tramway,  operated  by  mules, 
carried  us  to  the  lovely  suburb  rightly  named 
Laranjeiras,  "The  Orange-groves."  Then  a 
carriage  took  us  in  an  hour  to  the  base  of  tho 
Corcovado,  up  the  side  of  which,  although  we 
might  have  ridden  most  of  the  way,  we  re- 
solved to  go  on  foot.  The  path  led  by  a  gen- 
tle incline  through  a  shady  forest,  with  herfr 
and  there  an  open  sjiace,  whence  we  could 
look  down  upon  the  city  and  its  suburbs  and 
the  blue  waters  of  the  harbor.  As  we  neared 
the  summit  the  ascent  became  quite  steep. 
The  vegetation  almost  disappeared,  for  only 
here  and  there  was  the  bare  rock  covered  with 
a  thin  layer  of  soil,  into  which  a  shrub  could 
thrust  its  roots.  The  steep  way  now  led  along 
a  narrow  ridge,  which  forms  the  sole  way  of 
reaching  the  topmost  point. 

The  summit  consists  of  an  irregular  plat- 
form of  bare  rock,  bounded  by  almost  perpen- 
dicular precipices  at  every  point  except  the 
narrow  ledge  up  and  along  which  we  had  been 


Around  Kio  de  Janeiro. 

The  Bay  of  Naples,  the  "Golden  Horn" 
of  Constantinople,  the  Bay  of  New  York,  and 
the  Harbor  of  Kio  Janeiro,  may  fairly  dispute 
with  each  other  the  pre-eminence  for  pictur- 
esque beauty.  The  traveler  who  has  seen  them 
all  will  most  likely  accord  the  palm  to  the  one 
Tipon  which  he  haj^pens  at  the  moment  to  be 
looking.  At  least  so  I  thought  when  I  was  sail- 
ing up  the  approach  to  the  harbor  of  Rio,  and 
still  more  so  when  I  came  to  look  down  upon  it 
from  the  lofty  summit  of  the  Corcovado.  Rio  de 
Janeiro  (the  "  lUver  of  January")  was  so 
called  by  the  Spanish  navigator,  Juan  Diaz  de 
Soils,  who,  on  January  1st,  1515,  entered  the 
mouth  of  the  bay,  which  he  thought  to  be  a 
great  river.  The  name  was  subsequently 
given  to  the  great  city,  the  largest  in  South 
America,  with  a  population  of  nearly  300,000, 
which  has  grown  up  upon  its  shores. 

The  entrance  to  the  harbor  is  simply  mag- 
nificent. It  IS  guarded  by  two  conical  granite 
Islands,  Pai  and  Mai,  the  deep  passage  be- 
tween them  being  so  narrow  that,  as  we  steam 
through  it,  we  can  plainly  see  the  cactus  cling- 
ing to  the  steep  cliffs  on  either  hand.  A  little 
further  on,  upon  the  right,  rises,  crowned  with 
a  fort,  the  rocky  point  of  Santa  Cruz,  against 
whose  base  beats  evermore  the  long  swell  of 
the  broad  Atlantic,  while  upon  the  left  the 


TIEW  OF  THE  CITf  OF  CALLAO  FROM  THE  SEA, 


SOUTH   AMERICA. 


643 


THE    GORGE   OF  THE   TDNKINI.  PEETJ. 


644 


THE    WOKLD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


riEW   OF   THE   t;lTY   01-'   LIMA,  PEKU. 


toilsomely  climbing.  So  perilous  was  the 
position,  that  a  strong  wall  has  been  built  by 
the  Government  in  order  to  protect  visitors 
from  tumbling  down  the  precijiice.  Upon 
this  we  could  lean  in  safety  and  take  in  the 
varied  and  magnificent  view  far  below  us  on 
every  side.  Below  us  on  one  side  was  the 
city,  which  seemed  to  be  sleeping  at  our  very 
feet. 

The  whole  extent  of  the  magnificent  harbor 
lay  iu  frout  of  us,  indented  with  beautiful 
coves,  chief  among  which  was  the  lovely  Bota- 
fogo,  and  one  well  -  named  by  the  Indians 
Nktheroy  ("The  Hidden  Water").  On  the 
other  side  was  a  forest  so  dense  that  one  might 
fancy  it  had  never  been  invaded  by 
man.  Turning  a  little  to  one  side, 
we  could  look  straight  down  upon 
the  great  Botanical  Garden,  M'hose 
famous  palm  -  trees  were  dwarfed  to 
shrubs  iu  the  distance. 

Looking  seaward,  wo  could  trace 
the  outlines  of  the  narrow  gateway 
to  the  broad  Atlantic,  where  a  black 
cloud  of  smoke,  growing  momently 
more  and  more  distant,  told  that  some 
great  occau  steamer  was  pointing  its 
prow  across  the  waste  of  waters,  a 
moving  link  in  the  mighty  chain  which 
binds  together  in  peaceful  bonds  the 
Old  World  and  the  New.  Turning 
our  backs  to  the  ocean,  and  looking 
toward  the  head  of  the  bay,  we  saw 
the  gleaming  summits  of  the  Organ 
llouutains  rising  far  above  the  purple 
shades  of  the  intervening  lower  range. 
Since  thou  I  have  seen  a  sunrise  from 
the  top  of  Etna  —  perhaps  the  most 
magnificent  spectacle  given  to  mortal 
eyes ;  but  it  is  of  brief  continuance  : 
in  half  an  hour  all  is  over,  and  one's 
first  thought  is  to  escajie  the  freezing 
cold  and  the  sulphurous  vapors  by 
making  the  best  of  his  way  down 
that  enormous  ash-heap.  But  I  could 
gladly  have  passed  the  long  Summer 


day  iu  feasting  my  eyes  upon  the  varied 
panorama  spread  out  from  the  summit  of  the 
Corcovado. 


The  Palm  Grove  in  the  Botanical  Garden 

at  Eio  de  Janeiro, 
Mme.  Agassiz,  in  her  "Travels  in  Brazil,"- 
sketches  this  beautiful  alley  of  palm-trees. 
She  says  :  "  The  Botanical  Garden  is  situated 
about  eight  miles  from  the  centre  of  the  city. 
It  is  a  splendid  affair,  and  the  site  admirably 
chosen.  Indeed,  can  anything  bearing  the 
name  of  garden  fail  to  be  perfectly  beautiful 
in  a  climate  where  vegetation  is  so  vigorous 
and  so  varied  ?  This  ouq,  unfortunately,  is  ill- 
kept.  In  fact,  the  rapidity  and  strength  with 
which  plants  grow  here  render  it  difficult  to 
keep  the  ground  iu  that  trim  state  which  to 
our  eye  is  so  essential.  But  what  gives  this 
garden  a  character  perhaps  unique  in  the 
world,  is  its  long  and  fairy  avenue  of  palm- 
trees,  with  trunks  more  than  eighty  feet  high. 
I  cannot  attempt  to  give  in  words  even  a  faint 
idea  of  the  architectural  beauty  of  this  colon- 
nade of  palm-trees,  whose  green  capitals  meet 
in  a  vault.  Straight,  smooth,  polished  like 
granite  pillars,  they  recall  to  mind  the  fan- 
tastic vision  of  the  endless  colonnades  of  som« 
old  Egyptian  temple." 


Santa  Oatharina,  Brazil. 

The  town  of  Santa  Cathariua,  iu  Southern 
Brazil,  and  the  capital  of  the  Province  of  the 
same  name,  is  situated  on  the  inner  side  of  the 
Island  of  Santa  Catharina  (Nossa  Senbora  de 
Desterro),  facing  the  mainland,  stretching 
irregularly  along  the  coast,  terminating  to  the 
north  in  its  Santa  Praia  de  Fora,  a  little  water- 
ing-place, where  many  residences  testifj'  to 
both  the  taste  and  wealth  of  the  inhabitants. 


Porto  Alegre. 

The  town  of  Porto  Alegre  is  in  Southern 
Brazil,  the  capital  of  the  Province  of  Rio  Grande 
del  Sul.  It  is  at  the  north  eud  of  the  Lago  de 
Los  Patos.  The  lake  near  its  head  narrows 
rapidly,  and  its  shores  are  dotted  here  and 
there  with  bright  looking  villages.  Porto 
Alegre  is  a  thriving  town  of  about  40,000 
poi^ulation,  half  of  which  are  German,  or  of 
German  origin.  The  town  is  well  built,  front- 
ing the  lakes,  with  several  handsome  churches, 
good  hotels,  an  imposing  town-hall  and  presi- 
dential palace,  an  excellent  club  belonging  to 


VIEW   OF   CUZCO,  PEKP. 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


645 


64€ 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


ihe  city  merchants,  and  its  miniature  water- 
ing-place, reached  by  mule-cars,  rejoicing  in 
the  euphonious  name  o£  "Jlenino  Deos"or 
the  Infant  God.  The  most  thriving  colony  of 
the  Province,  S.  Leopoklo,  is  altogether  Ger- 
man, numbers  about  20,000  souls,  and  is 
about  fifty  miles  up  country  from  Porto  Ale- 
gre,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  an  English 
narrow-gauge  railway. 

The  country  is  alternately  hilly  and  prairie- 
like, well  wooded,  with  unlimited  good  pas- 
turage, and  well  watered  by  the  Eios  C:ihy, 
Caoequy,  Taquary,  Pardo,  and  their  tribu- 
taries, some  of  which  are  traversed  for  con- 
siderable distances  by  small,  light -draught 
steamers. 

Small  game,  such  as  wild  duck,  pheasant, 
snipe  and  woodcock  abound  almost  to  within 
the  city  boundaries,  whilst  pacas,  eotias,  and 
oncaa,  or  Brazilian  jaguars,  are  sufficiently 
plentiful  to  satisfy  the  more  ambitious  sports- 
men. 

All  Northern  cereals  would  grow  in  this 
favored  region,  but,  strange  to  say,  no  wheat 
is  produced  all  flour  coming  from  the  neigh- 
boring States  of  Uruguay  and  the  Argentine 
Republic,  with  some  from  the  United  States, 
but  necessarily  at  great  expense  in  freight. 
Horses  are  so  cheap  that  strangers,  when  hir- 
ing to  ride  long  distances,  are  required  to  de- 
posit the  value  of  saddle  and  bridle  only.  An 
excellent  animal  can  be  bought  for  about  $15. 
In  the  streets  of  Porto  Alegre  we  saw  an 
actual  "beggar  on  horseback,"  plying  his 
vocation,  and  he  was  not  looked  upon  as  a 


phenomenon.  Beef  and  mutton  are  so  cheap 
that  they  are  sold  at  retail  by  the  great  piece, 
and  never  weighed ;  the  buyer  indicating  what 
cut  he  wants,  and  receiving  a  huge  chunk  for 
a  very  trifling  cost.  Reduced  to  Northern 
precision  of  weight,  beef  is  worth  about  three 
cents  jier  pound,  and  one  can  easily  buy  an 
entire  leg  of  mutton  for  eighteen  cents  all 
told! 


Callao. 

The  City  of  Callao,  Peru,  is  one  of  the 
most  important  seaport  towns  of  that  repub- 
lic. It  is  the  port  of  Lima,  the  capital,  with 
which  it  is  connected  by  six  miles  of  railroad. 
Its  anchorage,  partly  sheltered  by  two  islands, 
has  been  further  improved  by  harbor  walls, 
flca'ing  and  wet  docks,  and  a  good  mole.  It 
has  gas-works,  sugar-refineries,  machine-shops, 
steam-craues  for  loading  and  unloading  ships, 
is  well  fortified,  and  exports  much  guano, 
sugar,  and  wool. 

The  present  city  dates  only  from  1746,  when 
the  original  city  was  submerged  by  an  earth- 
quake. Daring  the  war  with  Chili,  Callao  was 
bombarded  and  taken  by  the  Chilian  fleet.  The 
present  population  Is  about  35,000. 


The  Gorge  of  the  Tunkini,  Peru. 

Beyond   the   rapids   of   Tunkini    the    river 

grows  narrow,  and  flows  between  two  dikes  of 

basalt.     The  summits  of  these  formations  are 

thickly  covered  with  veget.atiou,  which  extend- 


ing and  intertwining  from  one  to  the  other, 
has  formed,  at  an  elevation  of  thirty  feet,  a 
dome  of  verdure  impenetrable  to  the  sun's 
rays. 

The  gorge  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
length  and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  terminated  in  a 
luminous  point  like  a  distant  star.  The  w.alls 
were  indented  with  vertical  channels  which 
served  as  the  beds  of  streamlets  formed  on 
the  heights,  which  fell  into  the  river  with  a 
gentle  trickling. 

In  the  irregular  spaces  between  the  channels 
there  was  sometimes  a  compact  group  of  col- 
umns, and  anon  a  solitary  column.  The  in- 
cessant dripping  of  the  foliage,  the  drops  of 
rain,  and  the  tears  of  the  dew,  during  innu- 
merable centuries,  had  hollowed  out  and  en- 
graved the  basalt,  and  produced  the  most 
charming  freaks  of  architecture,  the  most  fan- 
tastic arabesques,  the  most  delicious  designs 
for  ornamentation,  that  the  imagination  could 
ever  conceive,  or  the  chisel  execute. 

The  river,  furious  on  account  of  its  captivity 
between  these  two  walls  of  basalt,  but  concen- 
trating its  fury  in  the  depths  -><"  its  bed,  rum- 
bled heavily,  so  that  the  bottom  of  our  boats 
shooK  beneath  oxn  feet.  Our  sensations  were 
as  much  those  of  fear  as  of  enthusiasm ;  they 
were  like  those  fits  of  hysterics  in  which 
laughter  is  mingled  with  tears. 

Soon  the  rapiil  current  redoubled  its  swift- 
ness, the  parallel  sculptures  on  the  two  walls 
seemed  to  mingl.\  The  brilliant  point,  which 
served  us  for  a  lighthouse,  and  toward  which 
our  eyes  were  strained,  grew  larger  and  larger. 


SOUTH  AUERICAN  INDIANS,  aEOROETOWN,  BKITtSH  GCIANA. 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


3*T 


aud  became  an  open  portico  upon  the  chasm. 
With  the  swiftness  of  an  arrow  our  boat  rushed 
out  of  the  darkness  of  the  gorge,  and  passed 
the  Piinea,  the  gate  of  Tunkini — a  recess  be- 
tween two  hills,  and  launched  suddenly  into 
an  immense  space  inundated  with  air  and  with 
sunshine.  The  Cordilleras  remained  for  ever 
behind  us,  and  we   entered   the   lowlands   of 

South  America. 

^  »»■  »■ • 

Yiew  of  the  City  of  Lima,  the  Capital  of 

Peru, 
The  ancient  City  of  the  Kings,  founded  by 
the  heroic  Francisco  Pizurro,  on  the  Epiphany 
of  1535,  is  situated  in  the  delightful  valley  of 
the  Kimac,  at  the  foot  of  lofty  granite  hills,  at 
a  distance  of  eight  kilometers  from  Callao, 
which  is  a  busy  aud  active  seaport.  Lima  is 
one  of  the  most  handsome  cities  in  South  Ame- 
rica, both  in  the  perfect  arrangement  of  its 
tree-lined  streets  and  the  charming  if  hizarrc 
architecture  of  its  houses.  The  houses  are  for 
the  most  part  those  which  were  built  at  the 
Spanish  conquest,  aud  are  as  perfect  to-day 
as  when  the  daring  Pizarro  disputed  with 
Rolla  for  the  sovereignty  of  Peru.  Its  popu- 
lation, according  to  the  most  recent  statistics, 
numbers  110,000  inhabitants,  while  the  float- 
ing population  is  calculated  at  25,000.  The 
climate  is  temperate,  and  the  most  vivid  and 


aONUMENT  TO  GENERAL  o'HIGaiNS,  SANTIAGO,  CHILU 

wondrous  flowers  bloom  all  the  year  round  in 

the  magnificent  gardens  attached  to  the  superb 

mansions. 

■»«•«» — 

Uuzco. 

Cnzco  is  the  capital  of  a  department  in 
Peru,  and  was  formerly  the  capital  of  the  Ineas. 
It  is  200  miles  north  of  Arequipa,  though  by 
railway,  owing  to  the  circuitous  route  neces- 
sarj'  to  surmount  the  heights,  the  distance  is 
4C2  miles.  The  city  is  11,380  feet  above  the 
sea.  It  has  manufactories  of  cotton  and 
woolen  stuffs,  leather,  embroidery,  etc.  Its 
Cathedral  and  Augustine  Convent  are  among 
the  finest  ecclesiastical  edifices  in  South  Ame- 
rica. There  are  also  a  mint,  several  hospi- 
tals, collegiate  schools,  and  a  university.  It 
is  also  a  bishop's  see.  Its  Dominican  Con- 
vent occupies  the  site  of  a  famous  Peruvian 
Temple  of  the  Sun,  and  many  massive  speci- 
mens of  ancient  Peruvian  architecture  are  ex- 
tant in  and  around  the  city.  On  its  north 
side  are  remains  of  a  vast  fortress  of  a  Cyclo- 
pean kind,  and  traces  remain  of  a  magnificent 
road  extending  thence  to  Lima,  350  miles  dis- 
tant. 

Cuzco  is  the  most  ancient  of  the  Peruvian 
cities,  having  been  founded,  according  to  tra- 
dition, by  Manco-Capac  in  1013.  He  was  the 
first  Inca  of  Peru.     In  1534  it  was  taken  by 


I  Pizarro,  who  was  surprised  at  the  grandeur 
and  magnificence  it  exhibited.  Its  streets 
were  then  large  wide,  and  straight,  and  its 
churches,  palaces  and  temples — the  latter  in- 
cluding the  famous  Temple  of  the  Sun — were 
richly  adorned  with  ornaments  of  gold  and 
silver.  While  still  in  possession  of  Pizarro, 
it  was  besieged  by  the  Peraviaus,  and  a  great 
part  of  it  destroyed. 

The  present  ijopulation  is  about  50,000. 


Boating  on  Lake  Titicaca,  Peru, 
To  THOSE  marine  sybarites  whose  yachts  are 
floating  clubs  or  boudoirs,  with  not  only  every 
comfort,  but  every  luxury,  at  hand,  boating 
on  Lake  Titicaca  must  indeed  savor  of  ' '  the 
rude  and  real."  This  large  and  elevated  lake 
is  situated  partly  in  Bolivia  and  partly  in 
Peru,  in  the  valley  of  the  Desaguadero,  up- 
wards of  twelve  thousand  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  From  recent  but  incomplete  sur- 
veys, it  is  estimated  to  be  about  100  miles 
long  and  35  miles  broad.  Scattered  over  its 
surface  are  many  small  islands,  cDntaining  the 
remarkable  ruins  of  Tiaguauaco.  These  indi- 
cate a  higher  order  of  art  than  any  known  at  the 
time  of  the  Spanish  conquest,  and  a  higher 
civilization  than  the  aboriginal  monuments  at 
Palenqne.     Since   1871,  two   small   steamers, 


Gi8 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS 


earned  in  pieces  across  the  Andes,  have  been 
launched  on  the  lake.  A  railroad,  extending 
about  220  miles  across  the  Andes,  from  Are- 
quipa  to  Puno,  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
lalcc-,  has  been  completed  at  a  cost  of 
$32,000,000. 

A  recent  traveler  describes  his  experiences 
on  the  lake:  "I 
■was  extremely  de- 
sirous of  Tisitmg 
Titicaca,  and  ac- 
cordingly staried 
from  De  Heraqui, 
via  Tiahuar  -o.  I 
arrived  toTvard 
evening  a  V'ahi,  a 
little  village  situ- 
ated at  the  base 
of  a  promontory 
f  th=  same  ^'ame. 
A  bual,  construct- 
ed of  r  u  s  n  e  s , 
which,  upon  ar- 
rival, I  'lad  seen 
drawn  up  on  the 
beach,  instilled 
mc  with  the  idea 
\>f  visiting  by 
water  the  islands 
which  compose 
the  Isthmus  of 
I'ahi. 

"This  boat  was 
sis  meters  long, 
formed  of  great 
rolls  of  rushes 
sewn  together,  and 
placed  one  upon 
the  other.  Two 
poles,  fastened 
from  starboard  to 
larboard,  and 
joined  together  at 
the  top,  formed 
the  mast.  A  mat, 
bent  and  placed 
crosswise,  consti- 
tuted the  sail.  A 
»tay  sustained  this 
structure,  and  hal- 
liards served  to 
manoeuvre  it. 

"When  the 
rowers,  furnished 
with  a  long  pole, 
which  served  as 
a  rudder,  were 
seated  at  the  two 
ends  of  the  boat, 
there  was  nothing 
for  it  but  to  place 
myself,  in  the 
middle  with  Li- 
buato.  The  old 
nursery  rhyme, 

'  Here  we  go  up,  up,  up,  and  here  we  go  down, 
down,  downy  '  insensiblj'  recurred  to  me,  as, 
clinging  with  a  desperate  tenacity  to  the  rush- 
constructed  seat,  I  was  fluug  liigh  into  the  air, 
to  descend  '  full  fathoms  five  '  into  the  trough 
of  the  sea.  I  use  the  word  advisedly,  as  the 
■water  w  BaUn9,  and  rolls  in  vast,  ocean-like 


billows  flecked  -with  blinding  spray.     Every  ,  Island   of  Surica,  a  strango  amphitheatre  of 
moment  I  expected  to  find  the  boat  filling  and 
settling  down. 

"  I  shall  never  forget  my  sail  in  that  barren 
region.  Kock  everywhere,  not  a  patch  of 
vegetation  visible — not  a  tree,  not  a  twig,  not 
a  vestige  of  green  or  yellow.     "What  an  "  eye 


CHURCH  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO,  SANTIAQO,  CHILI. 

asylum "  wo.-^d  the  veriest  weed  have  been  I 
what  a  thing  of  beauty  and  a  joy  for  ever  the 
most  stunted  shrub ! 

"  Upon  tiie  fcllowiug  morning,  but  indiffer- 
ently refreshed  after  a  vigorous  tossing  upon  a 
sleepless  couch,  I  betook  myself  to  my  floating 
basket,  and  after  fearful  rocking  reached  the 


rocks,  wherein  in  former  times  the  neighbor, 
iug  tribes  deposited  their  dead.  The  Temple 
of  the  Sun  upon  the  Island  of  Titicaca  well  re- 
paid  the  visit,  as  also  the  rains  of  the  Temple 
of  the  Moon  upon  the  Island  of  Costa. 

"At  Santiago  de  Huayata  I  came  upon  the 
best  bit  of  archaeo- 
logical bric-a-hrac 
that  it  was  my 
good  fortune  to 
stumble  upon  in 
these  regions,  be- 
ing the  torso  of 
the  eflSgy  of  an 
enormous  giant, 
sculptured  in  f,ray 
Silurian.  Having 
climbed  upon  his 
massive  chest, 
and  made  a  sketcli 
of  his  stony  fea- 
tures, I  retraced 
my  steps  to  my 
boat,  and  once 
again  trusted  my 
person  to  a  '  wisp 
of  rushes,'  cross- 
JEg  Titicaca  in 
safety." 

British  Guiana. 

Bbitish  Guiana 
has  an  area  of 
76,000  square 
miles  and  a  popu- 
lation of  over 
270,000.  George- 
town has  over 
40,000,  and  is  be- 
low the  sea-level. 
To  keep  out  the 
water,  an  immense 
sea-wall  has  been 
built,  the  top  of 
which,  being 
broad  and  flat,  is 
dotted  with  rustic 
seats,  and  forms 
the  favorite  pro- 
menade, the  mili- 
tary band  fre- 
quently playing 
there  in  the  even- 
ing. 

The  sea-wall  is 
a  delightful  place, 
with     the     cool 
evening     breezes, 
but    in    order  to 
reach  it  you  must 
fight    your  way 
through     swarms 
of  miisquitoes ! 
The  interior  of  Guiana,  which  is  still  chiefly 
inhabited  by  Indians,  in  beauty  of  scenery,  in 
luxuriance  of  foliage,  and  in  natural  curiosi- 
ties, is  unsurpassed.     A  traveler  entering  for 
the  first  time  the  forests  of  South  America  be- 
holds Nature  in   a  new  aspect.     He   realizes, 
that  he  is  not  on  the  edge,  but  in  the  centre, 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


G4» 


W 


o 


K 
O 

w 


o 

CO 


J'' '";■".,  ■'■ 


"ilii 


iHi 


it 


-650 


THE    WORLD'S    GRE.VT    NATIONS. 


■of  the  Torrid  Zone; 
not  in  one  of  the  West 
India  Islands,  but  on 
a  vast  continent 
■where  everything  is 
gigantic — mountains, 
rivers,  and  a  mass  of 
vegetation.  It  almost 
seems  that  in  many 
places  the  earth  is 
so  overloaded  with 
plants  that  she  could 
not  allow  them  space 
enough  tc  \inf old 
themselves. 

The  trunks  of  the 
trees  are  evc*ywhere 
concealed  under  a 
thick  carpet  of  ver- 
dure; and  if  the  or- 
<;hids,  the  jiipers,  ana 
the  pothoses  nour- 
ished by  a  single 
American  fig-tree 
■were  transplanted , 
they  would  cover  a 
■vast  extent  of  ground. 
The  s  a  m  e  liaur.s 
which  creep  on  the, 

ground  reach  to  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and 
pass  from  one  to  another  at  a  height  of  more 
than  a  hundred  feet. 


Some  Facts  about  Chili. 
The  Chilian  Government  has  just  published 
.an  interesting  volume  of  statistics  concerning 
the  republic.  According  to  this,  Chili  stretches 


FLORIDA  STREET,  BCENOS  AVBES. 

from  north  to  south  through  nearly  forty  de- 
grees  of  latitude,  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Camarones  River,  19  deg.  12  min.  South  Lat., 
to  Cape  Horn  and  Diego  Ramirez  Island, 
nearly  57  deg.  South  Lat.  The  Provinces  of 
Tacna  and  Arica,  temjiorarily  ceded  by  Peru, 
extend  the  actvial  limits  of  the  Chilian  terri- 
tory to  the  north  as  far  as  17  deg.  57  min. 
South  Lat.     The  republic  is  bounded  on  the 


west  by  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  on  the  cast  by 
the  range  of  the  Andes 
and  the  meridian  of 
72  deg.  West  Lon. 
By  treaty  with  the 
Argentine  Republic, 
Chili  acquired  the 
southern  point  of 
Patagonia  to  the  west 
of  the  Strait  of  Ma- 
gellan, and  the  south- 
western portion  of  the 
frigid  Island  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego. 

The  country  is  for 
the  most  part  a  nar- 
row valley,  lying  be- 
tween the  range  of 
the  Andes  and  the 
chain  of  lower  moun- 
tains along  the  Pa- 
cific. The  mass  of 
the  p op ulation  is 
found  in  the  region 
between  33  deg.  and 
41  deg.  30  min.  South 
Lnt.  Including  its 
acquisitions  from 
Peru  and  Bolivia,  Chili  has  an  area  of  2&1,00'.V 
square  miles,  and  a  population  of  2,413,921 
exclusive  of  Fuegians.  its  area  is  slightly 
larger  than  that  of  Texas,  and  its  pojjulation  a 
little  less  than  half  that  of  New  York. 

The  climate  of  Cbiii  is,  for  the  most  j^art, 
temijerate  and  healthful,  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold  being  equally  unknown.  Nevertheless, 
there  is  a  ceitain  eloquence  in  the  report  oi 


CATHEDRAL,  BCENOS  AYKK.S. 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


651 


TKATKO  ALEGRIA,  BUENOS  AYBES. 

deaths  in  the  hospitals  and  public  institutions 
for  the  year  1882.  The  whole  number  of 
<leaths  was  4,379,  of  which  2,034  were  from 
consumption,  and  G38  from  pneumonia.  These 
figures  are  not  reassuring. 

The  problem  of  the  races  is  very  much  sim- 
plified in  Chili,  where  the  African  is  unknown, 
and  the  Asiatic  is  scarcely  represented.  The 
immense  majority  of  the  population  is  Euro- 
pean, Spanish  by  origin  and  blood,  and  very 
little  mixed  with  the  native  Indian  races.  Of 
these,  there  a  e  three  families :  1st,  The  Fue- 
gians,  few  in  number,  and  entirely  savage. 
They  are  found  in  Tierra  del  Fuego  and  along 
the  coast  as  far  as  Chiloe.  2d,  The  Arau- 
canians,  strong  and  warlike  tribes,  now  largely 
brought  into  subjection  to  the  laws,  except  in 
the  district  immediately  south  of  the  Bio-Bio 
lliver,  where  some  still  ruaintiiin  a  kind  of 
Bemi-independence.  The  number  of  these  is 
estimated  by  the  Chilian  Government  to  be 
50,000;  but  the  latest  traveler  among  them, 
M.  Bresson,  thinks  this  much  too  high  an 
estimate.  3d,  The  Changes,  a  race  of  Peru- 
vian origin,  and  a  relic  of  the  domination  of 
the  lucas  in  the  region  north  of  the  River 
Cachapual.  These  are  known  only  in  the 
position  of  day  -  laborers,  and  are  scattered 
along  the  coast  as  far  south  as  Valparaiso. 

The  persons  of  foreign  birth  resident  in 
Chili  are,  according  to  the  returns,  but  30,000 
in  number.  This  number  includes  9,700 
natives  of  what  is  called  Latin  America,  1,000 
Americans,  4,800  English,  5, .500  Germans, 
l..'')00  Spaniards,  3,500  French,  2,200  Italians, 
1,G00  Europeans,  and  200  Asiatics. 

The  yearly  excess  of  births  over  deaths  is 
about  e<iual  to  the   number  of    the  foreign 


population,  the  figures  for 
the  year  1883  being  30,744. 
The  debt  of  Chili  amounts 
to  #88,403,910,  of  which 
#34,870,000  are  held  by 
foreign  creditors,  and 
$53,533,910  are  due  at  home. 
This  interior  debt  represents 
obligations  incurred  as  long 
ago  as  the  time  of  the  strug- 
g  1  e  for  independence,  to- 
gether with  advances  made 
for  the  construction  of  rail- 
roads and  part  of  the  ex- 
penses for  the  recent  wars 
with  Spain,  and  Peru  and 
Bolivia. 

The  Chilian  army  con- 
sisted, at  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  with  Peru  and  Bolivia,  of 
but  2,440  men.  The  num- 
ber under  arms  during  the 
war  tiever  exceeded  45,000, 
and  bj'  a  law  passed  on  the 
9th  of  January,  1885,  the 
regular  army  must  not  be 
carried  bej'ond  7,100  men. 
The  Military  School  of  San- 
tiago was  attended  in  1884 
by  115  students. 

The  National    Guard    is 
composed  of  all  citizens  able 
to  bear  arms,  the  law  recog- 
nizing no  exemptions.     The 
organization,  at  the  end  of  the  year  1882,  com- 
prised :  Artillery,  5,9G5  men;  infantry,  45,700  ; 
cavalry,  2,076. 

The  navy  consists  wholly-  of  steam- vessels, 
of  which  there  are  2  iron- 
clads, of  2,000  tons  each  ;  1 
monitor  —  the  Iluascar  —  of 
1,130  tons,  3  corvettes,  2  gun- 
boats, 3  revenue  -  cuttei'S,  2 
transports,  and  a  number  of 
launches,  besides  11  torpedo- 
boats,  of  from  40  to  400 
horse-jjower.  The  Naval 
School  of  Valparaiso  had,  in 
1884,  76  students. 

The  foreign  commerce  of 
Chili  in  1883  was  as  follows : 
Imports,  #54,447,061 ;  ex- 
ports, $77,877,331.  The 
coasting  trade  for  the  same 
year  amounted  to  the  sum  of 
$141,724,972. 

It  must  be  confessed  that 
this  rapid  survey  shows  a 
condition  of  things  in  Chili 
every  way  to  her  credit. 
There  is  no  sign  of  anything 
spasmodic  or  unhealthy  in 
hei;  growth  and  development. 
On  the  contrary,  everything 
seems  to  show  that  her  or- 
ganization is  solid,  and  her 
progress  substantial ;  and  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  her 
prosperity  is  her  own  work, 
for  there  is  practically  no 
immigration  into  Chili.  Gen- 
eralizations as  to  the  influence 


of  race  are  always  to  be  received  with  caution^ 
but  it  scarcely  seems  rash  to  associate  the 
superiority  of  Chili  and  the  Argentine  Ke- 
public  to  the  other  South  American  States  with 
the  predominance  of  the  whites  in  both  these 
countries. 

The  revenue  from  all  sources  for  the  year 
1883  amounted  to  #44,248,695,  an  increase  of 
#2,291,059  over  that  for  1882.  The  expenses 
for  the  year  1883  were  $41,553,918. 


The  Statue  of  Bolivar,  in  Bogota. 
Santa  Fe  de  Bogota  is  an  inland  citj-  of  the 
United  States  of  Colombia,  capital  of  the 
State  of  Cundinamarca  and  of  the  republic,  on 
the  picturesque  and  fertile  jilateau  of  Bogota. 
Standing  on  an  elevated  plain,  the  city  pre- 
sents a  most  striking  appearance.  Two  lofty 
mountains,  Guadalupe  and  Monserrat,  rise  iii 
the  east,  and  send  down  a  copious  supply  of 
water,  to  be  distributed  through  the  town  by 
means  of  numeroiis  public  and  private  fount- 
ains. Two  of  the  streams  from  the  fountains 
are  crossed  by  several  bridges,  imparting  (luite 
a  Venetian  aspect.  The  Calle  Real,  or  prin- 
cipal street,  runs  the  entire  length  of  the  city, 
is  well  paved,  and  terminates  in  a  spacious 
square,  embellished  with  a  statue  of  Bolivar, 
shown  in  our  illustration.  The  houses  are  all 
built  of  aclube.  The  Government  House  is 
very  handsome,  and  is  luxuriously  appointed. 
Bogota  boasts  a  mint,  a  theatre,  a  university, 
a  national  academy,  four  colleges,  two  of 
which  date  from  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
medical,  law,  normal  and  infant  schools. 
Its  population  is  about  100,000.  The  i^ublic 
library  contains  60,000  volumes. 


NOKXa  AMERICAN  CHCTRCB,  BUSN03  AYBES. 


652 


THE    WOELD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


S     2 


Views  in  Caracas,  Venezuela. 
The  Federal  Palace,  which  is  united  by  arcades  with  the  Legis- 
lative  Palace,  forms  the  Capitol  of  Caracas.  It  is  situated  on  the 
junction  of  three  boulevards,  and  on  the  Plaza  Guzman  Blanco. 
Three  salons  occupy  the  north  favade,  and  the  centre  of  the  building, 
which  is  oval  and  surmounted  by  a  dome,  is  used  for  State  cele- 
brations and  cereii)  ouies.  On  the  east  is  the  High  Court.  The 
private  offices  of  the  President  are  here,  also  the  offices  of  the  various 
Ministers  holding  portfolios.  The  National  Pantheon  is  situated  at 
the  extreme  north  of  the  Grand  Plaza  Trinidad.  It  is  a  most  im- 
posing building.  Silence,  severe  and  majestic,  reigns  in  its  halls. 
In  the  Central  Hall  stands  the  statue  of  Simon  Bolivar,  the  work  of 
the  renowned  artist  Tenerani.  The  superb  theatre  has  been  built 
on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Temple  of  San  Pablo.  It  fronts  the  San 
Pablo  Plaza.  The  interior  decorations  are  as  rich  as  they  are 
magnificent,  and  the  groups  of  colossal  statues  are  the  admiration 
of  all  whose  privilege  it  may  be  to  gaze  upon  them.  The  auditorium 
is  rich  and  elegant,  and  the  seating  accommodation  of  the  most 
voluptuous  description.  The  foyer  is  unique.  Guzman  Blanco  .sent 
the  architect  to  Europe  and  the  United  States  to  study  the  various 
descriptions  of  theatres,  in  order  to  be  able  to  produce  a  temple  that 
is  acknowledged  to  be  the  finest  in  the  South  American  Continent. 


Burying-place  of  Indians  at  Atures. 

A  STEANGE  place  of  interment  exists  at  Atures,  near  San  Fernando, 
in  the  United  States  of  Colombia,  held  in  much  veneration  by  the 
Indians.  In  order  to  reach  it,  a  lonely  savanna  has  to  be  traversed, 
then  a  river  has  to  be  crossed  and  an  island  reached  bearing  the 
name  of  Cucurital.  Behind  a  thin  curtain  of  trees  and  bushes  is  a 
natural  grotto,  formed  bj-  the  overhanging  of  an  enormous  rock. 
Underneath  this  rock  are  hundreds  of  large  earthen  pots,  each  pot 
containing  the  remains  of  an  Indian,  surmounted  by  the  skull. 
Some  of  the  remains  were  simplj-  wrapped  in  mats  formed  from  the 
leaves  of  the  guahibos  palm.  There  is  a  sacred  burying-place  in  a 
cave  high  up  the  side  of  an  almost  precipitous  wall  of  rock,  to 
reach  which  requires  a  skilled  climber  endowed  with  a  powerful 
{?rip  of  foot  and  hand,  and  with  a  head  that  will  not  be  affected 
with  vertigo.  Here  are  found  the  same  class  of  coffins,  if  such  a 
term  is  admissible,  the  ghastly  skulls  grinning  at  the  profaning 
intruder. 

>-•-* 

Buenos  Ayres. 

From  the  bay  Bi'enos  Ayres  presents  the  appearance  of  a  very  large 
cit}-.  The  myriads  of  domes  and  the  campaniles  of  the  churches  give 
one  the  idea  of  a  city  rich  in  architectural  beaiity,  but  on  close 
acquaintance  all  such  illusions  vanish,  and  one  is  fearfully  disnp- 
liointed  at  the  narrow  streets,  which  are  so  full  of  ruts  and  holes  that 
you  would  be  jiardoned  for  supposing  that  an  earthquake  had 
]inssed  along  them.  The  paving  and  rejiaving  is  an  endless  job  in 
Buenos  Ayi'es.  The  fault  lies  in  the  original  leaving  of  the  streets 
without  laying  a  solid  foundation.  The  consequence  is  that  the 
heavy  wagons  and  carriages  passing  over  sink  or  loosen  the  stones, 
BO  that  the  work  has  always  to  be  recommenced ;  in  fact,  it  is  never 
finished,  for  no  sooner  is  it  ended  in  one  place  than  it  must  be 
recommenced  in  another. 

There  are  no  largo  mercantile  houses,  no  large  warehouses,  no 
mills  or  manufactories.  All  that  is  exported  comes  from  the  interior, 
and  consists  of  raw  material,  the  crude  products  of  the  country — 
wool,  corn,  hides,  dried  meat  and  horn.  The  importations  are  what 
are  found  in  the  stores,  which,  on  their  arrival,  triple  their  value. 
AVine,  in  particular,  is  sold  at  a  fabulous  price,  at  least  five  times  its 
value  in  France.  A  five-frano  bottle  of  St.  Esteph  is  here  five 
nacionals,  that  is,  twenty-five  francs:  the  tin  ordinaire,  worth  thirty 
cents,  is  sold  at  a  dollar  and  a  half,  and  so  on  through  the  list. 

The  Almenga  a  la  Americana,  the  Almenga  de  Londres  and  "El 
Progreso,"  in  the  Calk  Florida  (Florida  Street),  form  a  few  excep- 
tions. Although  not  larce,  their  windows  are  filled  with  rich  and 
brilliant  merchandise.  The  hric-a-brae  stores  are  but  a  repetition, 
on  a  very  small  scale,  of  those  in  Paris.  The  pastrycook  and 
book  stores  are  the  largest  and  most  attractive  in  appearance. 


SOUTH    AMERICA. 


653 


In  the  streets  you  •will  meet  representatives 
of  ever}'  nation,  and  of  every  Province  of  the 
Argentine  Republic,  from  the  dark,  straight- 
haired  Indian  to  the  bright  -  eyed  Spanish 
dona,  who  still  rstains  the  traditional  head- 
gear of  her  countrj',  and  flirts  her  fan  as  only 
a  Spanish  beauty  can.  Yet,  with  all  the  va- 
riety a  cosmopolitan  population  gives,  there 
is  no  brightness,  nothing  attractive,  in  this 
city ;  for  there  are  no  boulevards,  no  cafes 
opening  on  the  street,  as  in  France  and  Spain, 
to  tempt  one  to  an  hour  of  idleness  and  pleas- 
ure ;  no  trees  to  give  a  shade  during  the  hot 
daj-s  of  Summer  ;  nothing  of  the  seductiveness  ' 
that  one  would  expect  to  find  in  a  southern 
city,  where  life  is  usually  spent  so  mxioh  out- 
of-doors.  There  is  but  one  small  promenade, 
the  Paseo  de  Julio,  overlooking  the  bay,  and 
it  is  really  charming,  this  terrace,  with  its 
well-shaded  allee,  its  jjretty  pasture  and  sweet- 
smelling  flowering  shrubs. 

There  is  no  natural  beauty  in  the  country 
that  surrounds  the  City  of  Buenos  Ayres,  no 
luxuriance  of  vegetation,  but  a  few  small  trees 
here  and  there,  except  at  the  suburb  of  Bel- 
grano,  where  there  is  a  fine  drive  and  well- 
shaded  walks  ;  but  those  trees  have  all  been 
planted  and  carefully  cultivated ;  an  occasional 
hedge  of  much  ill  -  used-looking  aloes  alone 
reminds  one  that  it  is  the  South.  Standing 
on  a  slight  eminence,  you  look  across  a  flat, 
bare  country  where  nothing  breaks  the  view 
to  the  horizon. 

That  is  the  commencement  of  the  great 
plain  of  the  Pampas,  that  stretches  without  a 
break  to  the  Strait  of  Magellan,  and  to  the  west 
until  it  meets  the  Cordilleras.  But  civilization 
does  not  extend  so  far.  Three  hundred  and 
sixty  miles  south,  and  two  hundred  and  forty 
west,  on  the  Pampas,  is  the  frontier  of  the 
dominion  of  the  Indian,  who  wages  a  con- 
tinual warfare  against  the  colonists  to  rob  him 


BtJBIAL-PLACK  OF  INDIANS  NBAR  ATDRES,  VENEZUELA. 


of  the  produce  of  his  industry,  and  to  prevent 
further  encroachment  on  the  barren,  unculti- 
vated tract  of  land  still  left  the  native  tribes, 
which,  in  its  savage  state,  produces  only  a 
hard,  dry  herb,  called  paja  hrava. 

A  few  miles  from  Buenos  Ayres  a  few  rich 
landowners  have  erected  handsome  houses, 
surrounded  by  gardens  and  fields  sown  with 
grain,  and  acres  of  forest  land.  But,  unfor- 
tunately, it  is  not  within  the  reach  of  all  thus 
to  make  Nature  yield  ;  to  create  forests  where 
she  had  not  raised  a  tree,  where  blow  the  most 
variable  winds,  where  the  drought  of  Summer 
brings  destructive  insects,  where  the  Winter's 
frosts  respect  nothing.  This  requires  large 
capital  as  well  as  patience  and  a  strong  will. 


STATUE  OF  BOLIVAR,  IN  THE  GREAT  PLAZA   OF  BOGOTA,  UNITED  STATES  OF  COLOIIEIA. 


The  Gaucho,  the  offspring  descended  from 
the  union  of  the  first  Spanish  settlers  with  the 
Indians,  forms  the  mass  of  the  present  native 
race — the  race  of  the  Pampas.  Generally  tall 
in  stature,  with  a  square,  thin,  bronzed  face 
and  black,  straight  hair,  the  Gaucho  has  all 
the  vanity  and  pride  of  the  Spaniard,  with  the 
sobriety  which  the  Moor  left  to  his  descend- 
ants. He  will  live  on  water  and  meat  without 
bread. 

But  there  are  occupations  which  ho  loves, 
those  which  can  be  conducted  on  horseback — 
for  the  Gaucho  is  par  excellence  the  modern 
Centaur — the  long  journeys,  the  rodeos  (which 
means  all  the  country  work  that  can  be  done 
on  horseback,  and  the  care  of  the  herds),  all 
those  where  the  lasso  plays  a  part ;  also  the 
work  of  the  saladeros  (slaughter  -  houses) , 
where,  knife-in-haud,  and  ankle-deep  in  blood, 
he  kills,  skins  and  cuts  the  meats,  finding  in 
it  a  pleasure  rather  than  a  labor.  He  can 
there  gain  in  a  few  hours'  high  pay,  and  would 
grow  rich  if  he  was  as  economical  as  he  is 
frugal ;  but  gambling  is  an  all-absorbing  pas- 
sion, one  that  will  rob  him  even  of  his  horse, 
and  reduce  him  to  go  afoot — the  worst  humili- 
ation for  a  Gaucho.  As  soon  as  he  gets  his 
wages  the  horse  will,  of  his  own  accord,  con- 
duct his  master  to  the  jiulqueria.  There  the 
Gaucho  will  pass  hours,  and  even  days,  or 
until  his  last  cent  is  spent. 

The  success  of  the  pulqueria  is  due  to  the 
dreariness  of  the  home  life,  for  the  Gaucho 
women  have  also  little  taste  for  work.  To 
boil  some  water  and  suck  the  mate  through  a 
metal  tube  is  their  only  occupation,  for  they 
neither  spin  nor  sew.  This  mate  is  an  infu- 
sion of  a  tea  (made  like  ordinary  tea),  called 
Yerba  del  Paraguay.  It  is  drank  through  the 
bombilla,  which  is  a  tube  of  metal  or  silver, 
terminating  at  one  end  in  a  i^erforated  bulb. 
It  takes  its  name  from  the  mate  (gourd)  in 
which  it  is  made,  and  which  takes  the  jjlace 
of  a  cup.  To  drink  the  mate  constitutes  the 
life  of  the  Gaucho,  and  iu  general  all  residents 
of  the  countr)'. 


654 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


VOLCANO    IN   SMYTH   CHANNEL,  STRAIT   OF   MAGELLAN. 


A  line  of  railroad  runs  along  tlie  shore, 
»nd  in  some  places  penetrates  a  short  distance 
inland,  but  beyond  that  the  connections  with 
the  different  villages,  or  the  large  estancias,  is 
made  b}'  the  calesa  (stage-coach),  drawn  some- 
times by  as  many  as  sixteen  horses,  har- 
nessed in  couples,  and  attached  to  the  coach 
by  long  ropes.  Bat  should  the  traveler  go 
out  of  the  beaten  tracks  he  must  be  expert  with 
the  lasso  and  girth-saddle,  or  else  change 
horses  at  the  different  ranches,  where  a 
stranger  is  always  sure  to  meet  with  a  most 
hearty  welcome. 

Unlike  the  life  on  the  North  American 
Prairies,  that  of  the  Pamjias  is  one  to  make 
the  most  courageous  hesitate  ;  not  alone  on 
account  of  its  dreary  monotony,  its  turning 
away  from  all  civilization,  but  by  reason  of 
the  hard  work  that  is  required  to  make  the 
soil  yield  nourishment  for  the  animals.  Ex- 
cept for  men  with  enormous  capitals,  who  can 
afford  to  buy  land  that  has  already 
been  cultivated,  sheep-raising  is  as 
yet  unprofitable. 

The  general  idea  of  the  Pampas 
is  a  fertile   plain    of    the    richest  _ 

pasture  lands,  with  herds  of  wild 
cattle  requiring  only  the  lasso  to 
make  them  yours. 

Such  ideas  are  as  false  as  the 
mirages  that  here  mock  the  traveler 
like  those  of  the  Sahara ;  for  the 
cattle,  as  they  move  from  you, 
seem  to  grow  larger,  until  they 
stand  out  in  gigantic  silhouettes 
against  the  horizon.  Sometimes 
one  of  those  miserable  thatched 
mud  cabins,  with  a  few  stunted 
acacias,  will  appear  as  a  plnntation 
of  magnificent  trees  and  lakes  with- 
out number. 

The  pouring  in  of  European  im- 
migrants has  infused  some  life  and 
activity,  and  thirty  lines  of  steam- 
ers now  ply  between  Buenos  Ayres 
and  Europe.  The  population  has 
risen  to  2,942,000,  a  gain  of  more 
than  a  million  since  1869,  that 
number  being  represented  now 
chiefly  by  Italians,  Spanish,  French, 
Irish  and  Germans. 


Patagonia  and  Tierra  del  Fuego. 

Patagonia,  geographically  speaking,  is  a 
vast  country.  It  extends  from  latitude  38  deg. 
42  min.  to  53  deg.  52  min .  S. ,  and  from  longi- 
tude G3  deg.  9  min.  to  75  deg.  30  min.  W.  Its 
maximum  length  from  north  to  south  is  1,050 
miles,  and  its  maximum  width  is  495  miles. 
This,  near  its  northern  extremity;  at  its 
southern  end  it  is  but  175  miles  wide.  The 
total  area  is  about  350,000  square  miles.  This 
is  exclusive  of  the  large  island  known  as 
Tierra  del  Fuego,  which  properly  should  be 
considered  as  part  of  Patagonia. 

A  number  of  attempts  to  found  colonies  in 
Patagonia  have  been  more  or  less  unsuccessful. 
Perhaps  the  earliest  attempt  of  any  conse- 
quence was  made  in  1780,  at  Port  St.  Julian, 
by  Antonio  Viedma,  under  commission  from 
the  Viceroy  of  the  Kiver  Plata  provinces. 
The  colonists  suffered  severely  from  scurvy, 


the  sterility  of  the  soil,  which  rendered  agri- 
culture impossible,  and  the  hostilitj-  of  the 
natives,  so  that  in  1784  the  attempt  was  aban- 
lUmed. 

A  subsequent  attempt  was  made  at  Point 
Desire,  which  also  failed.  In  1843  the  Chil- 
ians established  a  colony  at  Port  Famine,  but 
later  removed  it  to  Sandy  Point,  on  the  east 
shore  of  Brunswick  Peninsula,  in  the  Strait 
of  Magellan.  In  1873  the  population  of  this 
colony  was  given  as  869. 

At  Port  Santa  Cruz  there  has  been  an  Argen- 
tine colony  for  several  years,  the  only  industry 
sustaining  it  being  the  production  of  fish-oil. 
A  Welsh  colony  was  founded  on  the  Eio 
Chupert  in  1865,  but  it  was  vinsuccessful, 
and  in  1872  M.  E.  Kouquand,  a  Frenchman, 
attempted  to  establish  a  dried-fish  industry  at 
Port  Santa  Cruz,  but  was  prevented  by  the 
territorial  disputes  between  Chili  and  the 
Argentine  Eepublic,  both  of  which  claim  to 
own  the  place  iu  question. 


The  Strait  of  Magellan. 

The  intricate  series  of  channels  and  sounds 
forming  the  navigable  waterway  from  the 
Pacific  to  the  Atlantic,  south  of  the  extremity 
of  the  American  Continent,  and  known  as  the 
Strait  of  Magellan,  has  of  late  years  become 
an  ordinary  commercial  route.  The  Strait  is 
over  300  miles  long,  and  the  tides  reach  an 
elevation  of  about  50  feet  on  the  Patagonian 
coast.  Navigators  of  Smyth  Channel  fre- 
quently witness  the  eruption  of  a  volcano  on 
a  snowclad  mountain  on  an  island  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego,  and  the  spectacle,  according  to  a 
recent  description,  is  peculiarly  flue,  the 
smoke  and  vapor  of  the  burning  mountain 
ascending  straight  up  to  an  immense  height, 
and  then  spreading  out  like  a  pall. 


NATIVES  OF  tierra  DEL  FUKOO. 


AUSTRALIA    AND    NEW    ZEALAND. 

GEOGRAPHICAL,  INDUSTRIAL    AND    HISTORICAL    SUMMARY. 

MELBOtRUE  AXD  THE  PllOVINCE  OF  VICTORIA— LAW  ConKTS  IN  MELBOURNE  AND  SIDNEY— SOUTH  MELBOURNE  BOWLING  GEEEN—BRISBANE— SYDNEY 

—The  Gum-trees  of  Queensland— The  Katoomba  Valley,  New  South  wales— New  Zealand -Australian  Vital  Statistics. 


AUSTRALIA  is  the  largest  islam!  in  the 
world.  It  has  the  Pacific  Oceau  on  the 
east,  tlio  Incliau  Ocean  on  the  west,  antl 
lies  in  between  10  tleg.  47  min.  and  39  deg. 
11  min.  Soxith  Latitude,  and  113  deg.  and  153 
deg.  30  min.  East  Longitude.  It  measures 
2,500  miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and 
1,950  miles  from  north  to  south,  with  a  total 
area  of  2,984,827  square  miles.  The  island  is  di- 
vided politically  into  five  States,  viz  ;  Queens- 
land, New  South  'Wales,  Victoria,  South  Austra- 
lia, and  Western  Australia,  with  the  following 
capitals  resiioctively :  Brisbane,  Sydney,  Mel- 
bourne and  Adelaide.  Western  Australia  has 
no  capital,  nor  the  as  yet  unsettled  northern 
portion  of  the  island  known  as  Nortliern  Ter- 
ritory and  Alexandra  Laud. 

South  of  the  island  is  a  smaller  island  called 
Tasmania,  with  Hobart  Town  as  its  capital. 
This  was  formerly  called  Van  Diemeu's  Laud, 
and  Australia  was  originally  named  New  Hol- 
land, both  having  been  discovered  by  the 
Dutch  navigators  of  the  sixteenth  century.  In 
1778  Captain  Cook  examined  a  large  portion 
of  the  coast,  and  took  possession  of  it  in  the 
name  of  the  British  Government,  since  which 
Australia  has  been  a  British  possession.  Up 
to  1837  Australia  was  a  penal  settlement,  but 
since  then  it  has  become  too  important  a  place 
for  mere  convicts,  and  its  growth,  especially 
in  the  southern  and  cooler  portions,  has  been  i 
rapid  and  solid.  Sheep-raising,  wool-grow- 
ing and  gold-mining  have  been  the  principal 
sources  of  wealth,  though  in  later  years  New 
South  Wales  has  developed  large  manufac- 
turing industries.  Each  State  in  Australia  is 
practically  autonomic,  having  its  own  Legis- 
lature and  Executive. 

The  original  natives  of  Australia  were  of 
many  tribes,  but  appear  to  be  of  one  original 
stock  closely  allied  to  the  Pajjuan,  and  more 
remotely  to  the  Negrillo  races  of  the  Malay 
Archipelago.  They  are  ver}'  degraded,  have 
Blender  religious  notions,  and  have  no  agri- 
culture and  no  navigation  except  in  the  rudest 
canoes  and  floats.  They  practiced  cannibalism 
to  some  extent,  and  lived  mainly  by  hunting 


and  fishing,  but  devoured  worms,  insects  and 
other  such  repulsive  objects. 

The  climate  of  AustraUa  varies  from  tropi- 
cal heat  in  the  north  to  temperate  in  the  south. 
The  absence  of  high  interior  mountains  causes 
a  marked  deficiency  in  the  rainfall,  except 
along  the  eastern  border. 

The  flora  is  rich  and  remarkable,  and  the 
zoology  is  even  more  remarkable  than  the 
botany.  Native  flowers  in  rich  profusion, 
timber  trees  of  many  varieties  and  enormous 
size,  marsupial  animals  of  110  known  existing 
varieties,  20  kinds  of  bats,  birds,  and  reptiles 
of  many  kinds,  besides  the  many  domestic 
animals,  afford  the  student  of  Nature  ample 
material  for  his  investigations. 

■In  November,  1883,  a  convention  of  all  the 
Australasian  Governments  met  in  Sydney  to 
consider  the  question  of  federative  action  in 
matters  of  common  concern.  Kesolutions 
were  adoj^ted  in  favor  of  the  confederation  of 
the  colonies  in  an  Australasian  Dominion,  of 
the  annexation  of  Papua  (New  Guinea)  and 
other  islands  of  the  West  Pacific,  and  of  com- 
bined protective  legislation  against  criminal 
aliens.  The  scheme  of  confederation  was,  to 
create  a  Federal  Council,  which  should  meet 
at  Hobart  Town,  Tasmania,  every  two  years,  to 
take  cognizance  of  question's  concerning  the  re- 
tions  of  Australia  with  the  islands  of  Oceania, 
the  landing  of  criminals,  and  the  Australian 
fisheries,  with  the  prospect  of  extending  its 
jurisdiction  to  matters  connected  with  quaran- 
tine, extradition,  justice,  currency,  etc.  In 
the  following  June  the  scheme  received  the 
unanimous  support  of  the  Victorian  Legis- 
lature. The  Legislatures  of  Tasmania  and 
Queensland  adopted  addresses  to  the  British 
Government  to  introduce  a  Bill  creating  a 
Federal  Council.  The  other  Legislatures  fa- 
vored the  project,  with  the  exception  of  New 
Zealand  and  New  South  Wales,  where  some 
opposition  was  manifested,  but  finally  both  re- 
corded their  approval.  The  British  Govern- 
ment, however,  has  not  as  yet  acceded  to  the 
request. 

New  South  Wales  is  older  than  the  other 


Australasian  colonies.  Its  constitution  was 
proclaimed  in  1855.  The  legislative  power  is 
vested  in  a  Parliament  of  two  Houses,  called 
Council  and  Assembly.  The  Members  of  the 
Council  are  nominated  by  the  English  Crown, 
and  those  of  the  Assembly  elected  from  the 
colonial  constituencies.  The  Executive  is  in 
the  hands  of  a  Governor  nominated  by  the 
Crown.  The  present  Governor  is  Lord  Loftus. 

The  present  Constitution  of  New  Zealand 
was  established  in  1875,  Queensland  in  1859, 
Tasmania  in  1871.  and  Victoria  in  1864.  The 
other  colonies — South  Australia  and  Western 
Australia— at  later  dates.  All  these  are  very 
similar  to  New  South  Wales. 

The  term  Australasia  —  Southern  Asia  —  in- 
cludes a  large  number  of  islands  in  the  South- 
ern Hemisphere.  Adding  these  in,  the  total 
area  of  AustraU^sia  is  3,075,135  square  miles, 
and  the  latest  estimate  of  the  population  is 
3,546,725. 

There  is  no  state  or  established  religion  ia 
Australia  like  in  England.  But  the  largest 
part  of  the  population  being  either  native 
English  or  descendants,  they  have  adhered  to 
the  Church  of  England.  There  are  at  pre- 
sent thirteen  dioceses  in  Australia  and  Tas- 
mania, the  Bishop  of  Sydney,  the  Eight  Kev. 
Alfred  Barry,  D.  D.,  being  the  metropolitan; 
there  are  seven  dioceses  in  New  Zealand,  the 
Bishop  of  Christchurch,  the  Kight  Rev.  H.  J.  C. 
Harper,  D.D.,  being  the  metropolitan,  with  a 
total  number  of  33,851  communicants.  Pres- 
byterians and  Methodists  are  very  largely  re- 
presented in  Australia.  Baptists  and  Congre- 
gationalists  come  next  in  order,  and  there  are 
a  few  Moravians  and  Sw((i     liorgians. 

The  settlements  in  Australia  are  all  on  the 
eastern  and  southern  coasts.  The  interior  of 
the  island  is  largely  unexplored.  But  great 
deserts  have  been  discovered,  and  the  absence 
of  great  rivers  renders  it  extremely  unlikely 
that  the  interior  of  Australia  will  ever  become 
populous.  Agriculture  in  the  interior  de- 
mands irrigation  for  its  success.  The  small 
rivers  are  in  many  instances  dried  up  in  Sum- 
mer, and  though  there  are  many  small  lakes 

655 


656 


THE    W0RLD',=5    GREAT    NATIONS. 


and  pools,   they,   too,   often  dry  np  in  the 
Summer. 

The  mineral  ■wealth  of  the  island  is  great. 
Since  18.51  it  has  stood  first  in  the  production 
bt  gold.     This  is  f ovind  chiefly  in  New  South 


TREASURY,  MELBOURNE,  AUSTRALIA. 

Wales  and  Victoria,  and  to  some  extent  in 
Queensland,  Victoria  and  South  Australia ;  the 
latter  especially  have  rich  deposits  of  copj)er. 
Queensland  and  New  South  Wales  lead  in  the 
mining  of  tin.     Good  iron  ore  and  excellent 


coal  are  very  abundant  in  large  areas  of  the 
eastern  colonies.  Valuable  oil  shales  abound. 
Cinnabar,  lead  and  silver  are  found  at  various 
points.  Diamonds  have  been  found,  and  many 
other  precious  stones  occur. 


PUBLIC  LIBllAKV,  UELIiOCBNE,  AUSTRALIA. 


AUSTRALIA    AND    NEW    ZEALAND, 

I 


657 


658 


THE    WOELD'S    GKEAT    NATIONS. 


AUSTEALIA  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 


65» 


"Melbourne  and  the 
Province  of  Victoria, 
John  Pasco  Fawk- 
NER  died  at  Melbourno 
on  September  4tb, 
1S09,  the  -undisputed 
oldest  iuliabitant  iu  a 
vast  city  that  bad  no 
existence  w  b  e  n  be 
sailed  np  tbe  Yarra- 
yarra  iu  tbe  scbooner 
Enterprise,  iu  the 
Slimmer  of  1835. 
Where  iu  (be  midst  of 
tbe  wilderness  he  had 
plowed  bis  land  and 
grown  bis  first  crop  of 
wheat  a  city  bad 
arisen  which,  with  its 
suburban,  townships 
numbered  nearly 
170,000  souls.  Long 
Hues  of  carriages  fol- 
lowed the  pioneer  to 
bis  grave,  and  tbe 
people  in  their  thou- 
sands lined  tbe  spa- 
cious streets  as  tbe 
procession  passed. 

Cook,  Flinders  and 
Grant  did  little  more 
than  name  the  promi- 
usut  headlines  along 
tbe  southern  shores  of 
Australia.  Lieutenant 
Murray,  R.  N.,  1802, 
discovered  Port  Philip 
Bay,  and  iu  the  follow- 
ing year  Colonel  Col- 
lins, with  soldiers  and 
convicts  to  tbe  number 
of   402,  attempted    to 


SYDNEY    HARBOK,  AUSTRALIA. 


TOWN-HALL,  SVPNEV,  AUSTRALIA. 


form  a  settlement  on 
its  shores.    A  bad  site 
was  chosen  ;  tbe  expe- 
dition was   a  failure, 
and  in  1804  the  settle- 
ment was  transfeired 
to  Van  Dienieu's  Land. 
One  man   name  d 
Buckley  ran  away  into 
the  bush  and  lived  for 
thirty  j'ears  among  the 
natives.     In  1824,  two 
cattle-owners  in  Ne\r 
South  Wales  came  in 
search  of  new  pasture- 
grounds   along    the 
M  u  r  r  a  y  Eiver    and 
across   the  Australian 
Alps  to  the  present  site 
of    Geelong,    but    re- 
turned without  accom- 
plishing any  result  be- 
yond   exploring    the 
district.     Tbe  first  at- 
tempt to  colonize  the 
territory   now  known 
as    Victoria    was    in 
1834,      when      Mr. 
Thomas  Henty,  with  a 
few  free  settlers,  locat- 
ed themselves  at  Port- 
land   Bay,    234   miles 
from  where  Melbourne 
now  stands. 

In  the  following 
year  John  Batman  led 
a  party  to  Port  Philii) 
Bay  and  made  a  re- 
markable treaty  with 
the  blacks,  by  which 
they  ceded  to  him 
000,000    acres    for    a 


660 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


VICE-REGAL   KESIDENCE,  ADELAIDE,  AUSTRALIA. 


quantity  of  blankets  and  tomahawks,  or,  as 
one  account  states,  for  "  three  sacks  of  glass 
beads,  ten  pounds  of  nails,  and  five  pounds 
of  flour."  The  English  Government  subse- 
quently annulled  this  contract,  but  the  repre- 
sentatives  of  Batman  received  £7,000  in  com- 
pensation. Three  months  after  Batman  and 
his  helpers  had  got  to  work,  John  Fawkner's 
schooner  sailed  past  their  settlement  and  up 
the  Yarra  -  yarra,  and  was  made  fast  to  a 
eucalyjitus-tree  on  the  bank,  opposite  to  where 
the  Melbourne  Custom  House,  an  ornament  to 
the  city,  now  stands. 

The  news  of  the  discovery  of  rich  pastures 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Port  Philip  Bay  soon 
spread  far  and  wide.  In  spite  of  some  ojipo- 
sition  from  the  British  Government,  emigrants 
flocked  thither  from  New  South  Wales  and 
Tasmania,  taking  with  them  their  sheep  and 
cattle.  At  the  end  of  a  few  mouths  the  settle- 
ment contained  a  population  of  224,  of  whom 
•iS  were  women  ;  the  possessions  of  the  colo- 
nists included  75  horses,  555  head  of  cattle,  and 
41,332  sheep.  It  was  at  this  period  that  Wil- 
liam Buckley,  the  convict,  who  had  escaped 
from  the  disastrous  expedition  of  Collins  in 
1803,  returned  to  his  compatriots.  He  had 
been  thirty-three  years  among  the  blacks,  and 
quite  forgotten  his  own  language. 

There  was  little  in  "  The  Settlement"  as  in- 
fant Melbourne  was  for  some  time  called,  to 
suggest  its  future  wealth  and  vastness.  In 
January,  1838,  there  were  a  couple  of  wooden 
houses  serving  as  hotels  for  the  country  set- 
tlers when  they  brought  up  their  wool  to  send 
off  by  ship,  or  for  new  arrivals  on  their  way 
to  the  "  bush."  "A  small  square  wooden  build- 
ing "  (says  Mr.  George  Arden,  an  eye-witness), 
*'  with  an  old  ship's  bell  suspended  from  a 
most  defamatory -looking,  gallows -like  struc- 
ture, fulfilled  the  duty  of  church  or  chapel  to 
the  various  religious  denominations,  whence, 


however,  the  solemn  voice  of  praj-er  and 
praise  sounding  over  the  yet  wild  country  had 
an  effect  the  most  interesting  and  impressive." 

There  were  two  or  three  shops,  each  selling 
anything  useful,  and  a  branch  of  a  Tasmaniau 
bank. 

Six  months  later  numerous  brick  houses 
of  two  or  three  stories  had  risen  ;  the  inns  had 
become  handsome  and  convenient ;  streets 
were  marked  out  and  macadamized  ;  the  jiopu- 
latiou  had  quadrupled,  and  a  multitude  of 
dealers  had  opened  various  kinds  of  shops. 

Fawkner  opened  the  first  inn,  and  on  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1838,  started  the  first  newspaper. 


The  Melbourne  Advertuer.  The  first  nine- 
numbers  were  in  manuscript,  and  limited  to  a 
circulation  of  one  copy,  which  was  kept  at 
Fawkner's  bar  for  public  use.  Near  Fawk- 
ner's Inn  his  rival.  Batman,  opened  his  first 
general  store.  At  the  first  land  sales  in  Mel- 
bourne, in  June,  1837,  the  half-acre  lots  sold 
at  an  average  price  of  £35.  At  a  recent  auc- 
tion in  Melbourne  the  highest  bid  of  £46,500, 
for  sixty-six  feet  frontage  in  Collins  Street, 
East,  was  refused  as  insufficient. 

With  the  exception  of  a  disastrous  financial 
crash  in  1842,  the  result  of  over-speculation 
and  laud-jobbing,  the  history  of  Melbourne  till 
the  gold  discoveries  in  1851  was  a  history  of 
steady  progress  and  success.  Scarcely  was  the 
Port  Philip  settlement  five  years  old  when  it 
began  to  clamor  for  separation  from  New 
South  Wales.  In  1842  its  local  institutions, 
were  improved,  and  it  was  allowed  to  send  six 
delegates  to  the  Legislative  Council  at  Sydney. 
But  Melbourne  continued  agitating  till,  in 
1850,  its  prayer  was  granted,  and  the  British 
Parliament  passed  an  Act  by  which,  on  July 
1st,  1851,  Port  Phih])  became  a  separate  col- 
ony, under  the  new  name  of  Victoria,  said  to 
have  been  chosen  by  the  Queen  herself. 

Of  the  iHiblic  buildings  of  Melbourne,  somo 
a.ssign  the  palm  to  the  Post-office,  the  claims 
'  of  art  and  utility  having  been  remarkably 
harmonized.  It  is  on  a  low  site  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Bourke  and  Elizabeth  Streets,  which, 
somewhat  detracts  from  the  general  effect. 
Upon  a  base  of  bluestone  stand  the  two 
faoades,  faced  with  beautiful  white  freestone. 

At  the  angle  rises  an  elegant  clock-tower, 
with  clustered  columns  and  pilasters,  first 
Doric,  then  Ionic,  then  Corinthian,  suj^porting 
the  clock.  The  Government  Printing  -  office 
and  the  Mint,  substantial  buildings  with  every 
modern  appliance,  we  must  only  mention  inj 
passing. 

Melbourne  has  a  University,  but  before 
speaking  of  it,  a  few  words  as  to  education  in. 


aOVER-NMENT  0FFICB3,  ADELAIDB. 


ATJSTEALIA    AND    NEW    ZEALAND. 


661 


662 


inE    WORLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONa 


AUSTRALIA.  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 


663 


Victoria  may  be  desirable.  An  Act  establisli- 
■jng  a  free,  secular  and  compulsory  system  ot 
education  came  into  force  on  January  1st, 
1873.  All  children  between  six  and  fourteen 
years  of  age  are  compelled  to  attend  school. 
The  only  excuses  for  non-attendance  are,  effi- 
cient education  elsewhere,  sickness,  fear  of  in- 
fection, or  any  \ina voidable  cause,  and  distance 
of  over  two  miles  from  a  State  School.  There 
are  "truant  officers "  to  enforce  the  provisions 
of  the  Act.  Of  course  many  of  the  denomina- 
tions support  their  own  schools  in  addition. 
In  1879  there  were  231,109  children  attending 
the  1,45G  State  Schools  in  the  colony,  and 
there  were  37,582  scholars  at  the  private  and 
denominational  schools. 

The  Slelbourne  University  was  incorporated 
in  1853,  and  was  opened  in  1855.  It  is  en- 
dowed by  Government  to  the  extent  of  £9,000 
a  year,  the  professors  having  liberal  salaries 


mens  of  ancient  and  modern  art.  One  hall 
contains  an  interesting  collection  of  portraits 
of  Australian  and  Now  Zealand  Governors, 
and  a  collection  of  Chinese  curiosities,  for 
Melbourne  has  an  important  Chinese  quarter. 
On  the  same  floor  is  a  large  picture  -  gallery 
containing  many  good  works.  A  grand  flight 
of  stairs  leads  to  the  ui)per  story,  occupied  by 
the  magnificent  free  library  of  Melbourne. 
This  spacious  reading-room  is  230  feet  long 
by  50  feet  wide  and  3-1  feet  high.  The  library 
contains  nearly  109,000  books,  admirably  ar- 
ranged according  to  their  subjects.  During 
the  year  1879  the  numbers  of  readers  were 
266,839.  Readers  help  themselves  to  any 
book  they  wish  for.  Any  man  or  woman  who 
is  decently  attired  and  can  behave  respectably 
can  have  books,  shelter,  warmth,  chair,  table, 
and  light  up  to  ten  at  night,  day  after  day, 
night  after  night,  year  after  year — and  every- 


main  corridor  going  all  around  the  building. 
The  general  public  have  access  only  to  the 
galleries  of  the  courts  direct  from  the  streets, 
as  the  admission  to  the  floor  ot  the  courts  is 
limited  to  those  having  actual  business  witli 
the  courts. 

The  new  palace  for  the  Sydney  Law  Courts  i» 
erected  on  King  Street,  overlooking  H3'do 
Park,  the  Domain,  and  the  Harbor.  It  is  560 
feet  long,  279  feet  wide  and  70  feet  high, 
rising  in  the  centre  to  100  feet.  Accommo- 
dations are  furnished  for  the  six  courts  of  the 
Province,  viz.:  Banco,  Jury,  Equity,  Divorc(>, 
Insolvency  and  District  Courts.  There  is 
also  a  law  library  and  chamber,  with  all  the 
conveniences  for  judges,  barristers,  jurors, 
witnesses,  etc.,  together  with  retiring  and  re- 
freshment rooms,  offices  for  the  Minister  of 
Justice  and  Public  Instruction,  Attorney-gen- 
eral, and  law  officers,  as  well  as  the  Depart- 


GIOANTIC   GIM-TREES   ON   TUB   NOUTHERN   RAILROAD,  QPEENSLAND. 


and  residence.  It  is  imder  the  government 
and  control  of  a  chancellor  and  vice-chancellor, 
and  of  a  senate  and  warden.  The  biiilding 
stands  on  a  commanding  site  in  its  own  park 
of  about  one  hundred  acres,  with  fine  views  of 
the  city  and  bay. 

In  the  pai-k  are  some  affiliated  colleges  and 
halls  belonging  to  different  denominations, 
intended  to  afford  residence,  domestic  super- 
intendence, and  tutorial  aid  to  students  attend- 
ing the  University,  and  also  to  serve  as  theo- 
logical seminaries. 

Another  institution  in  which  Melbourne 
takes  a  justifiable  i^ride  is  its  excellent  Public 
Library,  of  which  an  illustration  is  given  on 
page  656.  The  building  is  a  massive  and 
imposing  structure.  The  lower  story  is  a 
Museum  of  Painting  and  Sculpture.  There 
are  halls  filled  with  busts  and  sculptures,  in- 
cluding casts  from  the  most  celebrated  speci- 


thing  is  entirely  free.  There  are  one  or  two 
side  rooms  specially  reserved  for  the  use  of 
ladies. 


Law  Courts  in  Melbourne  and  Sydney, 
The  Province  of  Victoria  provided  a  new 
building  for  the  law  courts  in  1877,  and  New 
South  Wales  followed,  with  one  at  Sydney  in 
1879.  The  Melbourne  Law  Courts  is  a  build- 
ing in  the  Italian  style  of  architecture,  pre- 
senting frontages  on  three  streets,  the  fourth 
front  being  on  a  private  roadway  in  the  rear, 
extending  313  feet.  The  design  forms  a  quad- 
rangle, comprising  eight  courts  of  law,  four  on 
each  of  the  side  fronts,  which  are  similar  to 
each  other  in  elevation  and  general  arrange- 
ment. Each  court  has  separate  entrances, 
and,  with  its  several  rooms  and  offices,  is 
complete  in  itself,  but  all  are  connected  by  a 


ment  of  Education.  Itoman  architecture  is 
the  style  chosen.  The  plan  was  jjrepared  four- 
teen years  before,  but  ministerial  changes 
and  other  causes  delayed  the  beginning  of  the 
work  till  1879. 


South  Melbourne  Bowling  Green. 
The  ancient  game  of  bowls  is  still  a  favorite 
pastime  in  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies,  and 
nowhere  are  home  customs  more  strictly  and 
thoroughly  carried  out  than  in  the  growing 
cities  of  Australia.  In  Melbourne,  both  the 
north  and  south  sections,  bowling  greens  are 
abundant  and  admirably  kept.  The  "alleys," 
as  an  American  would  call  them  in  the  some- 
what similar  game  of  tenpins,  are  laid  out  on 
closely  shaved  turf,  watered  and  frequently 
rolled,  and  surrounded  by  a  shallow  trench. 
It  is  believed  that  the  Dutch  learned  the  game 


664 


THE    WOELD'S    GEEA.T    NATIONS. 


ON    THE    SANDS    AT    QUEEN'S    CLIFF,   AUSTRALIA. 


AUSTRALIA  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 


665 


from  the  English,  and  introduced  it  into  New 
York.  The  Bowling  Green  at  Emerald  Hill, 
St.  Vincent's  Place,  Melbourne,  is  splendidly 
situated,  and  is  a  favorite  resort  of  the  inhab- 
itants during  the  Summer  months. 


Brisbane. 

Bbisbane  — the  Queensland  capital  —  is  an 
active  citj',  near  the  mouth  of  the  Brisbane 
liiver,  within  twenty- 
five  miles  of  the 
ocean's  breaking  roll- 
ers. It  is  the  centre 
of  a  large  trade  with 
the  coast  towns,  in- 
terior villages,  cattle 
ranches,  sheep  "runs," 
cane  mills  and  gra;n 
farms  of  the  plains, 
and  from  it  emanate 
railroads  into  the  dis- 
tant settlements  of  the  . 
Province. 

The  port  has  an  out- 
let into  the  Oceanic 
islands,  a  n  d  tropic 
fruits  and  sugars  are 
exported  throughout 
the  Australias.  The 
warm  climate  makes 
shade  a  luxury. 

These  sunny  plains 
of  the  antipodes  have 
reared  a  popula  on 
strikingly  like  the 
people  in  the  Western 
States  of  America — 
strong  iu  limb,  tall  in 
stature,  muscular  in 
fi'ame,  aud  ruddy  in 
complexion.  The  Eng- 
lish type  of  counten- 
ance is  preserved,  but 
the  Australias  are 
gradually  developing 
a  natiouaUty  of  their 
own. 

Conditions  have 
formed  customs,  sur- 
roundings have  mold- 
ed characteristics,  and 
occupation  has  influ- 
enced impulses. 

The  colonial-reared 
population  have  a  dis- 
tinct type  of  character 
that  "  savors  of  the 
soil,"  aud  .are  also  a 
noticeable  physical  de- 

l^arture  from  the  physique  of  their  kinsmen  in 
the  British  Isles. 


succession  of  hill  and  dale,  cove  and  bank, 
forest  and  garden,  villa  and  fort,  he  is  com- 
pelled to  exclaim,  "How  beautiful!"  Then, 
with  the  sun  of  Australia  brightening  every 
scene,  with  the  horizon  sharply  defined  iu  the 
absence  of  English  fog  or  mist — with  a  fleet 
of  pleasure  boats,  sailing  craft  and  steamers 
flitting  about  like  swallows  ou  the  wing — with 
the  merry  laugh  aud  joyous  song  springing 
from  the  cruisers — Sydney  Harbor  comes  upon 


South  Head,  has  some  very  pretty  residences.- 
Further  on  is  Vaucluse,  the  beautiful  home 
established  by  Mr.  W.  C.  Wentworth,  one  of 
the  fathers  of  the  colony.  Kamed  after  the 
soft  retreat  of  woodland  and  water  immortal- 
ized by  Petrarch,  it  is  distinguished  from  that 
amidst  the  French  Alps  by  the  presence  of 
freedom. 

Other  villas  of  citizens  lead  onward  and  up- 
ward to  the  Wooloomooloo  hill  behind  Syd- 
ney. On  the  northern 
side  the  e3'e  encounters, 
houses  nestling  in 
grove  or  garden, 
abodes  of  competence 
and  ease.  The  Korth 
Shore  bristles  with 
mansions,  towering  in 
successive  terraces  of 
wood  and  hill,  having 
steam  ferries  to  con- 
nect it  with  the  town. 
The  pastor  of  North. 
Shore;  the  venerable, 
the  learned,  the  good 
chaplain  —  Eev.  W.  B. 
Clarke — was  long  the 
leading  colonial  geo- 
logist. 

The  city  justifies  the 
pride  of  its  people,  as 
the  public  buildings 
are  really  creditable  to- 
the  taste  which  dic- 
tated the  architecture, 
and  the  skill  of  those 
who  reared  the  edifices. 
Of  these,  the  Town- 
hall,  shown  in  our 
illustration,  is  a  favor- 
able specimen. 


Sydney. 

The  inhabitants  are  justly  proud  of  the  un- 
riv.aled  charms  of  Sydney  Harbor,  and  rudely 
resent  the  least  slight  cast  upon  its  reputation. 
They  have  been  so  often  told  that  it  is  beauti- 
ful, that  their  imagination  is  disposed  to  gild 
the  very  gold.  Still,  whenever  a  stranger 
passes  the  stony  headlands,    and    surveys  a 


KATOOMBA  COAL-MINE,  NEW  SOUTU   WALES. 

the  weary  voyager  as  a  new  revelation,  a  fairy 
temple  of  plenty,  peace  and  happiness.  On 
the  north  side  are  the  quarantine  grounds. 
On  the  south  rises  the  Hornby  Tower,  in  ver- 
tical stripes  of  red  and  white,  with  a  fixed 
light  on  the  summit.  But  the  lighthouse  on 
South  Head  is  one  of  the  finest  aud  most 
efficient  known.  The  cliff  is  270  feet  above 
the  water. 

Opening  a  little  over  a  mile,  with  deep 
water  all  the  way  to  Sydney,  the  harbor  is 
commodious  and  safe.     Watson  Bay,  behind 


The  Guni' trees  of 

Queensland. 
The  country  along^ 
the  route  of  the  North- 
ern Kailwoy,  between 
Gosford  and  Lake 
Macquarie,  New  South 
Wales,  is  rich  iu  tim- 
ber of  the  finest  kind, 
which  will  become 
marketable  upon  the 
opening  of  the  line. 
At  Gillaby  -  gillaby. 
where  our  view  was^- 
taken,  forests  of  gum- 
tree  s ,  or  eucalypti, 
tower  to  a  height  of 
200  feet,  while  many  trunks  are  fifteen  feet  iu 
diameter,  and  without  a  branch  for  sixty  or 
seventy  feet,  in  this  respect  rivaling  the  famous 
California  redwood -trees,  which  sometimes 
reach  over  300  feet  in  height.  The  turpentine- 
trees  are  equally  remarkable,  and  a  crookeif 
stem  is  rare  among  them.  The  timber  of  these 
latter  trees  possesses  the  especial  merit  of 
being  impervious  to  the  attacks  of  the  Terredi>- 
navalis ;  and  nearly  every  new  wharf  con- 
structed in  and  about  Sydney  stands  upon, 
turjientine  piles. 


6C6 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


The  Katoomba  Valley,  New  South  Wales. 

The  scene  depicted  on  pnge  665  is  one 
of  the  most  singular  comniereisil  Ycatures  in 
operation  in  Australia.  The  Katoomba  Valley 
is  one  of  the  strange  canons  which  have  given 
celebrity  to  the  Blue  Mountains  of  New  South 
Wales.  An  immense  deposit  of  horizontally 
bedded  Hawkesbury  sandstone  forms  the 
mountain  range,  and  this  bed  is  cut  right 
through  by  motmtain  streams,  which,  in 
parts,  have  also  pene- 
trated the  Devoniiin 
limestone  and  the  bed 
granite  below. 

Between  the  foot  of 
the  sandstone  and  the 
granite  there  are  beds 
of  carboniferous  age, 
containing  valuable 
•seams  of  coal  and  kero- 
sene shale.  These  are 
exposed  to  view  as 
dark  bands  running 
along  the  perpendicu- 
lar walls  of  the  gorges 
like  courses  of  ma- 
sonry. The  Katoomba 
Colliery  is  an  under- 
taking with  3,000  acres 
of  land,  which  has 
been  some  years  at 
work  developing  these 
seams.  The  coal  has 
to  be  raised  oxit  of  the 
valley  to  the  tableland 
above. 

The  valley  is  2,400 
feet  below  the  cliff- 
summit,  and  a  tramway 
with  a  grade  of  1  in  1 
leads  from  an  engine- 
house  on  the  summit 
down  to  a  platform  on 
the  slopes  from  the 
lower  part  of  the  cliff 
to  the  centre  of  the 
valley.  Here  it  is 
joined  by  another 
•tramway,  which  de- 
scends from  the  adit 
which  appears  in  the 
cliff -wall  as  a  small 
black  square  on  the 
■left  side  of  the  picture. 
A  steel  rope  hauls  the 
trucks  up  the  tram- 
road,  and  they  reach 
■the  top  through  a 
tunnel  which  pierces 
the  upper  strata. 
Once  on  the  summit,  they  are  connected  with 
the  Government  railway  which  runs  close  by. 
The  scenery  is  wild  and  grand,  and  the  miners' 
cottages  scattered  amongst  the  timber  add  to 
the  interest  of  the  scene. 


Latitude,  and  165  deg.  and  180  deg.  East  Longi- 
tude. Its  position  is  northeast  and  southwest, 
and  it  is  divided  into  North,  Middle,  and 
South  Islands. 

The  division  is  in  one  respect  unfortunate, 
for  the  South  or  Stewart's  Island  is  a  little, 
insignificant  i^lace,  noted  for  upthiug  particu- 
lar, scarcely  so  large  as  the  Isle  of  Wight,  on 
the  south  coast  of  England,  and  containing 
only  about  1,000  square  miles.  Let  us  speak 
first  of  the  North  Island.     It  is  about  500 


Few  Zealand. 
New  Zealand   lies  in  a  southeasterly  di- 
rrection  from  Australia,  distant  from  it  over 
1,000  miles,  between  35  deg.  and  50  deg.  South 


CHltlSTCHUBCn  CATIIEDEAL.  CAKTEBBLT.V,  NEW  ZEALAND. 


miles  long,  and  is  divided  by  Cook's  Straits 
from  the  Middle  Island ;  it  has  four  jirov- 
inces :  Auckland,  Taranaki,  Hawkes  Bay,  and 
Wellington. 

Auckland,  the  most  developed  part  of  the 
whole  colony,  was  founded  iu  1840  by  the 
New  Zealand  Company  in  England,  which 
had  been  incorporated  the  previous  year. 
Its  capital,  also  called  Auckland,  was  the  seat 
of  government,  which  has  been  since  trans- 
ferred to  Wellington,  on  the  south  coast  of 


the  island,  as  being  more  central.  While  the 
conversion  of  the  natives  was  mainly  due  to 
the  efforts  of  the  Methodist  missionaries,  the 
English  settlers  were,  as  a  body,  by  birthright 
and  education,  members  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  that  Church  takes  precedence 
among  the  white  population,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Otago,  unto  this  day. 

The  Church  settlers  could  not  remain  with- 
out a  bishop;  and  George  Augustus  Selwyn 
was  consecrated  and  sent  out  in  1841.  He 
was  an  athlete,  ft 
scholar,  a  man  of  the 
world,  a  bishoii,  and 
a  Christian.  He  was 
a  good  man  for  the 
natives,  too,  because 
he  could  do  whatever 
their  chiefs  could  do. 
Twenty  years  and 
more  afterward  he 
became  Bishop  of 
Lichfield,  in  England, 
where  he  died ;  and 
there  are  now  six 
bishops  instead  of  one. 
The  City  of  Auckland 
boasts  its  cathedral, 
and  no  less  than  four- 
teen other  places  of 
worship. 

The  North  Island  is 
renowned  for  its 
mountains,  rivers,  and 
lakes.  The  longest 
river  is  the  Waikato, 
which  runs  a  course 
of  200  miles.  The 
highest  mountain  is 
Mount  Cook,  which 
rises  to  13,000  feet.  It 
has  lately  been  scaled 
by  the  Kev.  W.  W.  S. 
Green,  an  English 
clergyman,  who  has 
written  a  book  on  the 
subject,  published  by 
Macmillau  &  Co., 
under  the  title  of  "  The 
High  Alps  of  New 
Zealand."  There  are 
several  extinct,  and 
some  few  active,  vol- 
canoes, the  highest  of 
the  latter,  lUiapahu, 
being  9,000  feet,  of 
which  the  most  re- 
markable peak  is 
Tongariro,  0,000  feet. 
On  the  east  rises  the 
tall  peak  of  Mount 
Egmont,  8,300  feet;  something  resembling 
Mount  Ararat,  only  about  half  its  height.  Con- 
spicuous in  this  island  is  Lake  Taiipo,  formed 
by  the  Kiver  Tongariro.  It  is  famous  for  its 
boiling  springs,  which  on  cooling  will  petrify 
anything,  living  or  dead,  which  may  be 
thrown  into  it;  thus,  any  quantity  of  speci- 
mens of  fish  and  birds  may  be  obtained  in  a 
state  of  petrifaction. 

The   climate   of  New  Zealand  generally  is 
temperate  and  salubrious.    As  we  approaca 


AUSTEALIA  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 


66T 


ON    THE    HUON    EIYEK,   TASIVIANIA. 


668 


THE    WOKLD'S    GEEAT    NATIONS. 


nearer  north  it  becomes  semi-tropical;  and, 
■were  it  not  for  the  prevalent  northwest  winds, 
ATould  be  as  enjoyable  as  any  climate  of  the 
globe. 

Snow  does  not  fall  in  any  quantities,  ex- 
cept, of  course,  in  the  mountains :  and  never 


diseases.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  North 
Island  is  estimated  at  57  deg.,  while  that  of 
the  South  or  Middle  Island  is  52  deg. ,  Fahren- 
heit. 

Wellington  was  colonized  in  1840  under  the 
auspices  of  the  New  Zealand  Company;  the 


in  particular,  the  Province  of  Otago  is  to 
Scotland  and  the  Presbyterian  Church.  In 
1848  the  Presbyterians  in  Scotland  colonized 
Otago,  and.  founded  the  capital  city  of  Dune- 
din.  The  doctrine,  discipline  and  ritual  of 
the  infant  Church  was  to  be  the  same  as  that 


pjTTI 


in  quantities  enough  to  lie  for  any  time,  or  to 
make  a  snowball  of.  The  natural  humidity 
and  mildness  of  the  climate  is  the  cause  of  the 
most  lovely  and  luxuriant  vegetation,  while  it 
is  not  hot  enough  to  breed  poisonous  snakes 
ox  reptiles  of  any  kind,  nor  to  grow  any 
deadly  trees  or  shrubs,  or  encourage  any  fatal 


ON  THB  DERWKNT  KIVF.B,  TASMANIA. 

population  of  the  city  is  now  over  10,000 ; 
Nelson,  in  the  Middle  Island,  was  bom  a  year 
later ;  it  boasts  a  bishop  with  his  cathedral, 
numerotis  places  of  worship,  and  a  town  popu- 
lation of  about  G,000.  What  the  other  Prov- 
inces are  to  England  generally,  what  the  Can- 
terbury Province  is  to  the  Church  of  England 


of  the  old  Presbyterian  faith.  Time  has 
blended  different  shades  of  opinion  into  one, 
and  the  old  Presbyterian  has  joined  hands 
with  the  Free  Church  to  worshij)  God  together 
in  the  land  of  their  adoption. 

The  Province  is  prosperous  and  influential, 
is  200  miles  long  by  ICO  miles  broad,  with  .in 


AUSTRALIA.  AND  NEW  ZEALAND. 


66d 


area  of  26,000  square  miles  and  a  population 
-of  110,000  souls.  This  is  doing  well,  consid- 
ering that  it  is  only  forty  years  of  age  '  The 
chief  city  is  Dunediu,  approached  by  a  small 
steamer  from  Port  Chalmers,  where  the  vessels 
nuchor.  With  its  suburbs,  it  can  count  an 
aggregate  population  of  27,000. 

The  Province  of  Otago  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  that  of  Canterbury,  which  was  set- 
tled in  the  year  1850.     Canterbury  is,  per- 


in  pastures  new.  It  is  the  most  English  of  all 
the  Provinces,  and  therefore  the  more  in  re- 
quest by  those  who,  in  spite  of  the  past,  and 
with  everything  to  gain  in  the  future,  have  re- 
tained the  fires  of  patriotism  in  their  breasts. 


Australian  Vital  Statistics. 
The   Government  statist  has  issued    some 
returns  ot  the   estimated  population  of  the 


or  equal  to  1.153  persons  to  the  square  mile. 
The  marriage  -  rate  for  the  same  year  was: 
Victoria,  7.G2;  New  South  Wales,  7.42; 
Queensland,  8.21 ;  South  Australia,  6.32 ;  West- 
ern Australia,  7.70 ;  Tasmania,  6.71 ;  New 
Zealand,  5.87.  The  births  iu  Victoria  last 
year  numbered  33,043,  and  the  deaths  16,006. 
The  highest  birth-rate  was  iu  Queensland, 
namely,  38.09,  Western  Australia  coming  next, 
37.94,  and  then  New  South  Wales,  36.42.    The 


faaps,  the  largest  field  for  emigration  of  all 
the  Provinces  in  New  Zealand,  the  liberal 
spirit  of  its  laws  —  especially  regarding  the 
sale  of  waste  lands  —  the  excellency  of  its 
climate,  the  fertility  of  a  great  part  of  its  soil, 
the  comparative  facilities  of  transjjortation  in 
epite  of  its  being  in  the  antipodes,  and 
chiefly  the  homelike  atmosphere  which  has 
been  made  to  surround  all  its  belongings, 
Lave  long  pointed  it  out  as  a  desirable  field 
for  such  as,  wearied  with  the  battle  of  life  at 
home,  seek  for  independence  and  prosperity 


ON  THE  WEST  COAST  ROAD,  NEW  ZEALAND. 

Axistralian  colonies  and  of  New  Zealand  for 
1887.  The  population  of  Victoria  on  the  31st 
of  December,  1887,  is  set  down  at  1,036,118,  of 
which  550,043  were  males ;  New  South  Wales 
on  the  same  date  had  an  estimated  population 
of  1,042,919,  of  which  574,012  were  males; 
Queensland,  336,940,  including  214,531  males ; 
South  Australia,  312,421,  of  which  160,441 
were  males;  Western  Australia,  42,488;  Tas- 
mania, 142.478;  and  New  Zealand.  603,361, 
of  which  324,558  were  males.  The  total  popu- 
lation of  the  Australian  colonies  was  3,546,725, 


birth-rate  in  Victoria  was  only  32.40,  which  is 
lowest  on  the  list  excepting  New  Zealand,  with 
32.09.  The  tables  show  that  the  total  popula- 
tion of  Aiastralasia  had  increased  120,163  dur- 
ing the  year.  When  it  is  remembered  that  the 
semi-centennial  of  the  founding  of  the  first 
Australian  city  was  celebrated  only  a  few  years 
ago,  this  rapid  growth  in  population  appears 
phenomenal,  and  gives  color  to  the  claims 
of  enthusiastic  Australians  that  their  country 
is  destined  to  become  the  greatest  in  the  world, 
in  the  not  far-distant  future. 


670 


THE    WOKLD'S    GREAT    NATIONS. 


MOUNT    EGMONT,   NEW  ZEALAND,  FKOM    THE  KECKEATION  -  GKOUND. 


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